The interference-free coexistence of numerous electrical and radio products cannot be taken for granted. Only targeted measures for electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) can ensure that cardiac pacemakers are not disrupted and aircrafts carry passengers safely to their destinations.
With full electromagnetic force
The biggest known EMC incident could have caused a global disaster, but it passed without serious consequences because the electrical devices that could have been affected simply didn't exist. The response of the telegraph systems at the time, however, was a warning of the power of electromagnetic phenomena when high field strengths are involved. Telegraph poles spewed sparks, shocked telegraph operators jerked clear of their equipment, ticker tapes caught fire, and strange messages were issued that nobody had sent. Auroras, normally only visible at high latitudes, could be seen as far as the equatorial region. Experts are convinced that a solar magnetic storm today as strong as that in 1859 would have a catastrophic impact on our high-tech infrastructure. Statistically such a storm can be expected only around every 500 years. As opposed to protecting against nature, the protection of electrical devices against interference from other equipment has been common practice for a long time. In light of our ubiquitous wireless networking, it will be even more important in the future.