The tiny explosion with the power of 100,000 atomic bombs

Plus: Limitless nuclear fusion energy is one step closer. Nov 16, 2022 [Blueprint]( Get ready space fans, this one’s cool. (Although ironically it's anything but cool, as it’s on the Sun.) Anyway, the cool (yet not cool) thing, is that [a photographer has captured Ellerman bombs]( on the surface of the Sun, in a sign that the solar cycle is approaching its peak. This means more sunspots on its surface, which are caused by the concentration of magnetic fields in certain areas, that temporarily halt the convection process on the Sun. The temperature at the location drops significantly, so it appears darker and creates a sunspot. But before you take in the heat of that, check out the heat of this small (yet mighty) drone. [This video]( shows Israel's Elbit Systems unveiling its tiny but powerful search and attack drone. Good morning. I’m Alice, an Editor at IE. This is The Blueprint. Let’s dive in. Last Sunday, Blueprint subscribers had scientists’ insights on an unlikely alliance between science and the Bible. Don't miss out — [subscribe to IE+]( today to receive exclusive interviews, features, and much more. [Play]VIDEO OF THE DAY [Israel's Elbit Systems unveils its tiny but powerful search and attack drone.]( [Israel's Elbit Systems unveils its tiny but powerful search and attack drone.]( It looks quite cute… cute but deadly. [Must Read]MUST READ [Ellerman bombs: A tiny explosion on the Sun that has the power of 100,000 atomic bombs.]( [Ellerman bombs: A tiny explosion on the Sun that has the power of 100,000 atomic bombs.]( [The new photograph that’s causing all the fuss]( shows an Ellerman bomb. Ellerman bombs are named after physicist Ferdinand Ellerman, who first spotted them in 1917. They are called bombs because they’re made up of small magnetic explosions that have about a millionth of the intensity of a solar flare. But it should be pointed out that small is a relative term here, because each Ellerman bomb event releases about 1026 ergs of energy, which is the equivalent of 100,000 of the atomic bombs used in World War II. Why is this happening? Well, the Sun goes through an 11-year cycle whereby its magnetic poles flip, and the north pole becomes the south pole, and vice versa. As the activity of the Sun increases, so does the number of sunspots on its surface. These are caused by the concentration of magnetic fields in certain areas, which temporarily halt the convection process on the Sun. The temperature at the location drops significantly, making it appear darker, and creating a sunspot. → A magnetic filament, also observed above sunspots, erupted on Sunday, and the subsequent CME is expected to pass close to Earth on November 18. This could cause some radio blackouts or small electrical grid power surges. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Linkedin]( [SCIENCE]SCIENCE [Limitless nuclear fusion energy is one step closer thanks to burning plasma experiment.]( A new analysis of the plasma reveals surprising new details that could help the scientific community finally achieve the holy grail of nuclear fusion — net energy production. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( And Other Stories in Science - Japan's Subaru Telescope will train 2,400 eyes on the sky to [analyze ‘cosmic rainbows’](. - Earth's largest iceberg – [2 times bigger than London]( – is floating toward the equator. - [Breakthroughs in genomics]( show that 'junk' DNA is incredibly important. [premium] [INNOVATION]INNOVATION [World's largest floating wind farm is now powering gas and oil production.]( Hywind Tampen, the [world's largest floating wind farm]( located off the coast of Norway, has become operational. The first turbine began power production on November 13, with another six scheduled to go online this year. [READ MORE [Arrow]]( And Other Stories in Innovation - $249 AirPods work just as well as [$10k professional hearing aids](. - A US company just deployed the [world's largest communication satellite](. - [Rise of the machines](. [premium] [MAIL & MUSINGS]MAIL & MUSINGS Ellerman bombs: A tiny explosion on the Sun that has the power of 100,000 atomic bombs. Do you think we’ll ever be able to harness energy of this scale from the Sun? [Maybe, yes]( [No, it's technologically impossible]( [No, financially it wouldn't make sense]( [I am unsure either way]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Yesterday, we asked you if you think new technologies will mean we’ll find a lot more sites like the ancient site found in Turkey, and 70 percent of you said yes, you think so. We hope so too. 70% Yes, I think so 19% We might find more, but it won't be because of new technology 6% No, we won't find many more sites like this 5% I’m unsure either way [QUOTE OF THE DAY]QUOTE OF THE DAY “The good thing about science is that it’s true whether or not you believe in it.” Neil deGrasse Tyson, American astrophysicist, author, and science communicator. [Patio heaters.]( [THINGS WE LOVE]THINGS WE LOVE [image]( [CLOKOWE WiFi Mini Projector]( [image]( [East Oak Outdoor Patio Heater]( [image]( [Broan NuTone Under Cabinet Range Hood]( [image]( [Manor Park Electric Fireplace TV Stand]( [AND ANOTHER THING]AND ANOTHER THING - Digital avatars will allow [8 billion people to be a part of COP27]( and demand action. [premium] - [New brain implants ‘read’ words]( directly from people’s thoughts. (Science News) - Artemis I: NASA gives go-ahead for [historic SLS launch attempt](. - Roger Penrose: ‘Consciousness must be [beyond computable physics]( (New Scientist) - Two women stopped binge eating [after their brains were stimulated]( with electricity. - Chemical ‘tag’ may allow [insulin to be taken in pills](. (BBC) - TikToker has discovered his bones are black – [Here's why](. Prepared by Alice Cooke Enjoy Reading? Forward this email to a friend. Was this email forwarded to you? [Join Free!]( [About Us]( [Advertise]( [Contact Us]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Youtube]( [Linkedin]( [Instagram]( You are receiving this email because you have subscribed to our newsletter. Manage you e-mail preferences or unsubscribe [here](. © Copyright 2022 | The Blueprint is by Interesting Engineering, Inc. 205 Hudson St New York, NY, 10013, USA [Interesting Engineering]