Which way is up or down? why does the pole change places?

Question

Now and again the two poles change place! During the course of the last 5 million years this has happened around 25 times. Approximately 720,000 years have passed sine the poles last changed around and the phenomenon will certainly repeat itself, we just don’t know when. The dynamo in the Earth’s interior is unstable such that on occasion the field weakens, loses its bipolar character and regenerates with reversed polarity. It is believed that the reversal process takes several thousand years, but some modern opinions suggest a shorter time. We can only imagine the confusion when the compasses of the world suddenly turn a half circle! Does it effect the planet in any way? if so, how?

Answer 1

I remember talking about this in my geology classes. As far as extinctions go, there are no major extinctions that happen at the same time as the pole change. There is a microscopic organism called radiolaria that die off in large numbers but they do not go extinct.

As far as I know, the worst that will happen is that you will have learn how to read your compass backwards and migrating animals will be confused for a while.

Answer 2

Haven't you sort of answered your own question - and I'm sure the change in the earth's polarity won't affect the planet in any way, though it might confuse a few sailor's.