When North Becomes South

XZeroII

Lifer
Jun 30, 2001
12,572
0
0
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4687974/

Pretty interesting stuff.

In the past 15 million years, there have been four reversals every 1 million years, or about one shift each 250,000 years, Clement explained. The last one, however, was 790,000 years ago. That might suggest we're overdue for a big change. Not necessarily so, Clement says. The flips are not periodic, meaning they don't adhere to a schedule of even intervals.

Yet the intensity of the magnetic field has been dropping for the last 2,000 years, and "it has dropped significantly" during the past two decades, Clement said. One recent study shows the decline in strength amounts to 10 percent over the last 150 years.




I can't resist the urge here to play devils advocate :p
The magnetic field has been dropping for the last 2000 years and it has dropped significantly in the past 20 years! There must be a human influence working here. We should enact legislation to preserve our precious magnetic field. All compasses should be banned. Magnets with strong fields should be outlawed. All companies using magnets will be forced to perform environmental impact analysis and pay a fine if they are producing excess magnetic field energy.
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,889
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
The only thing scary about the magnetic reversal is that our "Force field" from intense Radiation is down during the transition. Can mankind adapt enough to survive is the question and also would enough in the food chain survive to keep enough species going during that time. Dinosaur kind of questions.
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,765
615
126
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
The only thing scary about the magnetic reversal is that our "Force field" from intense Radiation is down during the transition. Can mankind adapt enough to survive is the question and also would enough in the food chain survive to keep enough species going during that time. Dinosaur kind of questions.

LOL, I can't resist...

Its a good thing you're wearing your tinfoil hat!
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,407
8,595
126
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
The only thing scary about the magnetic reversal is that our "Force field" from intense Radiation is down during the transition. Can mankind adapt enough to survive is the question and also would enough in the food chain survive to keep enough species going during that time. Dinosaur kind of questions.

790,000 years ago lots of complex mammals were around and didn't die out.



anyway, the north pole is a south pole already :p
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,889
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: PingSpike
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
The only thing scary about the magnetic reversal is that our "Force field" from intense Radiation is down during the transition. Can mankind adapt enough to survive is the question and also would enough in the food chain survive to keep enough species going during that time. Dinosaur kind of questions.

LOL, I can't resist...

Its a good thing you're wearing your tinfoil hat!

Yeah, really going to get my money's worth out of it :D
 

So when the poles do flip, does this mean all that electric motors will stop working?

john
 

XZeroII

Lifer
Jun 30, 2001
12,572
0
0
Originally posted by: jdhoeffken
So when the poles do flip, does this mean all that electric motors will stop working?

john

not only that, but it will rain up and hamburgers will eat people.
 

alphatarget1

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2001
5,710
0
76
Originally posted by: XZeroII
Originally posted by: jdhoeffken
So when the poles do flip, does this mean all that electric motors will stop working?

john

not only that, but it will rain up and hamburgers will eat people.


no offense but do you know anything about magnetism? My sarcasm meter is broken.
 

alphatarget1

Diamond Member
Dec 9, 2001
5,710
0
76
Originally posted by: dmcowen674
The only thing scary about the magnetic reversal is that our "Force field" from intense Radiation is down during the transition. Can mankind adapt enough to survive is the question and also would enough in the food chain survive to keep enough species going during that time. Dinosaur kind of questions.

that's the earth's magnetic field. it's constantly being pushed on by the solar wind.

take a college physics class... it's fun!
 

MAW1082

Senior member
Jun 17, 2003
510
7
81
This is kind of interesting. What I think could be significant in this is that all the e&m waves on this planet now de to humans. Change in current induces a magnetic field. So maybe all these electronic devices we're carrying around is changing the magnetic field and will cause the end to mankind. Oh darn! Turn off all electrical devices, etc.
 

XZeroII

Lifer
Jun 30, 2001
12,572
0
0
Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Originally posted by: XZeroII
Originally posted by: jdhoeffken
So when the poles do flip, does this mean all that electric motors will stop working?

john

not only that, but it will rain up and hamburgers will eat people.


no offense but do you know anything about magnetism? My sarcasm meter is broken.

Are you serious?
 

Ozoned

Diamond Member
Mar 22, 2004
5,578
0
0
I am fairly certain that this would be "big".

It would be a good idea to stop this so that
we don't have to decide whose fault it is later.

:D