stackyFACTSThe sun frequently throws tantrums that could theoretically vaporize us all.
The sun frequently throws tantrums that could theoretically vaporize us all. A coronal mass ejection, or solar flare, happens when twisted magnetic field lines on the sun suddenly snap and reconnect. This blasts highly charged plasma out into the solar system. The energy released in just a few minutes rivals millions of 100-megaton hydrogen bombs. Thankfully, Earth's magnetic field acts as our planetary deflector shield.
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