The sun “sheds” its magnetic field on a fairly regular 11-year cycle, during which north and south polarity swap places. But this time around the reorientation is happening at different rates, with one pole reemerging faster than the other, and scientists don’t know why.

David Kurtz

David Kurtz is Managing Editor and Washington Bureau Chief of Talking Points Memo where he oversees the news operations of TPM and its sister sites.