The idea of reversing the Earth’s magnetic poles may seem like the plot of the latest sci-fi blockbuster, but many scientists believe it could happen at any time.
Historically, the Earth’s north and south poles have reversed every 200,000-300,000 years.
However, the last one took place about 780,000 years ago, which made many scientists fear that a flip might be imminent.
If a magnetic spin occurs, some experts say it could make some parts of the Earth “uninhabitable” by removing electrical grids.
Fortunately, a new study has offered the assurance that the Earth’s magnetic poles are very unlikely to spin soon.
Researchers at Lund University have gathered data on the intensity of the Earth’s geomagnetic field 9,000 years ago and say there is no evidence that there is an investment in the charts.
Historically, the Earth’s north and south poles have reversed every 200,000-300,000 years. However, a turn is currently being delayed, and the last one occurred about 780,000 years ago.
A comparison between the current geomagnetic field (above) and an ancient analog potential in 600 BC (below)
Why do some people think that the Earth’s magnetic poles are about to spin?
Historically, the Earth’s north and south magnetic poles have reversed every 200,000 or 300,000 years.
However, some believe that a twist should be made, as the last one was about 780,000 years ago.
In a 2018 report, Daniel Baker, director of the University of Colorado’s Boulder Atmospheric and Space Physics Laboratory, said there was evidence of an investment.
He says that if this investment is made, it is likely that some areas of the planet will be “uninhabitable” by removing the power grids.
Her comments were made in a comprehensive Undark report written by Alanna Mitchell, who has a new book on the subject entitled “The Spinning Magnet: The Electromagnetic Force that Created the Modern World and Could Destroy It.”
Mitchell writes: “The dangers: devastating currents of solar particles, galactic cosmic rays and ultraviolet B rays enhanced by a radiation-damaged ozone layer, to name just a few of the invisible forces that could damage or kill living things . ‘
The Earth has a fierce molten core that generates a magnetic field capable of defending our planet from the devastating solar winds.
This protective field extends thousands of miles into space and its magnetism affects everything from auroras to electrical grids.
Over the last 180 years, the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field has decreased by about 10%.
However, a mysterious area has emerged in the South Atlantic, where the strength of the geomagnetic field is declining even faster.
The area is called the South Atlantic Anomaly and has seen satellites malfunction several times due to exposure to highly charged particles from the sun.
This has led to speculation that the Earth is heading for a spin on the magnetic pole.
In their new study, the team set out to test whether this is really the case, studying evidence dating back 9,000 years.
“We have mapped changes in the Earth’s magnetic field over the last 9,000 years, and anomalies such as the South Atlantic are likely to be recurring phenomena related to the corresponding variations in the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field,” said Andreas. Nilsson, geologist at Lund University.
The team analyzed burnt archeological artifacts, volcanic samples and sediment drilling cores, all of which contain information about the Earth’s magnetic field.
According to the team, the objects, including clay pots, act as “time capsules” and carry valuable information about the magnetic field of the past.
Using sensitive instruments, the researchers were able to recreate the direction and strength of the Earth’s magnetic field at specific places and times.
Using sensitive instruments, the researchers were able to recreate the direction and strength of the Earth’s magnetic field at specific places and times. This graph shows the variations in the strength of the geomagnetic dipole field over the last 9,000 years
“We have developed a new modeling technique that connects these indirect observations from different time periods and places in a global reconstruction of the magnetic field over the last 9,000 years,” Nilsson explained.
Reassuringly, the team model suggests that the South Atlantic anomaly will recover on its own and is unlikely to trigger the investment that some have anticipated.
“Based on the similarities with the recreated anomalies, we predict that the South Atlantic anomaly is likely to disappear in the next 300 years and that the Earth is not moving toward a polarity reversal,” Nilsson said.
In the future, the team hopes that the model can be used to date archaeological and geological records, comparing measured and modeled variations in the Earth’s magnetic field.
The study comes shortly after Daniel Baker, director of the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, warned that if an investment occurs, some areas of the planet are likely to be “uninhabitable” by removing the nets. electrical. .
Her comments were made in a comprehensive Undark report written by Alanna Mitchell, who has a new book on the subject entitled “The Spinning Magnet: The Electromagnetic Force that Created the Modern World and Could Destroy It.”
Mitchell writes: “The dangers: devastating currents of solar particles, galactic cosmic rays and ultraviolet B rays enhanced by a radiation-damaged ozone layer, to name just a few of the invisible forces that could damage or kill living things . ‘
WHAT COULD HAPPEN ON EARTH IF YOUR CHICKENS WERE FLYING?
The Earth’s magnetic field is in a state of permanent change.
The magnetic north drifts and every few hundred thousand years the polarity changes so that a compass would point south instead of north.
The strength of the magnetic field is also constantly changing and is currently showing signs of significant weakening.
Life has existed on Earth for billions of years, during which time there have been many changes.
There is no obvious correlation between animal extinctions and these reversals. Similarly, reversal patterns have no correlation with human development and evolution.
Some animals, such as whales and some birds, appear to use the Earth’s magnetic field for migration and for direction.
Because geomagnetic inversion takes several thousand years, they could adapt to changing magnetic environments or develop different navigation methods.
Ground-level radiation would increase, however, with some estimates suggesting that overall exposure to cosmic radiation would double, causing more cancer deaths. “But just a little bit,” said Professor Richard Holme.
And much less than a day out on the beach in Florida. So if it happened, the method of protection would probably be to wear a big flexible hat.
The movement of the Earth’s magnetic poles is shown in this animation at 10-year intervals from 1970 to 2020. The red and blue lines show the difference between magnetic north and real north depending on where you are. On the green line, a compass would point north. Credit: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
The collapse of the electricity grid due to strong solar storms is a major risk. As the magnetic field continues to weaken, scientists are emphasizing the importance of off-grid energy systems that use renewable energy sources to protect the Earth from a blackout.
“Highly charged particles can have a detrimental effect on satellites and astronauts,” added Dr. Mona Kessel, a scientist in the discipline of the Magnetosphere at NASA.
In one area, there is evidence that a turnaround is already taking place. “The growing strength of the South Atlantic anomaly, a weak field area over Brazil, is already a problem,” said Professor Richard Holme.
The Earth’s climate could also change. A recent Danish study has found that the Earth’s climate has been significantly affected by the planet’s magnetic field.
They claimed that fluctuations in the number of cosmic rays affecting the atmosphere directly alter the number of clouds covering the planet.
Henrik Svensmark, a meteorologist at the Danish National Space Center who led the team behind the investigation, believes the planet is experiencing a natural period of low cloud cover due to fewer cosmic rays entering the atmosphere.