Exploring EMP Threat: Fiction Meets Reality

A Novel Idea

Over a year ago I began toying with the idea of writing a new book, a novel. I kept my trusty notebook with me at all times; writing ideas, taking notes, and letting my mind wander.

This type of hypothetical scenario would be catastrophic on a global scale. That’s what attracted me to the idea of writing a novel about it. Of course, if you know me at all, it was also going to be a fable and sort of a re-telling of the fall of the Tower of Babel. After all, isn’t that the world we live in today? Making a “name” for ourselves trying to control everything from the weather to DNA. The advent of AI and LLM makes me think of the opening sentence in the Biblical account of the Tower in Genesis 11:1:

“The whole world had the same language and the same words.” (NABRE)

“Now the whole earth had one language and few words.” (RSVCE)

I prefer the RSVCE translation in this case. AI and LLM will give us all the same language by which we can communicate…but few words that have any meaning. Scroll through Facebook or any other social media site, we’re there now.

Not so Novel

But I digress. I spent a great many hours thinking and writing about this apocalyptic scenario. In my research for the book I discovered that someone had already beat me to the punch. The concept had been explored along with all the minute details of human response, suffering, and potential outcomes.

Was I upset? Absolutely, at first. I read this author’s book and it felt like he had been traversing through my mind at leisure over the past year. Words, phrases, and concepts that I had expended so much mental energy on were already nicely written down on the page. First reactions by the people in the novel, he nailed it. Unspeakable suffering and struggles, fleshed out in living color.

However, this author did the one thing I hadn’t thought of doing. He explained why the power went out. Not only did he explain it, he illustrated how it is entirely possible for this scenario to happen at any moment in real life, today. The tragedy of his book is caused by an EMP attack. An Electro Magnetic Pulse attack is basically a very high altitude nuclear explosion that sends an EMP to earth frying almost all things electrical. It’s like an electrical surge on steroids that is unhindered by surge protectors.

I thought, wow, what a great tool to use for this story. In my story it was basically unexplained, perhaps an act of God (confusing the languages like Babel).

Clear and Present Balloon

However, it’s not just a great tool to use for an awesome apocalyptic novel. It’s a real thing. In fact, it’s so real, so much of an existential threat, that there have been Congressional Commissions established to figure out how best to address the threat. Yes, I read the reports, and it isn’t good.

One thing that caught my attention in the report is the possible methods of delivery. In the novel, the missiles are launched from container ships in the Gulf of Mexico and other locations. Yet the report says this:

Nuclear EMP attack might be conducted with only a single nuclear weapon detonated at high altitude or a few weapons at several hundred kilometers. These could be delivered by satellite, by a wide variety of long- and short-range missiles, including cruise and anti-ship missiles, by a jet doing a zoom-climb, or even by a high-altitude balloon (emphasis mine). Some modes of attack could be executed relatively anonymously, thereby impairing deterrence.

Russia, China, and North Korea now have the capability to conduct a nuclear EMP attack against the U.S. All have practiced or described contingency plans to do so…

As soon as I read this in the report I instantly thought of the Chinese “weather/spy balloon” incident in 2023. When I think of a balloon I think of kids helium balloons or the larger weather balloons. This balloon was about 200 ft in diameter and capable of carrying over 2000 lbs. This type of balloon is easily capable of carrying a nuclear bomb for an EMP attack.

Sun Spotting

Bombs, balloons, and EMPs aside, there is another real threat that exists. This threat is natural and there is nothing anyone can do to prevent it (other than hardening/protecting critical components). This threat comes from the sun itself and is called a CME, Coronal Mass Ejection.

A CME happens when plasma is ejected from the sun’s corona. We often know these as solar flares and they cause geomagnetic storms and the beautiful Aurora Borealis. However, if a CME were to hit us directly, it would cause the same effects as an EMP.

This has happened in the past. The largest ever, not recorded but detected, happened in 12,350 B.C. Should a similar sized event happen today it would truly be a worst case scenario. The most powerful storm recorded happened in 1859 which resulted in widespread auroras, telegraph malfunctions, and even some telegraph stations catching fire. In 1989 a geomagnetic storm knocked out power in Quebec for 9 hours. In 2012 a serious CME just missed earth by 9 days. Had it been a direct hit, it would have equaled or surpassed the 1859 event with much more devastating effects.

To Prep or Not to Prep

Our lives today revolve around electricity. It is our strength, our power, our sustenance. It powers out lights, heat, water, and gas. It keeps our financial systems, healthcare systems, and communication systems alive. However, it is also our Achilles Heel. It is our most vulnerable spot.

With this in mind, I would simply suggest, as does Mr. Franklin in the novel, to be prepared. This may be as simple as having extra supplies to provide for your family for an extended power outage. Or, it may be as serious as really taking a look at prepping for a worst case scenario. That’s something you have to decide. I’m constantly prepping and making contingency plans. I even have an emergency bag in my car should I have to walk 2-3 days to get home. If I do all this and never have to use it, all the better.

Lighting a Candle

I’ve moved on from writing that story. I couldn’t do it justice after reading One Second After by William R. Forstchen (Forward by Newt Gingrich, Afterward by William D. Sanders). My next book will be a bit lighter. It is a short story for all ages about a candle in a monastery that learns a valuable lesson. I hope to have it finished and ready before Christmas 2025. Speaking of candles, that may be a good item to stock up on, just in case!

Do you do any prepping? Do you think an EMP or CME is a real threat? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading!