Space weather can cause both beautiful auroras and infrastructure challenges – 5 essential reads on protecting life and technology

A massive solar flare could seriously disrupt life on Earth – but new NASA missions and others in development will help monitor the Sun.

By: Mary Magnuson, The Conversation, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: September 9, 2026

Words: 1,327

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

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By Mary Magnuson, The Conversation

Most days, you can look up and see the Sun shining above. Even if it’s hidden behind clouds, you know it’s there, lighting up the sky. But while the Sun’s light might be relatively constant, its surface is surprisingly active. If you hopped on NASA’s Parker Solar Probe for a closeup view of the Sun, you might see spurts of charged gas called solar flares coming off its surface, or …

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