Solar Orbiter reveals cascading 'magnetic avalanches' that trigger solar flares
ESA's Solar Orbiter captured, in unprecedented detail, the precursor phase of a major solar flare, showing cascading 'magnetic avalanches'—small, initially weak magnetic disturbances that rapidly trigger large‑scale magnetic reconnection and explosive energy release. The observations identify a multiscale trigger mechanism with direct implications for improving space‑weather forecasts.