Corrected entry: An electromagnetic pulse (EMP), such as those caused by the crystal reactions, affects unshielded electronic equipment because it induces a voltage surge in their components, effectively 'frying' them. All affected devices are damaged permanently and would never work again, not even after a few minutes, as they portrayed to do so here.
Joshua Skains
6th Aug 2006
Correction: Who said it was a pulse with the exact same properties as a nuclear EMP? For all we know, the wave simply saps out electricity.
Joshua Skains