Magnetism

It's too hot to sit still

A gigantic solar storm hit Earth about 2,600 years ago, one about 10 times stronger than any solar storm recorded in the modern day, a new study finds.

There's a mighty wind a-blowin' out of the Cigar Galaxy, and it could teach astronomers how the first stars formed.

People on Earth are familiar with the sun's powerful rays — but the moon suffers from sunburn, too.

Why did Maleficent suddenly appear over Iceland?

Why do grapes ignite when you microwave them? At long last, science has an answer.

This crazy solar flare is more powerful than any ever blasted by Earth’s sun.

And for the first time, physicists have recorded the wild drum beats rippling from the magnetic poles.

This strange type of magnetism can form rapidly — and disappear just as quickly.

Now that the government shutdown is over, federal agencies have finally released an early edition of the World Magnetic Model, almost a full year before the next one was scheduled to be released.

Earth’s magnetic field nearly collapsed about 565 million years ago, but the planet’s core froze solid and saved it in the nick of time, a new study suggests.

For the first time, an animated model visualized a realistic solar flare.

Physicists have built a ring in which pulses of light whip circles around each other and the normal rules that govern light's behavior stop applying.

Earth's north magnetic pole is on the move, unpredictably lurching away from the Canadian Arctic and toward Siberia.

There's a magnet in a secure room in Tokyo. The last time its designers switched it on, it blew open the heavy doors designed to keep it contained.

An alert released yesterday (Sept. 10) warns of a moderate geomagnetic storm that will lash the planet tonight. It shouldn't be dangerous, but might bring auroras.

Earth's magnetic field is far less stable than scientists thought.

There is a beautiful mystery in the sky, and its name is Steve.