A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a large-scale eruptive solar phenomenon in which magnetized plasma from the Sun’s corona is expelled into interplanetary space, typically associated with magnetic reconnection in active regions or filament eruptions. CMEs involve the release of up to ~10¹⁶ g of plasma embedded in coherent magnetic flux rope structures and can attain speeds from a few hundred to over 2,000 km/s. Propagating through the heliosphere, they drive interplanetary shocks, restructure the solar wind and heliospheric magnetic field, and, upon interacting with planetary magnetospheres, can induce strong geomagnetic disturbances.
An international team of astrophysicists and plasma physicists has provided the first experimental evidence that strong magnetic fields surrounding active stars can completely suppress coronal mass ejections. This offers ...
Astronomy
Aug 21, 2026
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During a coronal mass ejection (CME), the sun hurls billions of tons of magnetized plasma into space. These eruptions are among the most powerful events in the solar system, and when they are aimed toward Earth, they can ...
Our sun is capable of storms far bigger than we've ever recorded. Studying the world's oldest trees suggests we could soon be due one of these gargantuan events.
Planetary Sciences
Aug 17, 2026
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The habitable zone concept is useful for understanding which worlds might, possibly, maybe, be habitable. It highlights exoplanets at the right distances from their stars for liquid water to potentially exist on their surfaces. ...
Astrobiology
Aug 11, 2026
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On Mother's Day weekend in May 2024, Earth experienced its most powerful geomagnetic storm in two decades, spawning auroras—the ribbony bands of light in the nighttime skies in the Northern and Southern hemispheres—that may ...
Astronomy
Aug 7, 2026
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Using continuous imagery from NASA's PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission, scientists predicted the near-Earth arrival of a solar eruption to within 30 minutes in an initial proof-of-concept test. ...
Astronomy
Aug 4, 2026
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Millions of people across the UK marveled at the spectacular northern lights that lit up the night sky in May 2024. But while the display captivated skywatchers, the geomagnetic storm behind it also served as the biggest ...
Planetary Sciences
Jul 23, 2026
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A team at the Applied Physics Lab is working to understand the complex science behind predicting invisible threats that can quickly cripple electric grid infrastructure on Earth.
Earth Sciences
Jul 10, 2026
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A new study has revealed an unexpected link between solar storms and the flux of high-energy cosmic rays arriving at Earth. The findings, made using one of the world's largest cosmic ray detectors, could open up a new way ...
In May 2024, auroras were observed at unusually low latitudes across the globe, lighting up skies that rarely see such displays. Inside Earth's magnetosphere, the region of space surrounding our planet and dominated by its ...
Astronomy
Jun 26, 2026
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