Scientists to Create an Artificial Magnetosphere

I love that science and science fiction merge so often. This article talks about how scientists are attempting to overcome one of the main problems with space travel: radiation. Apparently, we were very lucky on all of our previous missions that no astronauts were killed by a sudden solar flare (with its accompanying radiation). The scientists are attempting to make an artificial magnetosphere, one of the things on Earth that protects us from radiation. So, basically we are recreating what was envisioned in science fiction four decades ago. I am not sure it is going to be as effective as on TV, since I doubt we can create a field that is strong enough to block all radiation, but who knows, they might be able to do that by the time we make it off planet again. Any field will help either way.