According
to the British Geological Survey, a world-renowned geoscience center, “The Earth’s magnetic field has had many highs, lows, and reversals in
its past. The last reversal was around 800,000 years ago. So the Earth is known
to be able to re-generate its field and has done so during human pre-history.”
A report from the
scientific body says that South Georgia sits within a weak spot in the Earth's
magnetic field known as the “South Atlantic Anomaly” (SAA). In this area,
radiation from space penetrates deeper into the atmosphere.
“The SAA is growing
and spreading westwards from South Africa as the Earth’s internal magnetic
field rapidly weakens in this region. Scientist believe this may be evidence of
a coming reversal in the direction of the Earth’s internal magnetic field,”
says the report.
Well, I knew that
scientists had examined ancient rocks whose construction revealed that the
magnetic field was once reversed, but I never realized it had happened several
times, and I never thought it would occur again in my lifetime. Can you imagine
what’s going to happen?
All our maps,
charts, and atlases will have to be
redrawn with a new north at the top, a north that we call the south at the
moment. Geographic globes will have to be remade upside down. You can throw
away your GPS and compasses because the
sun will rise in the west and set in the east. The blue bits on bar magnets
will have to be painted over with red, and vice versa.
Antarctica and
the penguins will be at the North Pole and all the polar bears will have to
move to the South Pole. The South Pacific will swop names with the North
Atlantic. The Northwest Passage will become the Southeast Passage and the trade
winds will blow northwest and southwest.
South Carolina
and North Dakota will have to change to North Carolina and South Dakota. Google
Earth will have to turn upside down and have all its lettering changed. And
lord knows what-all else.
Gawd, what a
mess. I can’t believe those secretive scientists are springing this on us at
the last moment. I’m having a hard enough time coping with the concept of
global warming. The idea of turning the whole world on its magnetic head is
overwhelming. I think I need to lie down for a while. Either that or drink a
beer. I think I’ll try the beer first.
Today’s Thought
The more science learns what life is , the more reluctant
scientists are to define it.
— Leila M.
Coyne, San Jose State University
Tailpiece
An Italian immigrant was
having trouble with English irregular verbs.
“I can’ta weara my wool
skirt anymore,” she said. “I have send it to the cleaners and they shrinked ...
shrank ... shrunk ... Oh!” she broke off in desperation. “I putted on weight.”
(Drop
by every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, for another Mainly about Boats column.)
