[Travis McGee]

There are a few EMP-based novels out today. I think it reflects a meme, namely the growing unease about our near-total dependence on the power grid and our gadgets to support our modern population.

Apparently a massive solar flare hit North America just prior to the Civil War. It was so powerful that the embryonic power grid and telegraph infrastructure were fried. Extrapolating from the power of that solar event, scientists say that the same event today would lead to a “Lights Out” or “Remnants” scenario. And such massive solar events happen every century or two.

IOW, we're due. Maybe. Something to ponder.

[Doomonyou]

There are a few EMP-based novels out today.

"One Second After" is a good one.

[Nowhere Man]

I remember there was a similar movie about EMP and solar flares that was made in 1974 where the flare made some people sick as well. I remember one family in the movie had their alternator burned out in their Chevy Blazer so they had to keep recharging the battery to run their vehicle. They later found out that if the vehicle was turned off during the event, their alternator would have been fine.

I don't think EMP is the big 800 pound gorilla it is made out to be, during tests by the Navy, almost all cars would start up again although there were a few that would not and/or still run but with problems like the gauges on the dashboard not working correctly and so on. Most transistor radios would be OK if the antennas remained folded and so on. Still, it is a 500 pound gorilla where it would wreak havoc with our power grid and telephone system. So your car should be OK but pumping gas would be hard unless you had a generator, a 12 volt DC pump or a hand pump.