Old news: earths magnetic field may flip

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
Yes it is a real phenomenon. The poles just change polarity. Your compass will read wrong.

I don't see how this can hurt anyone, since it has happened before and we are still here.

It hasn't happened while humanity has been an intelligent species. And the problem is not that the poles will be reversed, but that for an indeterminate time during the reversal process the Earth will not be protected from the more harmful forms of electromagnetic radiation by the Van Allen Belt.

The second point may be valid, but if it happens every 250,000 years then it has happened while we have been an intelligent species.

 

[BennyD]

Originally posted by: Iron Woode

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
Yes it is a real phenomenon. The poles just change polarity. Your compass will read wrong.

I don't see how this can hurt anyone, since it has happened before and we are still here.

It hasn't happened while humanity has been an intelligent species. And the problem is not that the poles will be reversed, but that for an indeterminate time during the reversal process the Earth will not be protected from the more harmful forms of electromagnetic radiation by the Van Allen Belt.

The second point may be valid, but if it happens every 250,000 years then it has happened while we have been an intelligent species.

but they say it hasn't happen for almost a million years, which is why it's "overdue"