NASA Tamps Down Massive Solar Flare Impact Hype, PC World

"While some of the coverage of the massive Valentine's Day solar flare made it sound like the world was coming to an end, or darn close to it. NASA's website this afternoon played another likely more realistic tune: "The particle cloud produced by the Valentine's Day event appears to be rather weak and is not expected to produce any strong effects at Earth other than perhaps some beautiful aurora in the high northern and southern latitudes on Feb. 17."

Scientists warn of $2,000bn solar 'Katrina', Financial Times

"The sun is waking up from a long quiet spell. Last week it sent out the strongest flare for four years - and scientists are warning that earth should prepare for an intense electromagnetic storm that, in the worst case, could be a "global Katrina" costing the world economy $2,000bn. Senior officials responsible for policy on solar storms - also known as space weather - in the US, UK and Sweden urged more preparedness at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington."

- Videos: Large Solar Flare and CME As Seen by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, Earlier post
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