Is it possible that Earth's magnetic poles will switch?

Answer 1

Sure, it's happened many times in the past according to the geological record.
Hold on tight!

Answer 2

the technique of magnetic polarity reversal is amazingly sluggish. the completed magnetic potential of the Earth has been reducing VERY slowly through my fifty six+ year existence. Scientists are not particular how lengthy an finished polarity shift takes, besides the undeniable fact that it may properly be see you later as 3000 years or longer. Scientists also do no longer understand even if the magnetic field is going to 0 before the polarity shifts. I doubt that it does flow to 0, because, if it did flow to 0, there could be no magnetic field deflecting cosmic rays and alpha radiation remote from the Earth, so more suitable issues could die at a swifter price than frequent, yet there is not any correlation of magnetic polarity reversals with extinctions. The magnetic polarity reversal record is going again in reality 100 and eighty million years, so the top of the Cretaceous era and the starting up of the Tertiary is roofed, and so are the perfect 4 advances of the glaciers Pliocene and Pleistocene (Quaternary era) geological ranges.

Answer 3

Actually, it's a sure thing that they will switch, and soon. (...meaning in the next few thousand years.) There is abundant physical evidence that the Earth's magnetic field has been periodically switching for as long as Earth has existed. At the moment, Earth's geographical north is actually magnetically south.

Answer 4

There have been periods during earths history where the poles have switched polarity. We learned this in geography class last year. They figured this out by looking at crops of old rocks to see what polarity they had when they were formed and also at anamalies on the sea floor that form at mid ocean ridges.

Answer 5

Supposedly, they have, over the past millions of years. The problem with the polarity shift is that it occurs at a very slow rate. Therefore, during the transition, the magnetic field is weaker, thus having a lesser ability to deflect solar radiation and a significant effect upon Earth's life forms.

Answer 6

Well, the north magnetic pole is sure moving. It used to be in Canada a few years ago, but now it's going under the Arctic Ocean to Russia.

Answer 7

I hope not soon. If the magnetic pole switches u will be without the O3 ozone layer to protect u . Almost everything would die.

Answer 8

The earth's magnetic poles have switched many times with the last occuring about 780,000 years ago
see this article:
http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn4865

Answer 9

Yes, it is certainly possible. It's been put forward by scientists that it's happened dozens of times before, when the sun's energy has been amplified due to massive storms and earth is bombarded by electromagnetic radiation and energy.

If it happens again be prepared for something like armageddon, multiplied by ten.

rg, your link on NS says it happens every 7000 years, not as long as you said.

Answer 10

the poles have switched many times in the earths history. scientists say it is possable it will do it again. i watched a show on nova. a pbs program. very intresting subjuct.


http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/reversals.html - 20k -
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