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When a catastrophic, Carrington-level coronal mass ejection slams into Earth's magnetic field, the resulting extreme geomagnetic storm could instantly fry the delicate fly-by-wire navigation systems of thousands of commercial aircraft mid-flight. Our newest aviation and space weather documentary explores the terrifying scientific simulation where a severe solar storm completely knocks out global GPS and air traffic control communications, theoretically leading to the catastrophic failure of over 900 planes in a single day. We dive deep into the intense astrophysics behind solar flares and electromagnetic pulses, breaking down exactly why modern passenger jets are shockingly vulnerable to these sudden, massive spikes in atmospheric radiation. Click to watch now and uncover the chilling scientific truth about how engineers are desperately racing to shield our skies from the inevitable wrath of the Sun! Animation is created by Bright Side.
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Music from TheSoul Sound: https://thesoul-sound.com/
Check our Bright Side podcast on Spotify and leave a positive review! https://open.spotify.com/show/0hUkPxD34jRLrMrJux4VxV
Subscribe to Bright Side: https://goo.gl/rQTJZz
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Our Social Media:
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https://www.eastnews.ru
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For more videos and articles visit: http://www.brightside.me
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This video is made for entertainment purposes. We do not make any warranties about the completeness, safety and reliability. Any action you take upon the information in this video is strictly at your own risk, and we will not be liable for any damages or losses. It is the viewer's responsibility to use judgement, care and precaution if you plan to replicate.
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FunTranscript
00:00Wow, nobody could have predicted this.
00:03Thousands of Airbus planes had to be grounded at once.
00:07Was it a technical glitch, a construction mistake, a human error?
00:11Not at all.
00:12It happened because the plane's computers might get messed up by something coming straight from space.
00:18Something that could cause a terrible disaster and claim hundreds of lives.
00:23Now, the thing is, our sun is always shooting out charged particles, like a powerful, invisible wind.
00:30And on top of that, we're constantly getting hit by even stronger particles from outside our solar system.
00:35Those are called cosmic rays.
00:37We never feel them, but they're always there.
00:40Most days, they're harmless.
00:41But sometimes, the sun fires off a massive burst, a solar storm.
00:46And that stuff can seriously mess with electronics.
00:50It's also what triggers those insanely bright auroras.
00:54Now, because of this risk, Airbus checked around 6,000 planes.
00:58About 5,000 of them needed a simple software update.
01:03But around 900 older planes needed a whole new computer.
01:08According to Airbus, radiation from the sun might have corrupted data that's essential for flight control.
01:14And this issue could have affected many A320 aircraft already in service.
01:20The main problem is a piece of software that calculates the plane's elevation.
01:25If high-energy particles hit the computer at the wrong moment, the hardware can glitch.
01:30And that glitch becomes a software error.
01:33You see, when planes fly high, the air is thinner.
01:36So, more space particles get through.
01:38If one of those particles hits a microchip, it can flip a tiny bit.
01:43A zero becomes a one, or a one becomes a zero.
01:46That tiny flip is called a single-event upset.
01:49And it can make electronics act weird.
01:52You can probably imagine the catastrophic outcome an altitude-related mistake can lead to.
01:58Airbus planes are finally getting back to normal after the company rushed out a software fix, which was way faster
02:05than anyone expected.
02:06By the way, the warning itself came after a JetBlue flight ran into trouble mid-air when a solar flare
02:13may have messed with its flight controls.
02:16That JetBlue plane was flying from Cancun to New Jersey when something suddenly went wrong.
02:21The jet dropped sharply.
02:23It was fast enough that people were thrown around the cabin.
02:26Some passengers hit the ceiling.
02:28Around 15 to 20 people ended up in hospitals.
02:32At 2.19 p.m., the pilots made an emergency landing in Tampa.
02:37Medical teams immediately rushed on board.
02:39JetBlue pulled the plane from service immediately.
02:42And the FAA is now digging into what exactly happened.
02:45In any case, these days, we rely a lot on watching the sun.
02:50There are satellites in space right now whose only job is to track solar tantrums and warn us before they
02:57cause trouble.
02:58Luckily, we're finally heading toward a calmer period of the sun's cycle.
03:02But it never truly quiets down.
03:06Even when our star seems calm, it's still firing particles at us non-stop.
03:12And recently, scientists from several countries found something hidden in ancient tree rings.
03:17A huge jump in radiocarbon dating from about 12,350 BCE, right near the end of the last ice age.
03:26For years, no one could tell how strong this spike really was because there was no good way to model
03:32it.
03:32Now, with a new climate chemistry model, researchers have finally figured out that this thing was the most powerful solar
03:39particle storm ever found.
03:41Nothing else in the record even comes close.
03:45The team built a special model.
03:47It's designed to recreate how the atmosphere behaved during glacial times, letting them study ancient solar storms.
03:54And when they tested the model on the newly discovered event, they found it was even stronger than the famous
04:01AD-775 storm, which used to be considered the biggest one on record.
04:06Compared to a strong solar storm from 2005, the ice age event was hundreds of times more intense.
04:13Other big historical storms did happen long ago, around 994 CE, 663 BCE, 5259 BCE, and 7176 BCE.
04:25Hey, I wasn't around then.
04:27But none of them reached this level.
04:30The researchers also checked the model using wood found in the French Alps that dates back around 14,300 years,
04:37so the timeline lines up.
04:40Solar particle storms don't happen often.
04:43But when they do, they blast Earth with high-energy particles that can change the atmosphere and leave clear marks
04:50in tree rings.
04:50Even the famous Carrington event of 1859, which knocked out telegraph lines around the world, was actually a different kind
04:58of solar outburst.
04:59What makes this new discovery stand out is that it's the only known extreme solar particle event from before the
05:06last 12,000 years of warm climate.
05:09Until now, scientists could only look for such storms inside that window.
05:14But with this new model, the scientists were finally able to figure out how strong this ancient solar outburst really
05:21was, when it hit, and what it might have done to Earth.
05:26The model now works for both warm periods and for the cold, icy world that existed before it.
05:31That's a big step forward for studying old radiocarbon spikes.
05:36The team focused on how solar particle storms can pump huge amounts of extra radiocarbon into the atmosphere.
05:42Normally, this type of carbon forms when cosmic rays hit our air.
05:47But during one of these extreme storms, the amount shoots up fast, and trees trap that sudden jump inside their
05:54rings,
05:54which basically creates a time stamp that survives for thousands of years.
05:59These sharp spikes, known as Miyake events, have already helped scientists date things like Viking settlements in North America and
06:06early farming communities in Greece.
06:09This ancient glass sets a new upper limit for what our star can do.
06:13And it's alarming.
06:15Knowing the size of the event is crucial.
06:17A storm of that scale today could threaten satellites, mess with communication systems, and overload power grids.
06:24It gives researchers a clearer picture of the most extreme kind of space weather our planet might ever face.
06:31And what it could mean for modern life.
06:35Now, luckily, Earth is wrapped in a kind of invisible shield that blocks most of the dangerous particles the Sun
06:41throws at us.
06:41For almost 10 years, four small NASA spacecraft, called the MMS mission, have been flying right along the edge of
06:49that shield,
06:50watching how it bends, snaps, and reacts to the Sun's magnetic forces.
06:55Now, during one of those passes, the probe caught something nobody expected.
07:00A sharp, twisting bend in Earth's magnetic field.
07:03Scientists call this kind of shape a switchback.
07:07They've seen them near the Sun before, but never this close to Earth.
07:11Finding one in our space neighborhood is kind of like spotting a wave curling backwards in the middle of a
07:17calm lake.
07:18This switchback showed up in the magnetosheath, the turbulent zone where the solar wind slams into Earth's shield and gets
07:25pushed aside.
07:26Inside the twist, the probes picked up fast, energetic electrons that came from Earth's own magnetic field.
07:32They were mixed with particles from the Sun, and everything was spinning together inside this strange structure.
07:39The spacecraft recorded how the magnetic field flipped, how fast the particles were moving, and how the whole thing behaved.
07:47The twist seemed to come from a process called magnetic reconnection,
07:50where magnetic fields from the Sun and Earth snap together and release a burst of energy.
07:55These bursts can set off bright auroras.
07:58But the big ones can also knock out satellites or mess with power grids.
08:03The MMS probes will keep flying through the area, hunting for more twists and bursts,
08:09trying to pin down what causes them and which ones are strong enough to mess with our technology on the
08:14ground.
08:15The problem is that tiny magnetic snap might let radiation push far deeper into our atmosphere.
08:22And now, scientists are starting to connect the dots.
08:26Strange aviation glitches.
08:28Signs of ancient megastorms buried in old trees.
08:32And now, a fresh crack in our magnetosphere.
08:36Together, they paint a worrying picture.
08:39We depend on calm space weather for everything.
08:42Planes in the sky, GPS, satellites, even the power running through our homes.
08:47The Airbus grounding might end up looking like a gentle warning.
08:51The first hint that something much bigger could be building out in space.
08:57You're on a plane when suddenly, boom, a loud explosion.
09:01The cabin shakes, alarms blare, and the aircraft tilts sharply before it starts to drop.
09:07Passengers scream.
09:08But you try to remember the safety rules for an airplane crash.
09:12Put on your life jacket, but don't inflate it until you're outside the plane.
09:16But what if the plane itself had a life jacket?
09:22I'm talking about something that inflates in seconds right before impact.
09:26Kind of like a giant airbag for airplanes.
09:29Only this one wraps around the entire fuselage.
09:32When it deploys, the plane basically turns into a big, puffy, Michelin Man cocoon.
09:36I know it looks kind of funny.
09:38But that funny-looking idea could actually save hundreds of lives.
09:43And change the airline industry for good.
09:45Yep, plane crashes could finally become a thing of the past.
09:49But only if we're willing to make one huge trade-off.
09:53Don't worry, I'll get to that.
09:55In June 2025, Air India Flight 171 took off from Ahmedabad, India.
10:01Heading to London.
10:02But just seconds after take-off, it crashed straight into a nearby medical building.
10:08It was heartbreaking.
10:09All 12 crew members and 229 passengers lost their lives that day.
10:15Incredibly, one man, 40-year-old Vishwash Ramesh from the UK, survived.
10:21He'd been sitting in seat 11A, right next to an emergency exit.
10:25According to preliminary investigations, both switches controlling the plane's fuel supply were shut off just seconds after liftoff.
10:34Without fuel, the engines simply didn't have enough power to keep climbing.
10:39Now, imagine the fear the pilots and passengers must have felt, realizing there was no way out.
10:46This tragic event stuck in the minds of two engineers from the Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences in Dubai.
10:53Eshel Wasim and Darshan Srinivasan.
10:56They couldn't stop thinking about it, or about all the lives lost.
11:00So, they decided they had to do something.
11:04One question kept running through their minds.
11:07Why isn't there a system that helps people survive after a plane failure?
11:12Because the truth is, most airplane safety technologies are designed to prevent crashes, but very few help you survive one.
11:20And that's where their idea took off.
11:22They wanted to create something different.
11:25Something that could truly shape the future of aviation.
11:29So, they dove into hours and hours of intense research and development, and came up with a project called Rebirth.
11:37Which they describe as the first AI-powered crash survival system.
11:42But the world is already calling it something else.
11:45The Crash Proof Airplane.
11:48Sounds awesome, but how does it actually work?
11:51Well, like I mentioned earlier, it's similar to that good old safety feature we all know from cars.
11:57Airbags.
11:58Only in this case, they don't protect passengers inside the cabin.
12:02Instead, these airbags wrap around the outside of the aircraft, triggered by advanced AI detection systems.
12:09But actually, the project goes way beyond just an inflatable aircraft design.
12:14In total, their system uses five smart technologies to help when a crash is inevitable.
12:20These features can predict crashes, slow the aircraft, protect passengers, and even guide rescuers to the scene.
12:27Time to get into some aviation safety explained.
12:30First, there's AI detection.
12:33The Rebirth system kicks in the moment a plane leaves the ground.
12:37Think of it like having a super-intelligent Siri or Alexa on board, but one with a PhD in airplanes
12:43that can practically become the pilot if needed.
12:46This AI constantly monitors altitude, speed, engine performance, direction, fire sensors, and pilot response.
12:55Basically, it's connected to everything happening during the flight.
12:58If something feels off, it raises an alert.
13:01And if a crash becomes unavoidable below 3,000 feet, the system automatically activates and can even take control of
13:09the aircraft.
13:11Next up, the airbags.
13:13If there's a system failure and a collision becomes inevitable, the AI activates high-speed airbags.
13:20In less than two seconds, they inflate like a giant piece of popcorn bursting open.
13:24The airbags pop out from the front, bottom, and back of the plane.
13:28Then they blow up until the whole plane looks like a flying bounce house.
13:33This tech is made of layered fabric that absorbs the impact and protects the plane's body.
13:39In theory, this protective padding makes sure the landing isn't too rough, no matter how fast the plane's going.
13:46Next, we've got something called reverse thrust.
13:49It's actually something pilots already do.
13:52Reverse thrust happens when a plane's engines push air forward instead of backward.
13:57And that helps the plane slow down after landing.
14:01But let's say it's a critical situation.
14:04The pilot's unconscious and the engines are still running.
14:07That's when the rebirth system kicks in and automatically switches the engines into reverse mode to slow the descent.
14:14And if the engines are completely out, no worries.
14:18That's when gas thrusters kick in.
14:20These boosters fire up to reduce the aircraft's speed and stabilize it during the fall, cutting the impact force by
14:26up to 20%.
14:28Then we've got smart fluids.
14:30These are special materials hidden inside the walls and seats.
14:33They stay soft and comfy most of the time.
14:36But the moment there's an impact, they instantly harden to absorb the shock and protect passengers from getting hurt.
14:42And finally, we have the rescue aids phase.
14:47After impact, the system shoots out an infrared beacon, GPS coordinates, and flashing lights.
14:52Plus a bright orange coating, so rescuers can spot the plane and reach survivors fast.
14:59For now, it's just a prototype, but a very promising one.
15:03Their simulations showed a reduction in impact force of over 60%.
15:07And that could truly be life-changing.
15:10At this point, they've got the data, the simulations, and the design all ready to go.
15:16The next step is to put it through real-world testing, like in wind tunnels and controlled conditions.
15:21And even though everyone's pretty excited to see this airplane's safety technology working, there are still some concerns.
15:29Remember that major trade-off I mentioned earlier?
15:33Well, here it is.
15:35Adding airbags to planes would massively increase their weight,
15:38because these airbags would have to be huge to actually reduce the impact forces of a commercial aircraft.
15:45And if they're that big, then they're going to be super heavy too, right?
15:49There are also some concerns about how effective the AI monitoring system would really be.
15:55Experts explain that while AI could sense a plane's proximity to the ground and decide when to deploy safety measures,
16:02there are still many real-time variables to consider when making an off-airport landing.
16:08And as for those giant airbags, adding them to commercial planes would make the aircraft much heavier,
16:14which might not be all that practical.
16:16It would require massive innovations in airplane engineering,
16:20all to prevent a type of accident that might only happen once in decades.
16:25So yeah, not everyone's totally convinced just yet.
16:29Because we have to remember, airplane crashes are actually very rare, even if it doesn't always feel that way.
16:36Lately, people on social media started coming up with theories that they're becoming more frequent,
16:42but that's just not true.
16:44Statistics show that there's been a decline in air accidents over the past two decades.
16:49Experts say you're actually a lot safer flying than you are driving to the airport.
16:53The odds of someone passing away during a commercial flight are incredibly low,
16:58about 1 in 13.7 million passenger boardings worldwide.
17:03What I mean is, air travel is still the safest way to get around.
17:07But hey, if we can make it even safer, why not, right?
17:10And that's exactly what the Rebirth Project is all about.
17:14By the way, their idea is so impressive, it became a finalist for the prestigious James Dyson Award,
17:20an honor given to inventions that could truly change the world.
17:24And even though their idea could be a winner, the team says fame isn't the goal.
17:29They see this competition as a chance to push their vision forward,
17:33to make air travel safer for everyone,
17:36and maybe one day help save lives when everything else fails.
17:40So yeah, there are still some challenges.
17:43But this new safety tech could truly change the airline industry once and for all.
17:50That's it for today.
17:51So hey, if you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends.
17:56Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the bright side.
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