Solar flares often lash out at outer space from the surface of the Sun, releasing huge amounts of matter and energy in the process. When in the direction of the Earth, such energy release often causes exotic displays of aororae at Earth's magnetic poles. During such flares, mysterious, tadpole like features are often seen "swimming" towards the surface of the Sun, against the tide of hot matter rising from the Sun. These features are huge (several time larger than the Earth) with dark heads (cooler than the average solar surface temperature), and wiggly tails, and have puzzled astrophysicists for several years, as they are so unlike any other phenomena observed on the Sun.

Solar corona (Courtesy: University Of Warwick)Researchers Dr Valery Nakariakov and Dr Erwin Verwichte (from University Of Warwick) might have discovered the physics behind the process. By analyzing the observations obtained with NASA's Transition Region And Coronal Explorer (TRACE) mission, they propose that the wiggles of the tadpoles' tails are huge waves. The tadpoles are optical illusions, similar to a fast rotating car-wheel that often looks like rotating backwards. As the solar matter is constantly being thrown upwards, the starting point of this rising material moves deeper into the solar surface. To us, it looks as if material is falling back into the Sun!