Learn How the Magnetosphere Works in Just 4 Minutes [VIDEO]

The Earth's weather system is extremely complex, but it's only a piece of the larger interaction between our sun and its orbiting planets. But it only takes four minutes and 26 seconds for NASA's Community Coordinated Modeling Center (CCMC) to demonstrate why our magnetosphere is awesome and how the fundamental forces of the Earth actually work.

Interestingly, the CCMC used several advanced computer models and real data from solar storms to create this video. This means that what you're seeing is our best understanding of these powerful, largely invisible forces.

However, what this video doesn't cover is how the Earth's magnetic field is created in the first place. It's all thanks to the interactions between the Earth's liquid outer core and solid inner core. The molten iron outer core sloshes around -- thanks to convection (warmer fluid rising, cooling and then descending where it is heated again) -- and the rotation of the Earth. This complex interaction is ultimately responsible for our planet's magnetic field, the geodynamo.

Remember kids: Science is awesome.