Scientists propose StormWall satellites to shield Earth from solar storms
Technology
Scientists just pitched a bold idea: StormWall, a set of six giant satellites floating 36210km above Earth.
These satellites would spray special gasses like sodium and barium to create a plasma shield (basically an invisible wall) to keep dangerous solar storm particles from messing with our planet.
StormWall could cut damage, costs billions
StormWall could cut the damage from powerful solar storms by up to 84%, which is huge since these storms can knock out power grids and fry satellites.
The catch? Building and maintaining it could cost billions of dollars, but researchers say it's worth it: future superstorms might cause trillions of dollars in damage.
As lead scientist Brian Walsh puts it, "build a storm wall."