I would like to start by saying that I am not a physicist and I don't really know a lot about the subject!
We all know that without Earth's magnetic field, electromagnetic radiation from the sun would cook us within minutes. It is only the magnetic field that protects us from them. Since visible light is the same thing as cosmic rays, except that it's a different wavelength, I was wondering if it were possible to use magnetic fields (they would have to be pretty strong) to essentially "block" light the same way it blocks cosmic rays?
Best Answer
I think you have cosmic rays and electromagnetic radiation a little mixed-up.
No - the Earth's magnetic field protects us from cosmic rays. High energy charged sub-atomic particles, mostly from the sun. The Earth's atmosphere does protect us from Ultra-Violet radiation (i.e. light) which would kill us.
No, cosmic rays are charged sub-atomic particles (protons, electrons etc). Visible light, and UV, x-rays, gamma-rays, infrared, are all electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths
Not directly. But magnetic fields do affect how light passes through certain materials. You can use this effect to make very fast shutters by passing light through a crystal and changing the magnetic field.