The interplay of these electrically charged particles creates what is considered to be a fourth state of matter called plasma. Plasma, which makes up 99 percent of the visible universe, is essentially a gas that is so hot that many of its atoms are split into electrons and ions that move independent of one another, yet still possesses its own magnetic field that affects how the particles in the plasma interact with one another. When these plasmas interact with electromagnetic fields around the Earth or the Sun the results can be pretty wild, ranging from stunning auroras to solar flares several times the size of Earth.

Read More at www.motherboard.vice.com