A worst-case solar storm could knock out satellites, GPS and power grids, report warns

Three panel image, left - a satellite in space, middle a close up graphic of the sun, right, powerlines against a vibrant orange sunset sky.

For many of us, checking the weather is part of daily life. But, in an increasingly technology-dependent world, there is another kind of forecast we can't afford to ignore: space weather.

Space weather refers to activity on the sun and how it affects Earth and the space around it, a complex, chaotic system scientists are working to understand, forecast and mitigate.