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Cause of Aurora Borealis Confirmed

An anonymous reader writes "There are reports that satellites have aided scientists in confirming why the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) exists. 'New data from NASA's Themis mission, a quintet of satellites launched this winter, found the energy comes from a stream of charged particles from the sun flowing like a current through twisted bundles of magnetic fields connecting Earth's upper atmosphere to the sun. The energy is then abruptly released in the form of a shimmering display of lights.'"

3 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. This must be a great day for you by spun · · Score: 0, Redundant

    You got first post on a story about plasma! Is there a little 'Electric Universe Slide" dance you do? I keed, I keed... ;-P

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
    1. Re:This must be a great day for you by pln2bz · · Score: 0, Redundant

      I prefer "Nailed it." :)

      --
      "A man cannot begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows." --Epictetus, 1st Century A.D.
  2. Okay... by alshithead · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Well that's comforting. We've confirmed a theory that was already pretty well accepted as being fact.

    Next...?

    Global climate change?
    Evolution?
    Silent but deadly versus loud and fruity?

    Move on folks, nothing to see here.

    --
    I reserve the right to think for myself. Others' opinions are optional. Puppy on lap = typos...not illiteracy.