Earth’s magnetic field could flip within our lifetime – but don’t worry, we should be OK

This summer, the European Space Agency published data that suggested that the Earth’s magnetic field could flip — as in, the magnetic north pole becomes the magnetic south pole — in “a few thousand years.” At the time, I figured there was no rush to write it up — after all, we might not even be living on Earth in a few thousand years. Now, however, new research published this week shows that the magnetic field might flip within our lifetime — so it’s probably something that we ought to talk about.

Earth’s magnetic field could flip within our lifetime – but don’t worry, we should be OK





I came across this article at one of the technology sites I frequent and thought it might also interest some of my fellow ATS members.

So what do you think people, is it possible that we will witness an event such as this within our life time? And if so what kind of repercussions should we expect regarding humanity, our technology and everday life in general?

Your thoughts please.

We should be okay - unless you're on an airplane at the time. At night.

"United Eleventysomething, you are cleared to land on runway 15 right."

"Check that. 21 right."

"Um, 34 right."

"37 right."

"Just land on the right-hand runway you're pointed at."

a reply to: andy06shake

This isn't the first time I read it will happen and possibly within our life time, however my pondering goes to the side of duration. How long will it really take?

How do we know for sure it will take 100 years to complete as this article states? It also states they are irregular. ??

Is the evidence from archaeology and if so.. how accurate are we to assume it is?

We are seeing this happen..

Sadly, we can only guess at what actually happens to Earth — and all the lovely organisms that live on its surface — during a geomagnetic reversal. Most hypotheses and simulations suggest that there’ll be a fairly long period during the reversal where the poles are all messed up — so at the very least, you can forget using your compass to navigate. Organisms that use magnetoception to navigate — birds, bacteria, bees — might themselves similarly confused.

However our GPS are working just fine.... so far anyway.

Our atmosphere .. thats debatable. I see climate changing pretty quick, but maybe thats just me.

It could quite possibly be a geomagnetic excursion, in lieu of a complete flip. Most of the nuclear reactors will be decommissioned in the next twenty to sixty years (our best form of energy, though it's expensive), so for a flip to happen would be a lot on our species plate. Mother nature has more respect for humans, right?

a reply to: BucketOfPMA

"Mother nature has more respect for humans, right?"

Mother nature is a cruel mistress and for all intents and purposes favours survival of the fittest more than anything else, so respect is neither here nor there really.

Take away all of our toys and technology and I imagine humanity would revert to a rather more primal state over a few generations. One good winter without our electrical grid would probably be enough to wipe out rather a significant portion of humanity.

Anyone using a gyroscope type compass will be fine. It points to True North (or the actual physical North Pole).

GPS users should also be fine (unless the shifting magnetic field mess with their electronics up in orbit).

As for duration:

If I remember right (and I apologize for not having a link handy), I believe that geologist are able to determine that (or at least a guesstimate) based upon the alignment of like iron minerals in ancient lava flows. This is how we found out that the fields reverse polarity on a regular basis in the first place.

As the field moves, the minerals like iron that are in the still cooling lava will align themselves with the field. There are different volcanoes that erupted during those same periods. By knowing about when the lava was cooling, one could, in theory, track how long it took for the field to shift.

But, it depends upon how accurate the dating of the lava flow is too.

I think the margin for error is pretty wide, so I think knowing exactly how long it takes is hard to pinpoint.

a reply to: andy06shake

I think it is possible but I'm pretty sure it's going to be a bumpy ride so to speak.

I recall watching a documentary a couple years back that David Suzuki did about the poles shifting and what it could potentially mean for us. It was interesting and I started to wonder at that point if it could be something I saw in my life time I'm only 27.

The Sun's poles are getting ready to flip so they have been moving around a bit already. The Earth's poles are reacting and moving a bit, waiting to flip after the Sun flips.

I wonder if they are keeping a close eye on the Sun's poles?

a reply to: andy06shake

Field Inversions

The only thing I can think of is as people above have stated our guidance technology will be rendered useless unless we plan for it in advance and reprogram things to deal seamlessly with an inversion scenario. Models have shown that even without a dipole, the dynamics of the upper atmosphere are such that life on the planet would be protected. Actually, most of the models they have generated show that during an inversion scenario, the dipole is broken down into a chaotic mess of polarities until a new stable conformation is arrived at, so we would still be protected, just in a very disorderly fashion. It would likely be impossible to predict exactly where the new poles would eventually settle.

Nothing is gonna happen if it does flip. It happened many times in history.
www.geomag.bgs.ac.uk...
And what happened to all the primates and life back then... Nothing, so we will be fine.
Another myth debunked.

a reply to: definity

Certainly an event worthy of our attention and study if indeed it ever we're to take place.

All through other pole shifts have happened in the past with no apparent effects regarding humanity or our predecessors we have never before been so reliant on technology as we are today. One has to wonder as to the effect any pole shift may have on said tech?

ATTTENTION DOOM PORN ALERT!!!:There is also a theory that the when it does, the Van Allen belt will momentarily come into contact with Earth and fry everything.....

a reply to: MamaJ

You might be right about magnetic flips relating to climate change. Last flip called the Laschamp event coincided with eruption of Italy's Phlegraean Fields super volcano and climate change. The Phlegraean Fields floor has risen 7 feet since the 70's.

a reply to: glend

I believe so... its a snowball effect. Whether climate changing is a cause in the reversal or vice versa remains to be seen. It seems as if the climate changing would in fact help create a reversal but again... thats debatable as well.

Here is another article I read not to long ago, although I am not a "global warming" proponent.. just climate change proponent as our history proves we have always had changes to our climate. Its natural. www.scientificamerican.com...

I think already, there are some areas on Earth with magnetic anomalies (I read somewhere).