Polar shifting: So what actually happens?

[Mark T]

I was reading an article earlier today about GPS satellites that need updating. I then started reading some of the user comments and someone posted that it doesn't matter as the satellites are going to be redundant by the shift in the poles.

I've never really looked into polar shifting but I believe it happens on a natural cycle and the next one is in 2012. I did a Google search and wasn't surprised to see a whole host of different doomsday scenarios including one site mentioning that "New York will collapse 2000 feet in a matter of seconds". Sounds like a good film scene to me (maybe that's what that 2012 film is all about).

Anyway, just wondered if someone could give details of the small changes that we notice.

 

[wfooshee]

2012 is the latest in a series of doomsday years. The "evidence" for it is that it's the end of the Mayan calendar. (December 21, actually, won't even get Christmas. )

All the things that were supposed to happen in 1999, 2000, 2003, etc. are really supposed to happen in 2012.

In Googling "polar shift" the whole first page of hits is all about 2012. There's one at the bottom that says "This site explains the causes, timing, and local effects of the next polar shift; also offering a simple no-tax alternative to the destructive taxation that ..." Hey, that's good enough for me. I'm convinced.

Another one says the pole reversal means the earth stops rotating and then reverses its rotation.

I remain . . . . . skeptical.


Polar reversals are a phenomenon through the ages, but it's the magnetic poles, not the actual axis of the earth. The location of the north magnetic pole has changed significantly in the last century, and will continue to do so. As for reversal of the poles, it can't really be predicted, and may happen or not.

Someday.

 

[homeforsummer]

Not that wikipedia is the only source you should read on the subject, it's certainly useful for summing up all the main points:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomagnetic_reversal

That article seems to think the magnetic poles won't completely reverse for another few thousand years.

The magnetic poles shift all the time and are not antipodal (i.e, if you drew a line centrally through the Earth from the magnetic North, then it would not emerge at magnetic South)

 

[Eric.]

My physics instructor briefly mentioned this one day, and she doesn't think we will notice much of anything. Compasses will obviously be incorrect, and I don't really remember if electricity would get all wonky or not.

 

[Mark T]

Could these cause weather patterns to change?

 

[Danoff]

Another one says the pole reversal means the earth stops rotating and then reverses its rotation.

Heh.... no. No no no.

Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly.

 

[Eric.]

Heh.... no. No no no.

Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly.

Ten thousand? You're aiming a little low aren't you?

 

[Casio]

Heh.... no. No no no.

Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly.

I notice no mention of Chuck Norris.

 

[hellnback]

There was also the Planet X theory about 6-7 years back.

Planet X supposedly is a gas giant with a irregular orbit around the sun (this also explained the outer planets orbits). As it's orbit is farther out and longer to cycle than ex-planet Pluto's, it only came back towards the sun every several thousands of years.

When it was to come back 'this time' it would pass between Earths orbit of the sun, and temporarily, becomes earth main gravitational dominator. As this happened our poles would swing dramatically causing major weather disruption, earthquakes, volcanic activity.

This event was forecast to wipe out 80% (or something) of the human population...

 

[nk4e]

I wonder if this will become the 2012 theories thread.