Our modern standard of living is as precarious as it's ever been. > Solar storms have their roots in an 11-year cycle that shifts the polarity of the sun's mag

Our modern standard of living is as precarious as it's ever been. > Solar storms have their roots in an 11-year cycle that shifts the polarity of the sun's magnetic field. The magnetic forces at work on the sun get tangled during the process, and can punch out through the surface, sending the sun's plasma into outer space and potentially triggering storms on Earth.