Between 1980 and 2000 the pattern was a gentle rotation of peaking at 22 weeks and then declining as economic fortunes improved to 12 weeks.

FORBES: Labor Pains

So far, the two trends have produced an encouraging trading pattern on Wall Street: Sector rotation.

FORBES: Wall Street: The Beginning or the End of a Correction?

But the discovery that the area surrounding the tachocline varies its rotation in a regular pattern could be a clue to solving the mystery.

BBC: Sun has strange 'spin cycle'

In 2009, after three years of almost constant hard-drive rotation, all the atoms fell into place in a nice colourful stable pattern on the monitor.

BBC: By Ian Hardy