The 1859 solar storm that fried the world's telegraphs

In 1859, a massive solar flare caused auroras so bright people read newspapers by their light at night.

Telegraph machines sparked, caught fire, and continued sending messages even after operators disconnected their power supplies.

Auroras were visible as far south as the Caribbean, Mexico, and Hawaii during the peak of the storm.

A modern repeat could cause a global internet apocalypse, potentially costing trillions in damages to infrastructure.

Today, a Carrington-class event would likely disable power grids and satellites for weeks or even years.