- The Earth’s magnetic poles are constantly moving, but they have not moved far enough to turn around in the modern age.
- Researchers know that the Earth’s poles have changed in the past, but there has been divided opinion about what effects such an event could have on the planet and its inhabitants.
- Now, new research suggests that a magnetic pole turned upside down about 42,000 years ago brought about some dramatic changes and may have changed the course of human history.
Disaster movies have shown us what Hollywood can think would happen if the Earth’s poles turned suddenly, but the reality of the situation would probably be very different. We don’t know for sure how everyday life would be affected if our planet’s magnetic poles suddenly became resounding, but scientists are constantly looking for evidence of past polar motions to get a better idea of what we should expect.
A new study published in Science provides us with useful information thanks to an extremely old tree. The tree, which was still growing when the last turn of the magnetic pole occurred about 42,000 years ago, hints at dramatic and possibly catastrophic changes that took place in the atmosphere and on the surface of our planet.
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How NPR scientists reportedly were able to use a tree that had been dead for a long time, but was well preserved, to better understand an extensive stretch of Earth’s history. By studying tree rings, scientists obtained a detailed record of approximately 1,700 years. This tree had just lived during the last turn of the magnetic pole and an analysis of the rings suggests that it was a difficult time for anything living on Earth.
The team was specifically looking for a carbon signature on the tree rings. The type of carbon scientists were looking for is created when cosmic rays can attack the Earth’s atmosphere. When the Earth’s magnetic field is strong, as it is today, the amount of carbon generated by this interaction is relatively low, but increases when the magnetic field weakens and allows more cosmic rays to pass through.
Researchers were able to find a richness of this type of carbon in particular in the rings of the tree that would have occurred during the polar rotation, suggesting that this event is directly related to a dramatic change in the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field.
“This record reveals a substantial increase in the carbon 14 content of the atmosphere that culminates during the period of weakening of the magnetic field strength prior to the polarity switch,” Science explain. “The authors modeled the consequences of this event and concluded that the minimum of the geomagnetic field caused substantial changes in atmospheric ozone concentration that caused synchronous climate and environmental changes.”
Researchers believe that this event would have bathed the Earth with ultraviolet radiation as a result of the weakening of the magnetic field and the damage to the ozone layer that would have followed. It may even have triggered the extinction of many species. We still have no way of knowing when or why the magnetic poles rotate, but whenever it happens again, we may have a good time.
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Mike Wehner has reported on technology and video games over the past decade, addressing the latest developments and trends in VR, portable devices, smartphones and future technology. Most recently, Mike worked as a technical editor at The Daily Dot and has appeared on USA Today, Time.com and countless other web and print outlets. His love of reporting is only second to his addiction to games.