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Not a great time to buy coastal land.

Changleen

Paranoid Member
Jan 9, 2004
14,919
2,886
Pōneke
Yup. Magnetic north is not a constant direction.

Wikipedia:

The orientation of magnetic fields of planets can flip over, an event which is called a geomagnetic reversal. The Earth's poles have done this repeatedly throughout history, and 500,000 years ago, the south magnetic pole was at the South Pole. It is thought that this occurs when the circulation of liquid nickel/iron in the Earth's outer core is disrupted and then reestablishes itself in the opposite direction. It is not known what causes these disruptions. Proof of this can be seen at mid-ocean ridges where tectonic plates move apart, and the sea bed is filled in with magma. As the magma comes out of the mantle, the magnetic particles in it are attracted slightly to the North Pole, and when the poles switch, so does the direction in which the metallic elements face. Therefore, on the sea bed, parallel bands of alternating magnetic fields are found.
 

Ciaran

Fear my banana
Apr 5, 2004
9,841
19
So Cal
Changleen said:
Yup. Magnetic north is not a constant direction.

Wikipedia:
I had a marine biology class in college where they discussed this. Very interisting stuff.