magnetic declination and navigation

we know from geologic records that the magnetic poles do 'flip'.

there is some talk about this occuring in contemporary times.

paoweb

Grand Unification

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sources aside, there are facts here.

the implications for navigation are obvious.

how much of a potential problem is this 'flip' for us and others?

the pace of the 'flip' won't cause any mass extinctions, [or fossil records would show us].


submarines, homing pigeons, aircraft?.

the birds have Darwin on their side, but what about computers? will software be able to accurately compensate? this is not a pressing issue, but one day we can be sure that the 'flip' will present itself.

What I thought was interesting was the period between the poles actually switch, when there are supposed to be many small random magnetic poles all around the world, always changing.

This would certainly wreak havoc on modern navigation were we still using compasses. So long as the sattelites stay up, we'll still be able to rely on GPS navigation. I do feel sorry for the birds and the whales, though.

gps, its a good thing we got that one

that fluttering of the poles sounds really interesting, i wonder if the earth will turn on and off like a flurorescent lightbulb

solar winds and aurora borealis will most definately be affected,

does anyone know the implications of an increased exposure to solar wind?

incredible hulk and atomic man?