KRL
11-22-2003, 02:38 AM
Anyone watch the Nova science TV special on the weakening of the Earth's magnetic field?
This is some seriously scary shit. Historically, the Earth's magnetic poles reverse every 250,000 years. North becomes South and South becomes North. Its not so much a disaster once the event is complete, but rather the process of the reversal that could be disasterous for our present civilization.
We're currently long overdue for a magnetic shift. Its been 780,000 years since the last one occured. Right now scientists have noticed huge magnetic anomolies where a reduction in the field is being observed under the South Atlantic Ocean. This is one of the first indications that we're in the process of the beginning of the next shift.
The anomolies increase all over the globe till they reach the point where the flux goes into a state where the magnetic field is virtually at the crossover point and without any outward force to protect the earth.
The magnetic field is normally strong enough when its in a healthy state to protect the atmosphere from buring up from solar radiation and from exposing the surface of the Earth to the Sun's lethal gamma rays.
The fastest reversal can complete in about 30 days. If you had a compass you could watch the pointer move about 6 degrees each day til it had moved 180 degrees in all. They don't know how long the longest reversal could take, but some believe it could take years under certain conditions.
This has never happened with modern man on the planet to see the effects on us. However basically where we are vulnerable is in the massive amounts of gamma rays that would penetrate to the Earth's surface. Its kind of like saying we're gonna be dancing in the microwave oven for a period of time. All the animals on earth that rely on magnetic North to navigate wouldn't be able to know where to go. Tests done on animals and humans where the magnetic field was removed effected the neuro muscular system dramatically and they were unable to coordinate their bodies and balance properly.
The worst effect will be on electronics. Which at the peak of the reversal process will all be fried and not work. All the power grids will be unable to sustain the effects of the radiation waves and electromagnetic upheaval and will stop functioning. Computers, GPS Navigation, televisions, radios, satellites, telecom networks will all be toast. Every thing based on the current North and South coordinates will have to be reversed.
The climate will be in complete chaos as well. The atmosphere without the protection of the outward magnetic shield will become heated to abnormally high temperatures inducing lightning and thunderstorms of unimaginable size and dimension. Hurricanes, and tornadoes will be off the charts. Flooding will occur everywhere. The climatic chaos will impact the food production and agricultural abilities of Earth.
Scientists are saying indications are that this will happen sometime within the next 1200 years. We're safe in this generation, however our descendants are going to have to deal with this. On the vast timeline of Earth a 1000 years is right around the corner.
Even worse would be a polar shift. This occurs when the balance of the land mass goes out of kilter with the oceans and the planet literally flips. Civilization as we know it would be completely wiped out if this occurs and whoever managed to survive would be back to Planet of the Apes times.
See An Animation of a Reversal of The Poles (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/reversals.html)
Nova Magnetic Storm (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/)
This is some seriously scary shit. Historically, the Earth's magnetic poles reverse every 250,000 years. North becomes South and South becomes North. Its not so much a disaster once the event is complete, but rather the process of the reversal that could be disasterous for our present civilization.
We're currently long overdue for a magnetic shift. Its been 780,000 years since the last one occured. Right now scientists have noticed huge magnetic anomolies where a reduction in the field is being observed under the South Atlantic Ocean. This is one of the first indications that we're in the process of the beginning of the next shift.
The anomolies increase all over the globe till they reach the point where the flux goes into a state where the magnetic field is virtually at the crossover point and without any outward force to protect the earth.
The magnetic field is normally strong enough when its in a healthy state to protect the atmosphere from buring up from solar radiation and from exposing the surface of the Earth to the Sun's lethal gamma rays.
The fastest reversal can complete in about 30 days. If you had a compass you could watch the pointer move about 6 degrees each day til it had moved 180 degrees in all. They don't know how long the longest reversal could take, but some believe it could take years under certain conditions.
This has never happened with modern man on the planet to see the effects on us. However basically where we are vulnerable is in the massive amounts of gamma rays that would penetrate to the Earth's surface. Its kind of like saying we're gonna be dancing in the microwave oven for a period of time. All the animals on earth that rely on magnetic North to navigate wouldn't be able to know where to go. Tests done on animals and humans where the magnetic field was removed effected the neuro muscular system dramatically and they were unable to coordinate their bodies and balance properly.
The worst effect will be on electronics. Which at the peak of the reversal process will all be fried and not work. All the power grids will be unable to sustain the effects of the radiation waves and electromagnetic upheaval and will stop functioning. Computers, GPS Navigation, televisions, radios, satellites, telecom networks will all be toast. Every thing based on the current North and South coordinates will have to be reversed.
The climate will be in complete chaos as well. The atmosphere without the protection of the outward magnetic shield will become heated to abnormally high temperatures inducing lightning and thunderstorms of unimaginable size and dimension. Hurricanes, and tornadoes will be off the charts. Flooding will occur everywhere. The climatic chaos will impact the food production and agricultural abilities of Earth.
Scientists are saying indications are that this will happen sometime within the next 1200 years. We're safe in this generation, however our descendants are going to have to deal with this. On the vast timeline of Earth a 1000 years is right around the corner.
Even worse would be a polar shift. This occurs when the balance of the land mass goes out of kilter with the oceans and the planet literally flips. Civilization as we know it would be completely wiped out if this occurs and whoever managed to survive would be back to Planet of the Apes times.
See An Animation of a Reversal of The Poles (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/reversals.html)
Nova Magnetic Storm (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/magnetic/)