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[RC]

YES! It's true! This theory is more likely than the Earth exploding into a million bits when the Sun decides it's time to kill us all because it's having a bad day.

What really is going to happen on 2012? Who the hell knows, but I'm going with this theory:

A Solar maximum is expected to occur sometime in 2012 or 2013. As you may or may not know, a Solar maximum is the greatest period for solar activity, meaning more solar storms, sun spot occurrences and of course; Solar flares.

Solar flares are large explosions that take place in the Sun's atmosphere, and produce radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum. Radio waves, gamma rays, blah blah blah blah blah. Solar flares occur in active areas around the sunspots, and the X-rays and UV rays sent out by the solar flares can affect the Earth's ionosphere and disrupt all sorts of radio communications and all that jazz.

Traveling back in time to 1972, I learned that a strong solar flare literally knocked out long-distance telephone communication across much of Illinois, and then on the way back to now I discovered that in 1989 electric power transmission was disrupted somewhere in Canada at some power station placeamajig, forcing over 6 million angry, scared Canadians to into total darkness for over 9 agonizing hours.

Scientists predict that this Solar maximum is going to be stronger than previous ones, and, what if there's a possibility that a SUPER SOLAR FLARE occurs? What would happen if a measly "strong" solar flare knocked out power and telephone communications? I'll tell you.

Doomsday. The end of the world as we know it. The end... of THE INTERNET! Which essentially is the end of life, because let's face it - we're too dependent on the internet.

It all makes sense now, it isn't a supernova that's going to wipe out Earth, though, that is a possibility as well, rather our own bitch of a Sun going take away our PORN!

The end of the world is nigh... 2012. Be prepared. Be scared. But most importantly - watch out for them atomic bombs!

[allen]

Is this a joke post? I can't tell if this is a joke post or not. Either way, it's stupid.

[Movius]

The current solar minimum is particularly... minimal.

Also you would have gained extra TERROR points by mentioning the solar flare that took down the telegraph in 19th century, setting telegraph poles ablaze in some places or even powering the telegraph by induced current alone in others.

[Radix]

wait what about the theory that nothing happens

[Renton]

All I know is, I have a shotgun, it is loaded and whether it's zombies or solar flares or mutants, I'm shooting anyone who comes close to my territory. It's dog eat dog, baby.

[William Broom]

The rest of the world will be fine, but Illinois is fucked.

[deadeye]

wait what about the theory that nothing happens

That's a boring theory that doesn't sell movie tickets .  I like theories with a little pizazz.

[RC]

Is this a joke post? I can't tell if this is a joke post or not. Either way, it's stupid.

You'll think otherwise come 2012...

The current solar minimum is particularly... minimal.

Yeah, that's now, but the last solar maximum occurred in 2001, they switch every 11 or 13 years or so.

Also you would have gained extra TERROR points by mentioning the solar flare that took down the telegraph in 19th century, setting telegraph poles ablaze in some places or even powering the telegraph by induced current alone in others.

Didn't know this, though curiosity got the best of me and I decided to travel BACK IN TIME, or just go a mouse click away and read about it. Either would work.

Putting a magnet over a wire causes an electric current to flow inside the wire, which is what happened in the 1800's with the telegraph when the solar flare caused a magnetic storm in the Earth's atmosphere, affecting thousands of miles of telegraph wires, nearly electrocuting telegraph operators and could run powerless without a battery.

Though, in 1940 another magnetic storm occurred and affected wires under the ocean, short-wave broadcasts were blocked for hours during the time as 2,600 volts surged through the cable between Scotland and Newfoundland.

Though in theory, a solar flare can always wipe out satellites since they are above the Earth's protective atmosphere, making them vulnerable to high levels of radiation and high-energy electrons.

For example, in 1997 an AT&T satellite experienced a massive power failure due to a solar storm that occurred a few days prior, granted the Sun wasn't in the Solar maximum stage yet until later in 2001. It can happen at any time, though it is more likely to during a solar maximum, which just so happens to be in 2012.

[Μarkham]

The current solar minimum is particularly... minimal.

Yeah, that's now, but the last solar maximum occurred in 2001, they switch every 11 or 13 years or so.

...but the only thing I remember happening in 2001 is... holy crap!  Solar maximum caused 9/11! 

[Guert]

I'm eagerly awaiting Melly's reply. 

[Melly]

What? What should I say? That I'll gut RC and hang him by his intestines while he's still conscious and injected with adrenaline so he won't die too quickly for mentioning 2012 end-of-the-world theories?

And either way, the average 2012 theory is just so fucking boring. We're fucking indie, lets think of something better.

[Cthulhu32]

[Renton]

Let me do that.