An unexpectedly strong solar storm rocked our planet on April 23, 2023, sparking auroras as far south as southern Texas in the U.S. and taking the world by surprise. 

Two days earlier, the Sun blasted a coronal mass ejection (CME) — a cloud of energetic particles, magnetic fields, and solar material — toward Earth. But the CME wasn’t especially fast or massive, suggesting the storm would be minor. But it became severe.

Using NASA heliophysics missions, new studies of this storm and others are helping scientists learn why some CMEs have more intense effects — and better predict the impacts of future solar eruptions on our lives.

Fruit ripening determines shelf life and consumer appeal, yet the molecular switches that control this process remain partially understood. 

Saline–alkali stress disrupts the delicate chemistry of rose petals, reshaping both their color and aroma profiles. 

As climate change fuels extreme weather events, ensuring crops can maintain disease resistance under shifting temperatures is critical.