The strength of the Earth’s magnetic field has decreased 10 percent over the past 150 years, raising the remote possibility that it may collapse and later reverse, flipping the planet’s poles for the first time in nearly a million years, scientists said Thursday.
At that rate of decline, the field could vanish altogether in 1,500 to 2,000 years, said Jeremy Bloxham of Harvard University.
Hundreds of years could pass before a flip-flopped field returned to where it was 780,000 years ago. But scientists at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union cautioned that scenario is an unlikely one.
This change allegedly may affect satellites and the chemistry of the atmosphere. I’m not sure what other impact this may have on people. But if you’re prone to roam in the wilderness using on a compass to navigate, you might think about investing in one of those GPS gadgets. ‘Course if the satellites get knocked out those won’t be much help, either.
Good luck.