In today’s physics news: solar storms could create $2tn ‘global Katrina’, probe preparing for Mercury orbit, exoplanet findings spark philosophical debate

In today’s news round-up: solar storms could create $2tn ‘global Katrina’, probe preparing for Mercury orbit, exoplanet findings spark philosophical debate and supernova-creating particle accelerators will make the biggest bangs we have ever known.

Solar storms could create $2tn ‘global Katrina’ warns chief scientist
GPS systems and electricity networks are increasingly vulnerable to damage by turbulent solar weather, scientists say
Guardian
Times
Independent

Probe preparing for Mercury orbit
The arrival of a Nasa probe in orbit around Mercury will transform our understanding of the innermost planet.
BBC

Supernova-creating particle accelerators will make the biggest bangs we have ever known
Two new experimental facilities, billed as the successors to the Large Hadron Collider, will recreate the supernova explosions that produced all matter.
Telegraph

Exoplanet findings spark philosophical debate
How many worlds are there out there? Are we alone in the universe? Once speculative questions are now being tackled with real data
New Scientist