Solar flares are back in the headlines again. This phenomenon from the sun has potentially devastating effects on earth's power grids and communications networks.
Risk management is a part of our everyday lives. Everyone knows to look both ways before crossing the street. Most also know to diversify their investment portfolios to limit the impact of a stock market crash.
But, what about the less obvious risks like solar flares and nuclear winters.
The World Economic Forum recently published its list of 50 Global Risks of 2012. This list includes many well-known risks like fiscal imbalances, carbon emissions, and income disparity.
But it also includes unusual ones that seem to come right out of science fiction.
What follows is a list of these odd risks that we should be worried about. They're also risks that seriously concern 469 experts and industry leaders surveyed by the World Economic Forum.
Proliferation of orbital debris
Rapidly accumulating debris in high-traffic geocentric orbits jeopardizes critical satellite infrastructure.
Source: World Economic Forum
Vulnerability to pandemics
Inadequate disease surveillance systems, failed international coordination and the lack of vaccine production capacity.
Source: World Economic Forum
Unprecedented geophysical destruction
Geophysical disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic activity, of unparalleled magnitude or unforeseen frequency, that overwhelm existing precautions.
Source: World Economic Forum
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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