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10 Ways to Armageddon
On a bright Monday morning
For the purposes of this list I am using the term Armageddon to describe scenarios that may result in the end-of-the-world. This includes catastrophic events that could literally destroy the entire planet, or others that pose the threat of the end of civilisation as we know it. Examples of the latter include some of the biggest threats we currently face, such as nuclear war and deadly virus pandemics. There is a strong likelihood that in both these examples some of humanity will survive, although civilisation as it is today could be totally destroyed.
Ten
Solar flares
Solar flares are intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation generated by the sun. They occur when the sun’s magnetic field tightens and ruptures causing vast storms and surges of electromagnetic energy across it’s surface. The energy from the solar flares heats up the gases in the sun’s atmosphere, creating huge blobs of charged particles called corona mass ejections (CMEs) that are launched into space.
These CMEs reach our planet at a rate of one a week to several in a day. The vast majority are harmless and stay undetected. This is due to our Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field protecting us from the harmful effects of the solar radiation. However some of the most powerful CMEs are capable of…
