In the worst case scenario, almost anything electronic will be hit. Take this out to a wider economic level and you begin to realise the alarming consequences.
We have already seen how the Icelandic volcano affected both passengers and airlines this year. Now imagine if all flights across the globe were cancelled due to a solar storm.
Even worse, banking systems could go down completely, possibly leading to a global financial meltdown. What this boils down to is that if a major solar storm hits Earth and the planet is unprepared, chaos will ensue.
Fortunately, given the history of the Sun's activity and the seemingly misguided histrionic reactions evinced by some, there is no need for widespread panic.
"There is indeed the tendency to make things look apocalyptic," Caselli told IT PRO.
However, while a global disruption is probably unlikely, caution needs to be exercised.
Considering previous events, it is likely there will be some local issues as well as larger scale events to deal with. In particular, communication and GPS satellites may be taken out, the professor said. Computers on board of airplanes could be hit as well, particularly those travelling close to the poles, as this is where solar flares will have their greatest impact.
"The continuous monitoring of the sun activity is very important to prevent major disruptions," Caselli advised.
So, the message is don't panic, but be prepared - a good motto for most scenarios.
