The year 1831 marked a pivotal moment when Earth's Magnetic North Pole was precisely located, initiating an intriguing journey of tracking the magnetic poles
Since then, the poles have moved over 600 miles (1,100 km) north-westwards, with an accelerating pace from 10 miles (16 km) to 34 miles (55 km) per year currently
This gradual shift has resulted in substantial influence on navigation systems, necessitating continuous recalibration to ensure precision in directional computations. Airplanes, ships and even birds, who use magnetic poles to navigate have to reassess their instruments and senses according to the changes in pole's angle
As per NASA, it's worth noting that the impact of pole shift on Earth's climate remains intricate and, as of yet, scientifically understudied. It's primarily the domain of navigation that experiences significant consequences rather than a direct and substantial influence on the planet's climatic behaviour
A Geological Norm - The phenomenon of pole reversals, wherein Earth's magnetic North and South Pole switch positions, is a recurrent theme throughout Earth's geological narrative. As per NASA, around 183 such reversals have happened over the course of 83 million years, in the intervals averaging approximately 300,000 years
According to researchers at NASA, the last pole shift happened 7,80,000 years ago, while average Pole Shifts happen on an average gap of 3,00,000 years. Earth is currently due for a pole shift by 4,80,000 years
During the fascinating process of pole reversal, the magnetic field experiences a distinctive transformation. Although it undergoes a weakening, it's imperative to underscore that it doesn't entirely collapse. Collaboratively, the magnetosphere and Earth's atmosphere persist in fulfilling their steadfast duty of safeguarding the planet from cosmic rays and the charged particles emitted by the Sun
According to NASA, a minute fraction of particulate radiation might infiltrate Earth's surface during this phase. The result is a magnetic field characterised by a state of intricate convolution, occasionally giving rise to multiple magnetic poles appearing unexpectedly
However, American Professor Charles Hapgood had a different theory about pole shifts. In his 1958 book ‘Earth Crust Displacement’, Hapgood said that the mass imbalance of created by pole shift over polar ice could displace Earth’s crust over the mantle leading to a catastrophic climate change, unprecedented tsunamis followed by an Ice Age. His book had a forward by Albert Einstein who supported Hapgood’s theory
It's imperative to recognise that pole reversals are by no means swift occurrences. In fact, they unfold over prolonged durations, stretching across several hundred to thousands of years to complete their transformational cycle
Turning our attention to the archives of Earth's history, evidence gleaned from plant and animal fossils hailing from the era of the last major pole reversal doesn't unveil seismic changes in their characteristics. Similarly, deep ocean sediment samples unveil a landscape of stable glacial activity during the shift
In conclusion, the intricate narrative of Earth's magnetic transitions underscores the planet's remarkable resilience in the face of these natural transformations. Yet some dangers always stay for human beings, when the nature tries to take its turn for a change