Ask HN: What would happen to the internet if Google turned off overnight? - tucaz
======
ksaj
I can't tell if you're thinking of a plausible situation, or something more
Reddit-like, but I'll attempt a plausible response.

If a large enough coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun delivered a strong
electromagnetic pulse (EMP) through the Earth, they'd both cease to exist.
Pretty much instantly. But there'd also be no more electricity, so it'd be a
frantic effort to figure out what happened to them. Actually, only employees
and their families, and stock holders will be wondering what happened to
Google. _Everybody_ (except perhaps a small area in and around Pennsylvania)
will be wondering what happened to the electricity.

Ironically, that would be a highly interesting technical event to post to
Hacker News if it happened... and it actually could.

