Astronomy
The Role of Magnetic Reconnection in Solar Flares
Quick fact
Solar flares can release energy equivalent to billions of megatons of TNT in just minutes, and magnetic reconnection is the process that unleashes this energy.
Why this is interesting
Every few hours, the Sun unleashes more energy than a million hydrogen bombs in a flash—what causes this cosmic explosion? The answer lies in the invisible magnetic fields that twist and snap above the solar surface.