AI warns of catastrophic space phenomenon that threatens $1,000,000,000 of damage on Earth
There's plenty to keep us up at night when it comes to threats against humanity.
Whether it's the looming shadow of nuclear war, artificial intelligence taking over, or climate change simply destroying the Earth, that's before we even get to threats from outer space.
Given that we know so little about space, there are many untold threats out there in the cold abyss of the stars.
Away from three city-killing asteroids coming our way, there are questions about whether aliens will be friend or foe when they eventually make contact.
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The last thing we need is a Mars Attacks! incident.
Although many of you are concerned that AI could wipe out humanity in as little as two years, it can also be used to help advance the human race.
As well as warning us about the threats of World War III, AI can be used to predict what dangers are lurking out in space.
We asked ChatGPT, "What is the biggest threat in space to the human race?" and you might be surprised by the response.
Unsurprisingly, coming in first is the looming threat of all those asteroids.
Second place might surprise you, with ChatGPT foreshadowing solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) being an unexpected danger.
According to ChatGPT: "A powerful solar storm could knock out global power grids, satellites, and communication systems. This could lead to long-term disruptions in infrastructure."
Worryingly, we've already been warned of a devastating CME that could strike Earth in 2025, while the idea of a global power outage is said to be more devastating than a theoretical WWIII.
We're reminded of 1859's Carrington Event, which is thought to have been caused by the Sun colliding with Earth's magnetosphere.
Dubbed the most intense geomagnetic storm in recorded history, there were reports of auroras being so bright that people could read a newspaper by their light, while telegraph stations around the world spoke about electric shocks and even fires.
Given how much technology has advanced since then and how much we rely on technology these days, we dread to think of the impact. ChatGPT suggests a modern CME could cause trillions of dollars in damage.
There have been numerous reports of solar storms causing damage over the years, like a 1972 incident that triggered magnetic-influence sea mines, or a 1989 geomagnetic storm that knocked out the Quebec power grid. If anything else, the idea that the mass of satellites currently flying around in low Earth orbit could come crashing down on our heads is enough to have us worried.
The good news is that there are numerous solar storms every year, with most giving us little more than a pretty light show in the sky. Still, when even AI is concerned about what this could do to the human race, it could be time to take note.