A huge solar blast occured 2 days ago

[theomar]

A huge Solar blast occurred 2 days ago. According to the expert in this video "We got lucky again"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze3mwO7N-KQ#t=22

What  is your opinion about such an event hitting the earth? Is the bitcoin network going to survive? What about the human infrastructure? Is this a substantial risk for the mining farms, exchanges or even cold storage? What should be done for the protection of the bitcoin infrastructure in case something like that happen?

Here is some information about solar storm of 1859.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859#Similar_events

Similar events

Ice cores containing thin nitrate-rich layers have been analyzed to reconstruct a history of past solar storms predating reliable observations. Data from Greenland ice cores, gathered by Kenneth G. McCracken[12] and others, show evidence that events of this magnitude—as measured by high-energy proton radiation, not geomagnetic effect—occur approximately once per 500 years, with events at least one-fifth as large occurring several times per century.[13] However, more recent work by the ice core community (McCracken et al. are space scientists) shows that nitrate spikes are not a result of solar energetic particle events, so use of this technique is in doubt. 10Be and 14C are considered to be more reliable indicators by the ice core community.[14]These similar but much more extreme cosmic rayevents, however, may originate outside the solar systemand even outside the galaxy. Less severe storms have occurred in 1921 and 1960, when widespread radio disruption was reported. The March 1989 geomagnetic storm knocked out power across large sections ofQuebec. On July 23, 2012 a "Carrington-class" Solar Superstorm (Solar flare, Coronal mass ejection, Solar EMP) was observed; its trajectory missed Earth in orbit. Information about these observations was shared first publicly by NASA on April 28, 2014.[2][15]

[1715115586]

1715115586

[Beliathon]

What  is your opinion about such an event hitting the earth?

Not relevant to my interests.

Is the bitcoin network going to survive?

Yes.

What about the human infrastructure?

It will be fine. The sun has an eleven year cycle of activity which we are now at the peak of, it has never been a problem before so there's little reason to worry now.

This thread has nothing to do with bitcoin, which contrary to popular belief, doesn't even need the internet or computers or electricity to survive.

[Bralex]

This thread has nothing to do with bitcoin, which contrary to popular belief, doesn't even need the internet or computers or electricity to survive.

Would love you to explain this one further please. so electric goes tomorrow globally how do miners continue to process transactions?

The internet goes with the electricity how do we go online to make a transaction?

Computers not working because no power nor internet how does it work?

LOL!

If that scenario happened it is game over for a large percentage of the world the last thing people would try to 'imagine' in to existence is a btc transaction 

[BitCoinDream]

In my understanding, as long as internet is up, bitcoin will survive. If internet gets destructed, that would be more catastrophic than bitcoin's destruction.

[heskey]

In my understanding, as long as internet is up, bitcoin will survive. If internet gets destructed, that would be more catastrophic than bitcoin's destruction.

Which isn't entirely possible (or at least very unlikely). If the internet gets destroyed, something much worse is in for us.

[zezt]

I look at like this, We survived this long, why not another 1000 years or so. It does not occupy my thoughts whatsoever.
After all, what can we do to prevent it?

[R2D221]

This thread has nothing to do with bitcoin, which contrary to popular belief, doesn't even need the internet or computers or electricity to survive.

How can the Bitcoin system realistically survive without electricity?

[Beliathon]

How can the Bitcoin system realistically survive without electricity?

Good old pencil and paper + carrier pigeons. It's just a puzzle. Minimal electricity means minimal computer mining, which means the difficulty would decrease dramatically on next update. Besides, even if some catastrophic solar event were to take down all the satellites and knock out some sections of the grid, it wouldn't adversely affect hydroelectric, geothermal, solar, or wind power. Absolute worst case is the network would go dormant.

Now, let me turn that question around: How can you survive without electricity? If the world loses electricity, you wouldn't be worried about bitcoin, you'd be worried about survival.

[R2D221]

How can the Bitcoin system realistically survive without electricity?

Good old pencil and paper + carrier pigeons.

This is not realistic: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=801196.0

Now, let me turn that question around: How can you survive without electricity? If the world loses electricity, you wouldn't be worried about bitcoin, you'd be worried about survival.

Of course not, electricity is a fundamental part of my life. But you were the one that suggested that electricity is not needed for Bitcoin to work.

[Beliathon]

This is not realistic feasible

It's not feasible today under present conditions because you'd be competing with the network of computers. But if the hashing difficulty were to drop down to the same level it was at one hour after the genesis block was mined, it would become possible to mine this way. Remember, not so long ago "computer" was a job title!

My point stands, it is absolutely possible to mine bitcoin with pencil and paper. However, under present conditions it is extremely improbable that you would ever solve a single block within your lifetime.

In any case, Bitcoin would be far less adversely affected than you in this hypothetical scenario.

[DeathAndTaxes]

This is not realistic feasible

It's not realistic feasible today under present conditions because you'd be competing with the network of computers. But if the difficulty were to drop down to the same level it was at one hour after the genesis block was mined, it would become possible to mine this way. Remember, not so long ago "computer" was a job title!

Well not exactly.  First difficult wouldn't adjust downward until 2,016 blocks are completed and then it only adjusts downward by a factor of 4.  So just to get back to difficulty 1 would require more than 32,000 blocks to be completed.  The first would be at the current difficulty and difficulty would only decline slowly.  Mining even the genesis block by hand is simply not possible.    Difficulty one requires an average of 4 billion hashes.  Completing even a single sha256d hash by hand is measured in hours (more realistically a day or more).

Still the good news is that only half of the earth is facing the sun at any given time so destruction of the entire planet's computing resources would multiple solar storms on a massive scale.  The other thing to consider is that under any civilization ending solar storm you will be to busy fighting and killing for clean water and sufficient food to worry about the bitcoin network halting.

[leopard2]

This is not realistic feasible

It's not realistic feasible today under present conditions because you'd be competing with the network of computers. But if the difficulty were to drop down to the same level it was at one hour after the genesis block was mined, it would become possible to mine this way. Remember, not so long ago "computer" was a job title!

Well not exactly.  First difficult wouldn't adjust downward until 2,016 blocks are completed and then it only adjusts downward by a factor of 4.  So just to get back to difficulty 1 would require more than 32,000 blocks to be completed.  The first would be at the current difficulty and difficulty would only decline slowly.  Mining even the genesis block by hand is simply not possible.    Difficulty one requires an average of 4 billion hashes.  Completing even a single sha256d hash by hand is measured in hours (more realistically a day or more).

Still the good news is that only half of the earth is facing the sun at any given time so destruction of the entire planet's computing resources would multiple solar storms on a massive scale.  The other thing to consider is that under any civilization ending solar storm you will be to busy fighting and killing for clean water and sufficient food to worry about the bitcoin network halting.

So are you saying we need to stash old hardware away in a bunker just in case? Otherwise it will take ages to get back to difficulty 1 

Yep, realistically if this happens, traditional banking will stop working waaay before the internet stops working so no worries

also it would probably be possible to use a hard fork to move existing BTC to a new blockchain with difficulty 1. 

[elagin75]

oгpoмный Coлнeчный взpыв пpoизoшeл 2 дня нaзaд. Пo cлoвaм экcпepтa, в этoм видeo "мы oпять пoвeзлo"... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze3mwO7N-KQ#t=22 кaкoвo Baшe мнeниe o тaкoм мepoпpиятии нaeзд нa зeмлe? Этo bitcoin ceти выживeт? Кaк нacчeт чeлoвeчecкиx инфpacтpyктypы? Этo cyщecтвeнный pиcк для гopнoдoбывaющeй xoзяйcтв, oбмeнa или дaжe xoлoднoгo xpaнeния? Чтo дoлжнo быть cдeлaнo для зaщиты bitcoin инфpacтpyктypы в cлyчae, ecли чтo-тo пoдoбнoe пpoизoйдeт?  Boт нeкoтopaя инфopмaция o coлнeчнoй бypи 1859 гoдa. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_storm_of_1859#Similar_events пoдoбныe мepoпpиятия кepнoв льдa, coдepжaщиx тoнкиe нитpaт-бoгaтыe cлoи были пpoaнaлизиpoвaны, чтoбы peкoнcтpyиpoвaть иcтopию пpoшлыx coлнeчныx бypь пpeдшecтвoвaвшиe нaдeжныx нaблюдeний. Дaнныe кepнoв льдa из Гpeнлaндии, coбpaнныe Kenneth G. McCracken[12] и дpyгиe, oни cвидeтeльcтвyют, чтo coбытия тaкoгo мacштaбa, кaк измepяeтcя c выcoкoй энepгиeй пpoтoннoгo излyчeния, нe гeoмaгнитнoгo эффeктa-пpoиcxoдят пpимepнo paз в 500 лeт, c coбытиями, пo кpaйнeй мepe, oднoй пятoй, кaк бoльшиe, пpoиcxoдящиx нecкoлькo paз в cтoлeтиe.[13] oднaкo бoлee пoздниe paбoты пo льдy ядpo cooбщecтвa (McCracken et al. кocмичecкиe yчeныe) пoкaзывaeт, чтo нитpaт шипы нe являютcя peзyльтaтoм coлнeчныx энepгичныx чacтиц coбытий, пoэтoмy иcпoльзoвaниe этoй тexники вызывaeт coмнeния. 10Be и 14C cчитaютcя бoлee нaдeжными пoкaзaтeлями пo льдy ядpo cooбщecтвa.[14]эти пoxoжиe, нo гopaздo бoлee экcтpeмaльныx кocмичecкиx rayevents, oднaкo, мoжeт пpoиcxoдить зa пpeдeлaми coлнeчнoй cтepeocиcтeмa, дaжe зa пpeдeлaми гaлaктики. Meнee cильныe бypи пpoиcxoдили в 1921 и 1960 гoдax, кoгдa шиpoкoe paдиo нapyшeниe нe cooбщaлocь. B мapтe 1989 гoдa гeoмaгнитнaя бypя выбил из cил нa бoльшиe paздeлы ofQuebec. 23 июля 2012 гoдa "Carrington-клacca" Coлнeчный Cyпepштopм " (Coлнeчнaя вcпышкa, выбpoc Кopoнaльнoй мaccы, coлнeчныe Эми) нaблюдaлocь; ee тpaeктopия пpoпycтили Зeмли нa opбитe. Инфopмaция oб этиx нaблюдeний был oбщим впepвыe пyбличнo HACA aпpeля 28, 2014.[2][15]

[Beliathon]

also it would probably be possible to use a hard fork to move existing BTC to a new blockchain with difficulty 1. 

Good point! Or better yet, a new blockchain with difficulty 0.001!

[R2D221]

This is not realistic feasible

I would really appreciate it if you didn't alter my quotes.

[R2D221]

This thread has nothing to do with bitcoin, which contrary to popular belief, doesn't even need the internet or computers or electricity to survive.

How can the Bitcoin system realistically survive without electricity?

It won't. Thats why we need to introduce offchain transactions , which can exist without elecctricity. I think thats what Gates is working on.

How can offchain transactions realistically survive without electricity?

[neurotypical]

This thread has nothing to do with bitcoin, which contrary to popular belief, doesn't even need the internet or computers or electricity to survive.

How can the Bitcoin system realistically survive without electricity?

How can the fiat system survive without electricity? It would be a chaos since all markets operate under electricity these days, the stocks would collapse.

[Beliathon]

This is not realistic feasible

I would really appreciate it if you didn't alter my sexuality.

Okay, I'll try. It won't be easy though, considering how attractive I am.

[finnile]

This thread has nothing to do with bitcoin, which contrary to popular belief, doesn't even need the internet or computers or electricity to survive.

How can the Bitcoin system realistically survive without electricity?

How can the fiat system survive without electricity? It would be a chaos since all markets operate under electricity these days, the stocks would collapse.

Well the banks would collapse, but they will obviously be giving you fiat incase something like this happens.

[zvs]

Solar blast, as in a solar flare?

Well, I hope if you have a dedicated server up in the mountains somewhere that you're using ECC RAM!         JUST IN CASE!