Ship Logs Suggest Upcoming Polar Reversal 349
Nyerp writes "Researchers are using naval logs dating back as far as 1590 to arrive at better estimates of the decline of Earth's magnetic field. The results suggest that there may be a reversal of earth's magnetic field in about 2000 years." Also worth noting, our ancestors have lived through a number of polar reversals, and we're still here, so no need to fret!
Global Warming? (Score:4, Funny)
Duh. (Score:5, Funny)
Just turn your compass around 180 degrees, then it'll be pointing South instead of North.
Yei! (Score:5, Funny)
Let the War on Polar Reversal begin!
Imagine the customers.... (Score:5, Funny)
I think I saw this on the nature channel (Score:5, Funny)
Re:long term effects (Score:5, Funny)
I'm sure the biggest result of magnetic field reversal will be the number of PhDs granted.
It's just... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Global Warming? (Score:2, Funny)
Whoa there (Score:1, Funny)
No sir, you can put your own suncream on your ass.
Re:electronic dependence (Score:5, Funny)
It won't affect my stereo because I'm using Monster
brand cables with a special anti polar reversal coating.
The extended warranty I was sold should keep it
functional for the 2000 years it takes to complete the process.
Man, Best Buy rocks!
Have you seen maps from 1590? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:electronic dependence (Score:3, Funny)
Cause for concern (Score:5, Funny)
I find it hard to believe that we shouldn't be concerned.
North will stay the same... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:long term effects (Score:1, Funny)
If only that was all that would happen... It's really much more of a crisis than that. Trillions of USD will be spent trying to save these species after they are put on the endangered species list in the U.S.
I can see it now, electromagnets will distributed throughout the U.S. to keep the field unchanged within our borders - every building built will be required to have a giant solar array and giant batteries powering giant magnets to "do their part" to maintain the magnetic field as close as possible to what it is today...
Oh, and don't forget the endless productivity sapping debates on "is man causing the magnetic shift or is it just a natural phenomena".
Folks, this will be a disaster.
Need to Take Action Now (Score:4, Funny)
There's clearly a need to take action now. I'd better go clear my calendar, then I'll be prepared.
Memo to Self: Get stick on "N" and "S" labels for compass.
Re:electronic dependence (Score:2, Funny)
Re:north = ? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:long term effects (Score:4, Funny)
According to Wikipedia, magnetic reversals happen from 1 to 5 times per million years. That is not long enough time for a new species to evolve. Which in turn means that every currently existing bird species survived the last reversal. So why would they perish this time either ?
Of course we might get lucky and the migrating flocks of bird-flu carrying birds who were about to wipe out the human species will all get lost and drown in the middle of the Atlantic. Once again, the day is saved, thanks to Geomagnetic Reversal !-)
Re:Adverse effect on magnetic storage? (Score:2, Funny)
Well, there is a very easy test you can do. Simply take you computer hard drive or floppy disk, and rotate it by 180 degrees in the horizontal plane. (That's pi radians for you maths people out there!)
Now, notice any difference in the operation? i suggest we all to this at once to ensure that everything we own is compatible with the switch over.
All together now, 1,2,3....
Re:Adverse effect on magnetic storage? (Score:4, Funny)
Santa (Score:2, Funny)
Re:electronic dependence (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Global Warming? (Score:5, Funny)
What about Africa? (Score:2, Funny)
It's about time! (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Slightly off... (Score:2, Funny)
I saw a show about the very topic of magnetic field reversal on TV about one year ago.
Oh, yeah? Well *I* saw a show a few years back where they travelled to the sun and took pictures of themselves. And they didn't suffer at all, except Arnold wished he hadn't come to school that day, and they had to change the tires on the Magic School Bus the next week.
Gimme a break; cite your sources. Otherwise you're just spreading weak rumours.
- RG>
Re:Duh (Score:4, Funny)
Re:north = ? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:north = ? (Score:1, Funny)
One of which caused Winny the Pooh and his chum Christopher Robin to set out on an expotition to The North Pole......