Brian Walsh's Boston University proposes 'StormWall' to halve storm impacts
A group led by Brian Walsh at Boston University has come up with a bold idea called "StormWall": six spacecraft would orbit Earth, ready to release materials like barium or sodium during big solar storms.
When vaporized, these materials create plasma that boosts our planet's protective shield and cuts the storm's impact by more than half.
StormWall to strengthen magnetosphere, protect infrastructure
Solar storms can mess with satellites, GPS, and even power grids. StormWall aims to keep tech safe by strengthening Earth's magnetosphere when trouble hits.
The system would require the fleet to collectively carry a payload equivalent to about 12 oil truckloads' worth of material, so it's pricey, but as space investments grow, it could become doable.
The plasma lasts six hours and doesn't leave lasting pollution, plus protection would be global, benefiting people around the world.