Apocalypse Now? Internet Outage Could Cost $7 Billion

By CBS News

June 28, 2023 10:26 AM EDT

Fears are brewing that an apocalypse is coming. US scientists estimate that a single day's outage of the Internet would cost $7 billion. The news comes as a solar flare, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on Thursday, has reignited concerns about the potential for a catastrophic event.

The solar flare was classified as an X-class flare, the most powerful type of solar flare. It's the first X-class flare to hit Earth since 2017. While the flare did not cause any major damage, it's a reminder of the potential for a more powerful flare to hit Earth.

If a powerful solar flare were to hit Earth, it could cause widespread damage to infrastructure, including the power grid, communications systems, and the Internet. A study by the National Academy of Sciences found that a severe solar flare could cause up to $2.6 trillion in damage to the US economy.

The study also found that a single day's outage of the Internet would cost $7 billion. This is because most businesses and governments rely on the Internet for communication, data storage, and financial transactions. An outage would cripple these activities and lead to widespread economic losses.

The threat of a solar flare is not new. Scientists have been warning about the potential for a catastrophic event for decades. However, the recent solar flare has reignited concerns about the need to prepare for such an event.

There are a number of things that can be done to prepare for a solar flare. These include:

• Investing in resilient infrastructure.
• Developing backup systems for critical communications and data storage.
• Educating the public about the threat of a solar flare.

By taking these steps, we can help to reduce the risk of a catastrophic event and protect our way of life.