What If Earth’s Magnetic Field Reversed?
Learn what would happen if Earth’s magnetic field reversed!
Earth’s magnetic field has been functional for at least around 4.2 billion years. It acts as a giant shield that protects our planet from solar wind; a stream of charged particles emanating from the sun. Earth’s magnetic field also helps humans and migratory animals to determine the right direction correctly.
Moreover, magnetic reversal is not a new phenomenon. In fact, such an event occurred 780,000 years ago, during the Stone Age era. Based on which, there’s numerous evidence to suggest that our planet — the Earth — may be in the early stages of a pole reversal right now, as we speak.
However, do we need to fear in case the earth’s magnetic field is reversed overnight? What will actually happen if our north-pointing compasses make a 180-degree turn toward Antarctica? Will we survive? Will our continents tear themselves apart? Let’s find out.
Effect on Human Lives
In case you’re wondering whether or not we should be ready for a geomagnetic apocalypse, the answer is no. Humanity will not be wiped out. However, catastrophic health issues will follow. The reason being that flipping the magnetic poles will strip away at least 10% of the current geomagnetic force. As a result, flaming hot particles originating from the sun will puncture our ozone layer and everyone on the earth will be exposed to significantly higher levels of radiation. All the diseases originating due to harmful radiation will become as normal as the flu in humans. Our health will deteriorate and the average life expectancy will reduce too.
Technological Setbacks
Once solar particles enter the earth’s atmosphere, all sensitive electronic equipment of the orbital satellites will be destroyed. In a matter of days, the entire communication system will fail. Reaching out to your loved ones instantly in a different city or continent will become impossible. Eventually, the electrical grids will continue to collapse and the world will face complete blackout. This phenomenon will last for decades until some alternative can be explored. In reality, we would be thrown back 3 centuries in terms of technological advancements.
Uninhabitable Lands and Misguided Sense of Direction
Depending on which part of the continent faces the most radiation, several islands will become uninhabitable for humans as well as animals. Only those creatures who experience no effect of radiation on their body would survive, such as crabs and cockroaches. Moreover, migratory birds, turtles, bees, salmon, whales and other animals who use magnetoreception to navigate will face navigation trouble. Their chances of survival might decrease as they will move to a completely opposite living environment due to instant magnetic reversal. Eventually, their magnetoreception will realign, like it did 780,000 years ago, but many would be on the brink of extinction by then.
In Conclusion
Given the aforementioned consequences, it’s safe to say that magnetic field reversal will prove to be quite a worrisome event. However, one upside to such an event is that we will get to witness the beautiful and majestic aurora, widely known as Northern lights, in several parts of the world. We won’t need to spend lakhs of rupees to travel to Iceland just to see the northern lights. At least we get to see beautiful skies while we adapt to a completely new world!
