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> all electronic devices become paperweights Isn't this an exceedingly unlikely scenario? In the Carrington event, even extremely long conductors like telegrap
by dividedbyzero 4y ago
> all electronic devices become paperweights
Isn't this an exceedingly unlikely scenario? In the Carrington event, even extremely long conductors like telegraph lines only carried electricity in the "ouch" range, and as far as I understand the physics behind this, the longer the conductor, the larger the induction effect. So I guess most electronics should be fine even in a much worse event, as long as they're not connected to mains power, I doubt whatever gets induced into tiny electronics circuits would be enough to do damage.
- ben_w 4y agoI think you are technically correct, however if the grids (or even just the substations) burn out, the still-functional personal electronics aren't going to get many chances to recharge.
- Frenchgeek 4y agoWell, unless your car burns out too, you'll have at least 12V to work with.
- ben_w 4y agoThe fuel pump is electric, as is the payment mechanism in the station, the transactions between the station and the suppliers of refined fuel, significant parts of the refinery itself, and the international banking system if any of that fuel is from a different country to the one you live in, and automated monitoring of long distance fuel pipelines, and at least some of the equipment used to get the fuel out of the ground, and some of the equipment used to make that equipment.
- Frenchgeek 4y agoSo a bit of downtime while spare parts are installed, or older tech put back in use... A major disruption, maybe, but not the end of the world.
- lettergram 4y agoYou should read up on what happens if the grid goes down. It’s not like you can “flip a switch”. If it’s global you’ll have the inability to fix many transformers.
- LargoLasskhyfv 4y agoIt doesn't even have to be global. Just look at how long it takes to produce and deliver only one today, under normal circumstances. With many long detours. It's a spectacle for rail-, transportation-, and logistics-nerds. Often documented on youtube by all involved parties.
- ben_w 4y agoAt this scale, there wouldn't be enough spares. You'd have to wait for replacements to be made, and everywhere in the world is also waiting, but the factories will have to be reworked first so they don't rely on electricity either. I'm sure there are civil engineers working on making sure none of this is necessary, but I kinda doubt the politicians are giving those engineers the resources needed to preemptively build and deploy solutions.
- LargoLasskhyfv 4y agoYou mean the stuff we have dismantled, and exported elsewhere as trash for recycling?
- Maken 4y agoUnless your car is old enough to have mechanical spark plugs, it will be just a heavier paperweight.
- stuckinhell 4y agoExploding a couple nukes in the atmosphere can cause a wide spread emp (high altitude nuclear explosion). With what seems like WW3 on the horizon, I'm actually worried about this more than not.
- dividedbyzero 4y agoIf someone were to hit the US with a crippling EMP strike, I just don't see how that could go over without an all-out nuclear exchange, and that's just not really preppable.
- Auracle 4y agoEh, if you down live in an area where nukes will strike directly or downwind of a ones you could survive. Society will be back in the Middle Ages, or worse of nuclear winter happens, but with enough supplies you could ride that out.