How to study a star that burns at 10 million degrees

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Sun is a violent neighbor, launching giant clouds of particles that can disrupt life on Earth. Because we cannot physically enter its atmosphere, physicists must rely on a different kind of exploration. To understand these celestial storms, scientists turn to the abstract power of mathematics.

Space physicist Miho Janvier focuses her research on solar storms. These are massive clouds of particles that escape from the Sun's surface. While they are responsible for the breathtaking auroras we see in the northern and southern latitudes, they also pose a significant risk to modern infrastructure, capable of disrupting life and technology on our planet. These events are a primary focus for TED Fellow Miho Janvier. Her research specifically investigates the origins of these phenomena. She seeks to understand how these solar events affect our world.

The primary challenge for researchers is the extreme environment of the Sun. The solar atmosphere burns at temperatures reaching up to around 10 million degrees Kelvin. Because these conditions are far beyond the reach of physical instrumentation, the study of solar dynamics relies heavily on complex mathematical modeling. By using math as a primary tool, physicists can simulate and interpret the behavior of the Sun's atmosphere from a distance. This approach allows for the study of the Sun's atmosphere despite its intense heat. It provides a way to analyze the Sun's behavior from a safe distance.

Janvier's work is part of a broader effort to better characterize these phenomena once they are launched into space. This research aims to predict how solar storms impact various planets throughout the solar system. To help the public visualize these invisible forces, projects like Solar Storm VR have been developed, allowing people to experience the birth of a storm and its journey toward Earth in a virtual environment. The research aims to improve our understanding of how these storms impact various planets. This work is part of a larger effort to characterize these events once they enter space. The VR experience also shows the storm's journey through the solar system.

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