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Expert Warns: Civilian World Not Ready For Massive EMP-Caused Blackout

Posted by samzenpus on from the turn-off-the-lights dept.

schwit1 (797399) writes "An electromagnetic pulse is a burst of electromagnetic energy strong enough to disable, and even destroy, nearby electronic devices. In the first few minutes of an EMP, nearly half a million people would die. That's the worst-case scenario that author William R. Forstchen estimated would be the result of an EMP on the electric grid. 'If you do a smart plan — the Congressional EMP Commission estimated that you could protect the whole country for about $2 billion,' Peter Vincent Pry, executive director of the Task Force on National and Homeland Security and director of the U.S. Nuclear Strategy Forum, told Watchdog.org. 'That's what we give away in foreign aid to Pakistan every year.' He said the more officials plan, the lower the estimated cost gets. 'The problem is not the technology,' Pry said. 'We know how to protect against it. It's not the money, it doesn't cost that much. The problem is the politics. It always seems to be the politics that gets in the way.'"

4 of 271 comments (clear)

  1. Actual thought process by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Reading summary: this seems pretty stupid and a little fear-mongery for slashdot.

    Click link: Fox news, figures. Usual shit reporting and lack of detail. Obamacare not mentioned anywhere in article.

    Click link in article to watchdog.org: not much more detail, more zomg fear crap, still no mention of obamacare.

    Read comments on watchdog.org: ok, I’m out

    Not saying there isn’t something to talk about here, but linking to fox news for this kind of topic is like linking to a local news report on heartbleed. We aren’t the audience for this level of reporting.

    1. Re:Actual thought process by Collective+0-0009 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Mod this AC up. WTF /.?????? Some article about devastating effects of EMP and an easy preventative measure (that I wanted to read about). But the links are to foxnews.com and watchdog.org!!!! There is no content!

      Would people stop using /. and start using soylentnews.org, please!?!? I can't take this anymore!

      --
      I finally updated my sig, but now it's lame.
  2. What's the range of an EMP? by swb · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I know it would vary based on the yield of the nuke and the relative shielding of the device, but let's say...

    1) "Rogue" small-yield nuke detonated at ground-level (eg, snuck onto a shipping container or other similar delivery).

    2) Standard-size ICBM delivered to target intended for ground destruction.

    3) Standard sized ICBM delivered for maximum EMP yield.

    Can you use a single nuke to EMP the entire continental US?

    What kind of shielding is necessary to block EMPs? Is my TV in the top floor of my house junk but maybe my PC in the basement likely unaffected? Is there a shared risk from the electric grid?

    1. Re:What's the range of an EMP? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      A solar generated EMP is not a threat to your house wiring. It is only a threat to wiring that is many miles long - i.e. the commercial power grid. It will induce large currents in the grid, that will travel to your house as (I assume) your house is connected to the grid. As disconnecting your house from the grid is (I assume) not a valid solution, the answer must be protecting the grid.