#131: Storms from the Sun: Understanding Space Weather and Auroras with Dr. Ryan French

Nature is a very broad term, and as we often discuss on this show, everything is connected. Geology impacts soil, which dictates what plants can grow. But if we pull back even further, the ultimate engine driving our planet's systems is the Sun. So when I think of Nature’s Archive—and that big concept of "Nature"—I love bringing these grand, foundational subjects into our scope.

Today is one such instance. Our guest is Dr. Ryan French, a solar astrophysicist and author who specializes in studying solar flares. Solar activity affects life on Earth in surprising ways—from creating spectacular auroras (the northern and southern lights) to disrupting GPS systems and power grids. And most fascinating for naturalists: these solar storms can even disrupt bird navigation and alter the foraging habits of bees.

Dr. French walks us through why solar flares occur, an even more impactful phenomenon called a coronal mass ejection, why these events follow an 11-year cycle, the current state of space weather forecasting, and how you can see and photograph beautiful auroral displays yourself.

Dr. French has an extremely fun and informative social media presence, so be sure to check out ryanjfrench.com for resources and links.

This was a super fun discussion—one I’ve wanted to have pretty much since I started Nature’s Archive.

FULL SHOW NOTES

Links

Compilation from Solar Flares and Eruptions from Dr. French's YouTube Channel

ryanjfrench.com

Check our Ryan's Books, including Space Hazards and The Little Book of Eclipses

NOAA's Space Weather Site, including predictions and real-time observations

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Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz Music
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Artist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com

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Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!