Okay, so maybe the title is a bit extreme but now that I've painted the image I wanted to, I'd like people's opinions on the possibility of the earth returning to an archaic state without electricity (or quite possibly the loss of much of it, if not all). I have read many interpretations of ahadith regarding End Times prophecies about indirect references to the loss of major technology. Especially with Muslim countries so far behind in technology now, what other possible way could Muslims hope to persevere through the oppression of criminal foreign policies by other nations? Through both an Islamic and non-Islamic perspective, I'm interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on it.
If such an event were to occur, what would you fear most? How would you prepare? ARE you prepared for such a possibility? Do you have any skills that would help you in such times? Am I being paranoid?
I recently came across this article and the truth is, I've already been thinking about stuff like this for some time now.
"The worst solar storm to hit the Earth in recorded history happened in 1859. Known as the Carrington Event, it generated auroras as far south as Cuba and caused havoc with the primitive electrical system of the time, generating fires in telegraph stations. It’s estimated that such a large solar storm will occur roughly every 150 years or so. If one of a similar magnitude were to hit the Earth now, with a society much more dependent on electronics and technology, it would undoubtedly have catastrophic consequences.Due to this increasing threat, the White House’s National Science and Technology Council has released a National Space Weather Action Plan, in which it details a strategic plan to prepare for an event such as a major solar storm. The document warns that with electrical systems becoming increasingly interconnected, if one were to be knocked out, it could cause a cascade of system failures. It recommends a federally-coordinated approach to a number of procedures, from reducing the vulnerability of those infrastructures deemed most at risk, to increasing our forecasting and communications abilities.
The Sun is constantly ejecting charged subatomic particles in the form of solar winds, some of which hit our atmosphere. It is this that causes the northern lights, or auroras, though most of the particles that reach us are deflected by Earth’s magnetic field. Occasionally, particularly large flares will burst from the Sun and the particles will make it through our magnetic field. A recent study has estimated that there is a 12 percent chance that one of these “megaflares” will erupt within the decade, sending a massive solar storm our way. We’ve already had a taster of what might happen if we were struck by a storm, albeit on a much smaller scale. Back in 1989 Canada got hit by solar storm that created a power surge on the electrical grid. Within 90 seconds this caused the shut-down of Hydro-Québec’s electrical system, leaving millions without power for nine hours. If this were to happen on a much grander scale, the damage would be huge.
One estimate suggests that if a storm the size of the Carrington Event were to hit today, the cost of the clean-up in the U.S. alone would be somewhere between $1-2 trillion (£657 billion to £1.3 trillion) during the first year, with a recovery that could take up to a decade. Every facet of our lives would be impacted, from transportation, communication, banking and government, as we live in an increasingly electronic world.
In fact the danger is so great that the European Space Agency is also working on its own warning system using scientists spread across 14 countries across Europe. At the moment there isn’t actually much we can do if a storm were to hit, except warn the necessary parties of the incoming threat, who could then make preparations, such as shutting down relevant systems to limit the potential damage."
I would post the link for a reference for the above article but apparently I'm not allowed share links yet.
Certainly seems plausible. I've heard this theory come up more times than I can remember. Personally, I believe it isn't a matter of "if" but "when". A lot of crazy things have been happening to our atmosphere in the 21st century, especially since 2010. Millions of animals around the world have been dying in humongous groups through some kind of blunt force trauma. I'm talking about instances of hundreds, thousands and even millions of dead fish, whales, birds, and some other animals. It's weird that in every instance, they all died at the same exact moment. I noticed that all the species that were dying were migratory species. If I had to guess, I'd say that animals that migrate between seasons are naturally sensitive to the earth's gravitational forces.
And then the sounds of the sky tearing from all over the world too! It's horrifying, like a loud trumpet. I know people who have personally heard it as well. They can be found all over Youtube.
My heart tells me something is definitely wrong with our planet. Rather, more like we're nearing another end to earth's many cycles.
Simple metal shielding, like PC boxes, prevents electronics from the damage even from EMI generated by nuclear blast in the near outer space which is stronger than generated by any possible solar flare.
The athmosphere will stop the particles anyway, even gamma radiation reduces in order of housands.
If whatever imaginable cataclisms will happen, able to destroy entire humanity, there technological artefacts will remain in the abundance, machines are more durable than people.
Unless some kind of nanorobots designed to destroy technology and don't affect organic lives, there no other ways to get to the stone age.
Technology is only good with 'knowledge' of how to use it. If we don't know what it is for, then it becomes an ornament. Plus, usually technology is also dependent on a complimentary / supporting partner. Best explained by, cars, need fuel. Gadgets needs electrical input.
I may know how to restore a car to full working order but don't know how to produce petrol. The car won't work. In a society like that, the knowledge for car repairs will disappear.
However, books, on the other hand will be the source of knowledge. That's the fall back. Not dependent on any power source needing only daylight (or a bright fire at night).
It will be through availability of books, I feel, that will be how the human race can mitigate and possibly avoid a total regression.
Bro Greenhill, the OP is theorizing the age we will be in if an EMP (Electro Magnetic Pulse) wiped out all technology in the world - made it defunct, stop working etc.
I think we would pretty much be back to the boiling water and burning wood the old school way. Simply put.
But we wouldn't be in the iron age or stone age or anything. We have knowledge they didn't have back then, and so, we would most likely revert back to pre-tech times (17th century).
I mean, I theorised (I'm sure there's such a word) that fire breathing dragons flying in the sky are evolved tales of jet planes of lost advanced civilisation (in my younger years)
Or disasters like the floods. Nuclear fall out? Super duper ultra virus outbreak.. kind if thing... sorry... jumped in at the deep end..
As long as my heart does beat, I shall live, not lie
For when my heart does stop its beat, with truth, I die.
I think it is definitely possible, inevitable almost. Possibly through a huge CME that will wipe out of the power grids. Whether it will happen in our lifetimes, Allah knows best.
If such an event were to occur, what would you fear most? How would you prepare? ARE you prepared for such a possibility? Do you have any skills that would help you in such times? Am I being paranoid?
You're not being paranoid. Funnily enough, it's a scenario that I have been preparing for, for years. I'm not sure why, but it's a deep sense of urgency. My biggest fear is the lack of access of knowledge that would happen. Primarily the Qur'an and hadeeth. Memorising and understanding the Qur'an is of utmost importance to me. Followed by learning and implementing as much of the sunnah as possible. Do you know all of the duas that you need without relying on books for example? It's and almost frantic rush to amass as much knowledge as I possibly can, before the internet is gone and we can no longer order any book we want from Amazon from the all over the globe or google anything we want.
Secondly, is learning how to live without relying on manufactured products. This is something I've always been interested in anyway regardless of a potential apocalypse. For example, learning about herbal medicine, how to make basic things like butter and candles, which trees can be used as miswaaks, how to make natural cosmetics, how to navigate using the stars and nature, how to ride a horse. Natural things that human beings have always known but we have lost. I would like to think I would be somewhat prepared but there is still a lot I need to learn. Knowledge of the deen being my first priority.
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