Understanding space weather might seem tricky at first, since conditions in space are very different from our everyday experience. Space can be a pretty wild place. In fact, when you think about the environment in space, our little blue planet seems downright comfy by comparison. Our space environment contains a mysterious form of matter called a plasma.(This is different from the kind of plasma in your blood.) Plasma has some neat properties. For instance, it can glow brightly, and it responds to electric and magnetic fields. You might not realize it but you have some experience with plasma already. In the following sections, you'll see some examples of plasma from everyday life and learn more about this important ingredient of space weather. Matter Sorter Drop each object into a 'states of matter' bin. Magneto Bowling Can you knock down the pins with this proton bowling ball? Use the wires to create magnetic fields that keep the ball in its lane.