Global internet shutdown would trigger ‘cascading disorder’, analysts warn

Recent spikes in solar activity have reignited fears that a large coronal mass ejection could cripple global communications without warning.

According to LADbible, an eruption this week has already disrupted radio traffic across Europe and Africa, offering a small preview of what a larger event could trigger.

The Daily Mail quoted solar physicist Dr. Ryan French as explaining that “in most cases, these particles are absorbed by the atmosphere and do not reach the ground,” but during this flare, scientists detected “an enhancement at ground level” — a sign that the charged particles were penetrating unusually deeply into the Earth’s environment.

Although only a few dozen major events have been recorded since 1942, experts continue to point to the Carrington Event of 1859, when the first electrical systems experienced large-scale malfunctions.

Collapse of communications

In the scenario described by LADbible, a much more powerful solar explosion would destroy a significant portion of Earth’s satellites within minutes.

Without these satellites, the media outlet claims, daily functions such as air navigation, maritime tracking and cross-border communications would become silent.

LADbible’s modeling suggests that voltage spikes could overwhelm electronic devices and home electrical systems, not only causing fires, but destabilizing local circuits so severely that appliances, chargers and fuse boxes could fail simultaneously.

Even the International Space Station could experience abrupt shutdowns of its system, according to the scenario presented by the media.

Emergency services, LADbible notes, would immediately lose their digital coordination tools. Countries directly affected by the solar blast would face intense disruption, while regions outside the blast zone may fare better. LADbible points out that Russia’s internal network, RusNet, could maintain a limited number of channels operating in isolation.

Breakdown of public order

According to LADbible modeling, the lack of CCTV, road signs and functional communications tools would strain police responses nationwide. The outlet claims officers would move quickly across major UK cities to deter opportunistic crime, but without surveillance systems identifying offenders would become much more difficult.

Road networks would deteriorate rapidly. Instead of the fire imagery used in many scenarios, LADbible focuses on logistical paralysis: broken down electric vehicles, inaccessible charging infrastructure, and intersections blocked for hours.
Clearing these roads, according to their analysis, would require industrial equipment normally reserved for disaster sites.

Government teams, LADbible reports, are reportedly returning to analog communication — military radios, field phones and even Morse code — as the only reliable way to connect command centers.

Pressure on the medical system

Hospitals, in the scenario described by LADbible, would switch to backup generators, but these generators are designed for short-term use.

A&E departments wouldn’t just fill up: they would struggle to manage patients without digital record systems, forcing staff to rebuild triage processes on paper.

Rather than focusing solely on fire-related injuries, LADbible highlights broader medical challenges: energy-dependent treatments interrupted mid-procedure, dialysis patients requiring urgent relocation, and refrigerated medications at risk of spoilage.

Supply lines, LADbible notes, would weaken within days, making routine care much more difficult.

Rebuild the network

LADbible reports that British officials are reportedly consulting technology specialists to restore the backbone of the Internet.
According to their coverage, the revitalization of the London Internet Exchange in Docklands, a crucial hub for national data traffic, would be at the heart of this effort.

“The Internet is a remarkably fragile thing – a vital part of our economic infrastructure, built on very fragile foundations,” Professor Alan Woodward of the University of Surrey told LADbible.

His comments highlight how recovery efforts would depend on surviving fiber optic lines, electrical substations and protected server facilities.

If major US cloud centers were destroyed – a scenario raised by LADbible – Britain would be forced into extreme conservation of resources. Food deliveries, water distribution and access to fuel would revert to rationing systems managed locally and not digitally.

Long-term instability

Two months after the start of the crisis, LADbible predicts a new series of problems.
Patchwork computer systems created during the emergency would be easy targets for cybercriminals.

LADbible reports that hackers would likely attempt to extort governments that are still struggling to stabilize their infrastructure.

The outlet also suggests that geopolitical rivals could exploit the chaos, with Russia potentially targeting still operational digital remnants in the West.

Journalist’s note

This scenario, while speculative, highlights a consistent message from scientists and infrastructure specialists: national resilience depends not only on advanced technology, but also on maintaining robust low-technology contingencies.

Whether it’s clearer public guidance, stronger network protections, or cross-border coordination, governments face increasing pressure to prepare for events that could disrupt digital lives for much longer than a simple power outage.

Sources: LADbible, Daily Mail

This article is produced and published by August M, who may have used AI in the preparation