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A recent solar flare is making governments of many countries aware of the dangers of blackouts. In May, there was
a solar flare-class X2.7 detected by NASA from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
. This solar flare is the cause of negative consequences happening in the magnetosphere, leaving Earth exposed to more damages that affect technology and, as a consequence, society.
Spain is very worried about these solar flare situations because there was a blackout in April and the government is focusing on these issues to be prepared if this happened again. I know some concepts are too specific, but let’s explain them and know more about something the Earth is dealing with now.
What is this solar flare situation?
A solar flare is a huge explosion of energy in the surface of the Sun that emits light, heat and many particles to escape, but these particles are invisible for us from Earth.
The solar flare can be dangerous for our planet because these particles can reach us. It doesn’t mean we will get burned or anything like it, but it will affect paramount aspects for our daily life like the Internet, light, satellites and GPS. Basically, our digitised systems will failure and this can lead to a chaos in many countries.
Is this what happened on the 14th of May?
That’s exactly right! On this date an X2.7-class solar flare occurred which means it is one of the most powerful ones ever to happen in this 2025, this type is very energy charged and dangerous. However, it wasn’t very harmful for Earth, there was a delay in the functioning of wifi connections and radios, and minor problems in other digital services.
As mentioned before, the particles from these explosions can’t be seen and here comes NASA to solve this problem. Thanks to its highly advanced technology, scientists could see from the Solar Dynamics Observatory this phenomenon by using specific telescopes.
Spain’s blackout
On the 28th of April, Spanish people experienced a blackout
and the government started an energy alert since the whole country’s electricity infrastructure didn’t work for a long time in some parts of Spain. The blackout lasted for 2 or 3 hours in some parts, but it lasted so much longer – like 12 hours – in other places of the country.
This caused a sense of worry and fear among citizens because this was very dangerous for many services like hospitals, airports and even public security.
This is why Spain is worried about scientists estimating these solar flares happening again. This phenomenon wasn’t the cause for Spain’s blackout, but the government and its citizens are worried that it could cause more serious damages.
Is this something to worry about?
Well, first, you need to know something about the Sun. We are at the peak of the Sun’s activity as it has different cycles of activity for 11 years which means we will experience more explosions and more solar flares.
It is believed this cycle will end in 2026, so more phenomena like this are expected to happen in the upcoming months. You should have a candle, a lighter and a radio near you just in case it happens the same as in Spain.
We should be prepared – mostly governments – for any situation. We can’t accurately predict when a phenomenon like this can happen, but there should be some strategies so that citizens and security systems are strong enough to deal with these situations and cause the least harm possible. So, we shouldn’t be worried too much about these solar flares, but we should learn from Spain’s experience and be more prepared.
