No less than NASA thinks it's a distinct possibility. In a remarkable move the normally conservative US space agency has taken the extraordinary step of warning the world. The headlines reverberating around the world speak volumes: 'Leaks discovered in Earth's magnetic field,' Solar storms to wreak havoc,' 'The end of life as we know it,' 'Magnetic shift to cause global superstorms.' Can such things really happen? NASA and the European Space Agency say yes. 2012 and the rising specter of doom Among all the countries with exposure to the solar devastation, the United States is the most susceptible.As The Daily Telegraph recently observed: "National power grids could overheat and air travel severely disrupted while electronic items, navigation devices and major satellites could stop working after the Sun reaches its maximum power…"
Michio Kaku Interviewed about this topic on Fox News in 2009.
http://www.helium.com/items/2144934-nasa-issues-warning-of-solar-superstorm-2012