Unfortunately for Earth, scientists have noticed two sunspots on the surface of the Sun which could cause solar storms on our planet.
Sunspots are patches of darkness on the Sun which are caused by underlying magnetism beneath the surface. “Sunspots are islands of magnetism floating on the surface of the sun. Like all magnets they have poles, + and -.
The two potential solar storms could be cause for concern for scientists, with the Met Office recently warning we will face a monumental solar storm in the future, which could knock out Britain’s technology and cost the UK almost £16billion in damages.
A researcher for the Met Office said: “We find that for a one-in-100-year event, with no space weather forecasting capability, the gross domestic product loss to the United Kingdom could be as high as £15.9bn.
“With existing satellites nearing the end of their life, forecasting capability will decrease in coming years, so if no further investment takes place, critical infrastructure will become more vulnerable to space weather.”