Solar storms/flares also have a significant impact on our weather patterns, and that's not something anyone can control.

For the last year or so - maybe a little longer - we've entered a period of heavy solar flare activity, which goes in cycles, and so far - supposedly - this has been one of the most active solar flare cycles in recorded history. iirc, it's suppose to peak sometime between now and 2014. I've read various claims that it has something to do with the coming planetary alignment as well, but I haven't read much on all of that. 

I've read that it seems to be affecting weather patterns on all the planets in our solar system though, not just here, and some scientists have said that if we're hit directly by a big one, it's quite possible we'll lose all power and communications for some unspecified period of time. Could be a serious problem, but there's really nothing anyone can do about it, and as I understand it, there's no way of even knowing if it's going to happen until it happens. 

Fun times ahead.

 

~Shane