The way to really popularize science is to revive Carl Sagan, cure his cancer, rejuvenate him, and have him make another updated "Cosmos" series. A fair number of people have tried to equal his achievements in the past 30 years, and nobody has succeeded.
Unless, of course, you happen to be Sir David Attenborough, who did for botany/zoology what Carl Sagan did for astronomy, the history of science, and the possibility of life elsewhere.
As for this solar storm... I looked up tonight and never saw any indication of the Northern Lights. The stuff about being thrown back 100 years - WTF? That is complete nonsense of the sort that von Daniken or Velikovsky would write. In other words, it's pure garbage, not a bit of truth to it.
A solar storm could be thought of as the Sun letting loose with a huge sneeze and not having a kleenex handy - it's inconvenient for everybody who happens to be in the way, but nothing to worry about unless you happen to be taking a space walk at the time.