A deafening nuclear fusion reactor: why you wouldn’t want to hear the sun

Sunrise is a majestic spectacle - but we should be grateful for the miles of vacuum between us and the star

Dawn on a still morning is a majestic spectacle, as sunlight spills silently across the landscape and the Earth gradually emerges from darkness. Sunrise has inspired countless pieces of music striving to express this soundless experience in audible form. But if we could actually hear the sun, it would be deafening.

The sun is a giant nuclear fusion reactor, converting hydrogen into helium and releasing massive amounts of energy in the form of heat - and sound. Sound is essentially vibration and needs a medium to travel through.