What could a severe solar storm do to Earth, and are we prepared?

The sun is currently ramping up to hit the peak of its 11-year
activity cycle. In the past few days, powerful solar eruptions have
sent a stream of particles towards Earth which are set to produce
spectacular auroras in both hemispheres. But these kinds of
geomagnetic storms can also have less appealing consequences.
Madeleine Finlay speaks to Dr Lisa Upton, a solar scientist at the
Southwest Research Institute, about how the mysterious inner
workings of the sun create space weather, how solar events can
significantly disrupt Earth’s infrastructure, and whether we are
prepared for the worst-case scenario. Help support our independent
journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod