Michael Rundle

Nintendo Wii U Showcase: The Best Games, Videos And Screenshots

2013-05-17T09:35:29-04:00

Nintendo's Wii U had a rough time in 2013 once the launch buzz died down.

With falling sales and diminished excitement, it's time for Nintendo to give us something new to get excited about.

They took some early steps towards rebuilding momentum on Friday with a series of announcements about new games.

In a global Nintendo Direct presentation Nintendo announced:

Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games will be coming to the Wii U, with lots of new game modes

A new Sonic new action-adventure platforming game, 'Lost World', will come to the Wii U and 3DS as part of a new worldwide agreement with Sega over the character

New Super Luigi U will arrive as both DLC for New Super Mario Bros U, and as a standalone packaged game

The Wonderful 101 will hit stores on August 23

Game & Wario: The game launches across Europe on 28th June, and includes 16 games that use the GamePad in different ways

Pikmin 3 was detailed with new characters and a glimpse at story mode, and will be released on 26 July

Take a look at the highlights, below.

Syrian Electronic Army Hacks Financial Times' Tech Blog And Twitter Accounts

2013-05-17T08:15:04-04:00

The Financial Times has become the latest media outlet to be hacked by the pro-Assad regime 'Syrian Electronic Army'.

The group of hackers has claimed responsibility for attacks against the BBC, the Associated Press, The Guardian and others in recent weeks, usually targetting official Twitter accounts.

The SEA were said to be responsible for a hoax Tweet claiming President Obama had been injured in an attack on the White House, which sent stocks tumbling before it was corrected.

Now they appear to have struck again. On Tuesday messages signed "#SEA" and promoting anti-rebel propaganda appeared on several FT Twitter accounts, including @FTTech and @FTMidEast.

Some of the messages including videos with graphic content showing what the group claimed were atrocities committed by rebels against civilians.

The group also appeared to have broken into the FT's content management software and posted several articles to the Tech blog.

No idea why the Syrian electronic army wd want to hack the FT tech blog, but here it is. twitter.com/MatinaStevis/s...
-- Matina Stevis (@MatinaStevis) May 17, 2013

The newspaper's chief foreign affairs commentator said that the FT was sorry and was working on getting the hack fixed.

The FT's Twitter accounts have been hacked. We're sorry and we're working on getting this fixed.
-- Gideon Rachman (@gideonrachman) May 17, 2013

Jarno Limnell, director of Cyber Security for Stonesoft said:

"Their activities show us is that cyberspace is an important part of every contemporary conflict and the severe effects cyber-attacks can have globally. The impact the White House tweets had on the Dow Jones falling over 140 points.

"Information is both an asset to be protected and a weapon to be used for offense and defence. Fight over images and truth has merely intensified in the era of cyber conflict."

The UN estimates that more than 80,000 people have been killed since the Syrian conflict began in 2011, with more than 1.5 million Syrians now registered refugees.

Gamer Plays With Same Pokemon For 11 Years

2013-05-17T06:02:13-04:00

Remember the man who played Civilisation II for more than a decade, ending up with a world wracked with blood, fire and nuclear death?

This is like that, but lovely.

A very dedicated gamer has apparently played Pokemon with the same character for more than 11 years.

Blogger Cunzy11, who is from the UK, has used the same Omastar Pokemon - it's unique name is Dactylocer - since the release of Pokemon Fire Red in 2002.

By developing the Pokemon over time, and porting it from the original game to its various sequels, he has managed to make many different iterations of the Pokemon, and go on dozens of long adventures together.

The Omastar is a fossil type Pokemon, which Cunzy11 said is apt because he is a palaeontologist.

He wrote on his blog:

"Even though I know that it isn't 'my Omastar' being transferred from one game to another, it's merely the (genetic) code being replicated in the next game and permanently deleted from the old game I can genuinely say I have a sentimental attachment to this guy (and it is a male) who has now been my digital companion, more accurately, the digital companion of many of my trainers through each game, for just under a decade."

In an interview with KillScreen he said that his Omastar had lived a long and fruitful life:

"Omastar has travelled through time, travelled to five or six different regions, to crazy virtual spaces, and chilled out on Pokémon Ranch--through all these different realms and different universes."

He added that the Pokemon has also had children - occasionally with odd consequences.

"I'm pretty sure my Omastar has mothered a couple of hundred other Omastars. Sometimes with her own sons. Sometimes with radically different species. They're free and easy with how they breed. There's been some pretty freaky breeding over the years," he said.

READ MORE: Animal Rights Group Launches Campaign To Protect Pokemon

Nintendo To Profit From Fan Videos Uploaded To YouTube

2013-05-17T05:54:42-04:00

Nintendo has announced that it will now profit from videos uploaded to YouTube that feature its games.

The Japanese gaming giant said that the new deal will place advertising before or during videos that primarily feature its titles.

Fans often upload videos showing off their skills, or 'walkthroughs' telling other gamers how to navigate difficult portions of the game.

Many of those clips - known as 'Let's Play!' films, or LPs - receive thousands of views each.

But now the revenue on those videos will go directly to Nintendo and not to the fans who uploaded them.

In a statement Nintendo said that it wanted to let its fans continue uploading clips, and would not seek removal on intellectual property grounds, which it theoretically could do.

As part of our on-going push to ensure Nintendo content is shared across social media channels in an appropriate and safe way, we became a YouTube partner and as such in February 2013 we registered our copyright content in the YouTube database.

For most fan videos this will not result in any changes, however, for those videos featuring Nintendo-owned content, such as images or audio of a certain length, adverts will now appear at the beginning, next to or at the end of the clips.

We continually want our fans to enjoy sharing Nintendo content on YouTube, and that is why, unlike other entertainment companies, we have chosen not to block people using our intellectual property.

Many fans have reacted angrily to the news. On the gaming website Gamasutra, one fan wrote:

"I do not like this move from Nintendo. These videos are not their creations in full. They are fair use creations of fans and Nintendo has no right to claim 100% of the proceeds from them.

At Stuff, Gerard Campbell wrote:

Gamers want to see someone playing a game, they want to see all its quirks and foibles before they fork out money for it. You Tube video game videos provide that: gamers get to see other gamers playing a game that they're interested in buying. Where's the harm in that?

Meanwhile the creator of indie game megahit Minecraft, Markus Persson, said that he had been approached to gather revenue from the thousands of clips featuring his game uploaded to YouTube, but had turned it down.

We had a meeting with YouTube and got told we could get a cut of all Minecraft video ad revenue. It was tempting.
-- Markus Persson (@notch) May 16, 2013

Thanks for the nice comments, but remember we almost did it. We would've backtracked after the feedback, but we almost did it. Scary! :O
-- Markus Persson (@notch) May 16, 2013

Airliner Flown 'Four Miles Off Course' After iPhone Interference, Claims Pilot

2013-05-17T04:55:03-04:00

Every globe-trotting gadget addict knows the frustration of being asked to turn off your tech - even those that use barely any power - just before take-off.

But while the debate over the rule continues, anecdotal evidence has emerged that might make you more willing to switch off your phone before putting your seat in the upright position.

According to Bloomberg, the pilot of a regional airliner in the US has claimed that an iPhone caused its navigation systems to go "haywire" before a passenger was persuaded to turn it off.

The unidentified co-pilot told Nasa's Aviation Safety Reporting System that the incident in 2011 was a shocking demonstration of how consumer gadgets can damage navigation instruments.

The pilot's report - which can be read in full here - states that the plane ended up at least four miles off course.

"A passenger in row 9 had an iPhone in the standby mode, not airplane mode or off," the report said. "[A flight attendant] showed the passenger how to turn the phone off fully. The flight continued to destination with no further problems."

But before you leap to conclusions, it's worth pointing out that this is far from scientific evidence that the phone was the cause of the problem.

The New York Times notes that despite the pilot's "speculation" - a word they used in the original report - the phone was not proven to be the cause of the problem.

Even the American Federal Aviation Authority admits that there is no scientific evidence phones can cause problems with modern jets, and that all evidence - like this report - is anecdotal.

A recent study showed that almost a third of air passengers had accidentally left a hone on during a flight - and yet interference does not appear to be a consistent problem in the air.

Bill Gates Is The World's Richest Man Again

2013-05-17T03:49:31-04:00

Bill Gates is now officially the world's richest man. Again.

According to Bloomberg the Microsoft founder recently dethroned the Mexican telecoms billionaire Carlos Slim as the wealthiest man on the planet.

Gates first lost the title to Slim back in 2007.

But Gates still owns 436 million shares in Microsoft, and a recent surge in its stock price - it's now at a five-year high, and up 27 percent this year alone - earned him billions of dollars on paper.

Gates is now worth about $72.1 billion - more than half a billion dollars ahead of Slim.

Slim's wealth has dipped after efforts in the Mexican congress designed to break down the near-monopoly held by his company, America Movil SAB.

Gates would be even richer if it were not for his philanthropic efforts through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other organisations. According to the Daily Telegraph, Gates has already given away $28 billion, with more than $8 billion going to global health efforts.

And they're not stopping there - Gates has said he eventually wants to give away more than 95% of his family's money to good causes.

Robot Ants (And Real Termites) Will Shape The Breathable Buildings Of The Future

2013-05-16T10:32:42-04:00

In the future buildings may have unusual architects.

Termites.

Well, actually, robotic ants programmed to behave like termites, but who will instead design homes for us.

The idea has emerged out of a new $1.35 million international project to study termites, and learn how we might copy their ability to build habitats with naturally breathable walls.

Above: a 3D printed model of a termite mound

Researchers say that termite mounds are the only natural 'homes' in nature which are able to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide without losing heat. The result is that termites are able to live in extremely harsh climates where they could not otherwise survive.

The aim of the study is to closely monitor how this works, and potentially come up with building designs or materials for humans that can 'breathe' in a similar way.

As part of the project Dr Rupert Soar, a reader in sustainable technologies at Nottingham Trent University, will digitally scan termite mounds in India. He will then use a 3D printer to create models of the mounds for further study.

The project will also look at how termites behave in a wider sense, and that data will be used to program robotic ants - who will then potentially build new structures for humans.

Above: Dr Rupert Soar at Nottingham Trent University

Dr Soar said that the research was not an attempt to "copy nature" but to copy the process and apply it to new problems.

In a statement he said:

"Current construction thinking is to super insulate our buildings and seal them up tight, essentially separating us from the outside. This saves energy but leads to accumulation of stale and damp air in the building.

"In nature the opposite is true - walls are structured and permeable to allow the passage of gases while retaining the temperature and moisture inside.

"When we breathe, we use the muscles around our lungs to push carbon dioxide out and draw in oxygen in. By doing this, we preserve a delicate balance of temperature and moisture deep in our lungs.

"We believe as a team we have found the same principle in termite mounds in Namibia, except instead of using muscles to breathe, the termites construct a mound which uses the complex energy in turbulent wind to do the same thing."

The project is a joint effort between The Wyss Institute at Harvard University, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, the National Museum of Namibia, the National Centre for Biological Sciences in Bangalore, India, and Nottingham Trent University.

Report: Stuxnet Virus May Have Improved Iran's Ability To Enrich Uranium

2013-05-16T06:01:54-04:00

An audacious attack on Iran's nuclear programme may have backfired and made its security stronger.

The Stuxnet virus was a highly sophisticated cyber attack, which in 2009 and 2010 infected uranium enrichment centres at Natanz in Iran.

It targeted industrial control systems which separate uranium, and at the time was said to have been a potentially game-changing setback for the regime.

But while the virus may still have damaged production in the short term, a new report claims that its wider impact is still unclear.

The report by Ivanka Barzashka for the Royal United Services Institute for Defence & Security Studies, it is argued that evidence of its effects are mostly circumstantial.

While calculations of the potential impact of Stuxnet were dramatic, independent analysis is unable to confirm it, the report said:

"Stuxnet's effects have not simply worn off: Stuxnet was never very successful from the start. If the purpose of the malware was to decrease Iranian nuclear-weapons potential, it clearly failed."

"Iran's ability to install and operate new IR-1 centrifuges was not seriously hindered, as it began production of uranium enriched to 20 per cent in February 2010 - a development which significantly increases its weapons potential."

It is argued that data collected by the International Atomic Energy Agency shows Iran has been able to "progress quietly" with enriching uranium.

The full abstract for the report can be read here.

However the report has also been criticised by some, including former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who told the Telegraph that it "is undoubted is that it [Stuxnet] significantly slowed down the enrichment process".

It is not known for sure who was behind the attack, though according to the New York Times officials commenting under anonymity have admitted the United States and/or Israel may have been involved.

Nasa Begins Tests Of 'Dream Chaser' Mini Space Shuttle (PICTURES) (VIDEO)

2013-05-16T03:54:39-04:00

Nasa has started full testing on a remarkable next-generation 'Dream Chaser' mini space shuttle, developed by a private company.

The Sierra Nevada Corporation Dream Chaser is a sleek new space craft reminiscent of the classic - now retired - Space Shuttle.

It is reusable, has wings that allow it to fly back to Earth, can carry seven astronauts and runs on a hybrid engine partly powered by laughing gas.

Designed to launch atop an Atlas V rocket, the craft could see Nasa not only launch its own explorers into space again - instead of continuing to rely on ageing Russian Soyuz technology - but also return them home without ditching in the sea (or the Kazakh desert).

Oddly enough the little-known project is actually based on an idea originally developed by the Soviet Union, which Nasa reverse-engineered into the abandoned HL-20 concept, later picked up by Sierra Nevada.

And while it's only one of several craft being developed by private companies vying for Nasa funding, along with projects by SpaceX, Boeing and others, it is the only true 'space plane' in development.

The Dream Chaser recently arrived at Nasa's Dryden Flight Research Center in California. There are no guarantees that it will ever be fully built, let alone make it to space, but if the tests are successful Sierra Nevada could receive the funding needed to push the 'Dream' towards reality.

The tests, part of Nasa's Commercial Crew Program to develop a craft to take astronauts to the Space Station and back, will include tow, captive-carry and free-flight experiments.

"Unique public-private partnerships like the one between Nasa and Sierra Nevada Corporation are creating an industry capable of building the next generation of rockets and spacecraft that will carry US astronauts to the scientific proving ground of low-Earth orbit," said William Gerstenmaier, Nasa's associate administrator for human exploration and operations in Washington.

"Nasa centers around the country paved the way for 50 years of American human spaceflight, and they're actively working with our partners to test innovative commercial space systems that will continue to ensure American leadership in exploration and discovery."

Google I/O 2013: Android, New Google Maps, Google Play Games And More

2013-05-15T11:28:26-04:00

Google has unveiled slew of updates to many of its core products at its annual I/O Conference keynote in San Francisco.

Among the news are updates to Google Maps, Google+, a new streaming music service and a new connected Games API built into its Play app store.

At the conference Google said that it had now seen more than 900 million Android devices activated, compared to 400 million in 2012.

It added that there had been 48 billion app installations to date, including 2.8 billion in the last month.

Here are the big announcements:

Google Maps:

A huge range of updates to Google Maps on desktop and mobile. The new version of the app - available for Android and iOS - will incorporate standardised review scores, offers and deals built in to the app. Google made a point to say how well received the iOS version was - primarily because it was "accurate" (a big dig at Apple's widely criticised Maps app). The App also features updates to its navigation features, including live coverage of accidents around the world.

On the desktop Google unveiled a brand new Maps experience, with customised listings ("maps Built For You"), integrated layers of imagery from space to under the sea, and a brand new UI.

Google Search:

Updates to Google Now, including cards with transit updates, video game recommendations and reminders. New features for Google Search in Chrome, such as 'conversational search' (voice control) integrated directly into the browser.

Google+ Photos:

A range of new improvements were announced to the way Google+ handles photos, including greater storage for full-sized images, a service that analyses stacks of photos and 'boosts' the best ones into a highlights package (based on location, the people in the photograph and the picture's quality), an 'Auto Enhance' button to make it easier to edit pictures in bulk, and a tool called 'Awesome' which can combine pictures into structured layouts, motion images, a panorama maker and more.

Google Hangouts:

A unified messaging service which incorporates Google+ private circles into long-running text, picture and video chats. Gmail Chats are also built in. Conservations between family members can last for years, and all the images shared on the app will be saved across devices. The Hangouts app is available for iOS, Android and the web - all released today.

Samsung Galaxy S4 For Google (above):

A new version of Samsung's recently launched Galaxy S4 running a stock version of Android instead of Samsung's own customised version. The new edition of the device will go on sale on June 26 on Google Play for $649.

Google Play Music All-Access:

A music streaming service with a "uniquely Google approach". Google's widely expected new music streaming service is designed to help you explore music and find new albums. The new app incorporates customisable 'radio stations' similar to those available on sites like Pandora and Rdio. The service will cost $9.99 in the US, and will roll out to "additional countries soon".

Google+:

A new design will rollout for Google's social network which allows for a wider variety of content and layouts on its site. Google said the new design will also allow users to go "deeper" by analysing posts for tags and images that are similar, and linking related posts.

Google Play:

The new redesigned Google app store will now be available on the web, featuring the same clean design when shopping for Apps, Games, Music and so on. Google will also highlight apps designed for tablets.

Google Play Game Services:

Allows developers to implement cloud saves - meaning you can start a game on your phone, and pick it up at the same point on your tablet later on. It also incorporates leaderboards, high scores and other features familiar to users of Game Center on iOS. The new system will also work cross platform - including on iOS. The system also builds in a new system for live multiplayer gaming, making it easier for gamers to play each other on Android devices.

Google I/O 2013: Watch The Live Stream

2013-05-15T11:28:26-04:00

Google's senior execs have taken to the stage at San Francisco's Moscone Center for its annual I/O keynote.

The search giant is widely expected to unveil the future of Android, Chrome , Google Glass and more.

Who knows, they might even talk about search?

Watch the live stream as it happens, above.

Sony Xperia SP Review (VIDEO) (PICTURES)

2013-05-15T09:10:48-04:00

The Basics:

4.6-inch, 1280x720 pixels screen

8GB Internal Memory (plus SD card slot)

1.7Ghz dual core CPU and Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro

1GB Ram

4G-enabled (currently EE only)

Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean

Review: Xperia SP -- Solid, Mid-Range Phone (With A Little Extra)

Sony has made good headway in recent months in establishing its Xperia line of smartphones as a distinctive, high-quality range of Android devices.

But for every stand-out flagship - like the waterproof, super-thin Xperia Z - Sony has also maintained a line of three or four mid-range devices. These typically decent but imperfect phones usually feature some, but not all of Xperia's supposed USPs - and arguably confuse the brand's message more than delight customers.

The latest entrant into this market is the Xperia SP, a 4.6-inch, dual-core Android Jelly Bean smartphone with a decent 8-megapixel camera, an HD screen and a few nice design touches - if not anything truly remarkable.

On the good side, while the phone is slightly dull in construction - losing the glass elegance of the Xperia Z for a textured rubberised back - it is also very solid and durable. The camera is an appreciable upgrade from the mid-range shooters available last time you upgraded on contract, and the specs are high for a phone which is already available for free on a contract as low as £21 a month.

The battery is also very good for the price, and the 319 pixels-per-inch screen is just as good as the Samsung Galaxy S3, last year's best-selling Android smartphone.

It also has some unique touches. Take the transparent bar at the bottom of the device, which lights up in different colours depending on what you're doing. If you're scrolling through photos, it will choose the colour that most resembles the picture you're looking at. It also alerts you to messages, charging status and calls with different colours. It's a small feature, but it makes the SP feel at least a little special, and not just a collection of parts in a plastic frame.

Less usefully, the phone also comes with Sony's suite of bespoke apps which pitch themselves as a useful blend of music and video streaming, 'Playstation Certified' games and a music app, but really come across as bloatware.

In terms of performance, the Xperia SP performs well. No it's not at the same level as the Xperia Z, HTC One or Galaxy S4 - with the specs you wouldn't expect it to be. But it's generally a speedy, adaptable device which can cope with 3D gaming, video playback and browsing without a stutter.

The overall result is a classic Sony midrange phone. On specs, construction and quality it stands alongside - even slightly above - its closest rivals, certainly in terms of price. But without the high-end touches of the Xperia Z, the overall impact is a little flat. You won't regret choosing the SP if it fits your price point and needs - but you won't learn to love it, either.

Project To Build Robot Garden On Mars Hits Kickstarter (VIDEO)

2013-05-15T06:21:55-04:00

A team of astrobiologists has launched a Kickstarter to build a concept garden tended by robots ahead of its deployment on a - purely hypothetical - mission to Mars.

The 'Astro Gardening' project by Louisa Preston and Vanessa Harden is seeking £10,000 to develop the exhibit.

The project is conceived as a way to illustrate the need to find ways to grow food on Mars.

The exhibit would be a method of educating the public about plant life that could grow on Mars, and to "meet the world's first AstroGardening Rover".

The rover will be designed to plant 'seed pills' - essentially capsules made of clay, compost and seeds that can kick-start a garden, virtually automatically.

Its makers say:

"Our aim for this exhibit is to communicate the science behind future human habitation of Mars, the effect we as humans can have on an environment, and the ethics and logistics of colonising other planets.

Through child-friendly, and adult-friendly, interactive areas we have designed a Martian landscape you can walk across, study and name your own Martian plants, learn how we will use the very rock and ice on Mars to garden, and hopefully you can give our rover his new name!

The exhibit has already been invited to tour around some of London's most celebrated and beautiful venues such as observatories and planetariums, museums and art galleries, schools and universities, before heading across the ocean to the US and Canada."

Preston has written an interesting blog over at Universe Today about the project, and some of the (many) challenges that would be faced by any attempt to grow plants on Mars. Given the rough conditions, barren land and lack of natural water, any successful experiment would have to be an essentially self-contained pod that maximises sunlight and projects vegetation from the elements - including radiation.

Backers of the project will be rewarded with items including seed pills, signed books and a T-shirt, depending on the amount donated.

Head over to Kickstarter if you want to donate.

Google Set To Unveil Spotify Rival At I/O Conference?

2013-05-15T05:32:49-04:00

Google might be about to announce a competitor to Spotify.

Er, again.

The search engine giant already has a music store built into its Play app, as well as Google Music, a cloud-based service that lets users upload up to 20,000 songs and listen to them on the web and other connected devices.

But now the Internet is gearing up for the launch of a paid subscription music service more similar to sites like Spotify, Rdio and others.

The Verge says that Google has new deals with Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music Group for YouTube and Google Play - and the rumour is a subscription service will be the result.

The New York Times said that the service is likely to be paid-for only, and not have a free tier.

Earlier in 2013 Fortune said that Google had signed a similar deal with Warner, which would give it all three of the world's biggest record companies.

Google could make the announcement at its I/O conference as earlier as this afternoon, UK time.

But it could have new competition soon - Apple is said to be working on a similar product, albeit one more similar to traditional radio or services like Pandora than a direct streaming product like Spotify.

Nasa: Third X-Class Solar Flare In 24 Hours 'Not Capable Of Physically Destroying The Earth' (VIDEO)

2013-05-15T04:04:47-04:00

The Sun has expelled a third intense X-Class solar flare in 24 hours - but Nasa says not to worry.

It is "not physically capable of destroying Earth".

Our sun is currently nearing the period known as 'solar maximum', when activity on its surface rises to an 11 year peak. This solar cycle has been observed regularly since it was discovered in 1843, and indicates a regular fluctuation and not an anomaly.

Above: the third X-class flare in 24 hours

But the appearance of three powerful flares in less than 24 hours has still surprised many - and now the sun spot which produced them is turning towards the Earth.

The X3.2 flare which appeared on 13 May is the strongest of 2013 so far, and surpasses the two previous flares which had occurred earlier this week.

The flare was associated with a coronal mass ejection (CME) which left the sun at 1,400 miles per second - so fast it will eventually catch up with the two other X-class flares.

Nasa said it was possible the flare would give a "glancing blow" to its Stereo-B spacecraft, which may be placed into 'safe mode' to withstand the force.

The sunspot which made it is currently facing away from Earth, but will be turning to meet us in the next few days.

But despite the intensity of the flares, Nasa said there was no chance that it would catastrophically harm Earth.

"Some people worry that a gigantic "killer solar flare" could hurl enough energy to destroy Earth," Nasa said on its website. "But this is not actually possible."

"Anyone over the age of 11 has already lived through such a solar maximum with no harm."

However Nasa said that exceptionally powerful flares and CMEs could cause harm on Earth, by interfering with satellites, disrupting power networks and causing issues with GPS networks.

"In an increasingly technological world, where almost everyone relies on cellphones, and GPS controls not just your in-car map system, but also airplane navigation and the extremely accurate clocks that govern financial transactions, space weather is a serious matter."

But the space agency added that while space weather is a problem, it is only in "the same way hurricanes are a problem". Nasa gives warnings to companies that might be affected by serious space weather so they can prepare ahead of time.

Meanwhile the UK government is examining the threat - though concern remains that current plans to proactively prevent damage to vital infrastructure such as the National Grid are not extensive enough to reduce the risk.