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Will Compasses Point South?
New York Times ^ | July 13, 2004 | WILLIAM J. BROAD

Posted on 07/13/2004 7:25:26 AM PDT by Servant of the 9

The collapse of the Earth's magnetic field, which both guards the planet and guides many of its creatures, appears to have started in earnest about 150 years ago. The field's strength has waned 10 to 15 percent, and the deterioration has accelerated of late, increasing debate over whether it portends a reversal of the lines of magnetic force that normally envelop the Earth.

During a reversal, the main field weakens, almost vanishes, then reappears with opposite polarity. Afterward, compass needles that normally point north would point south, and during the thousands of years of transition, much in the heavens and Earth would go askew.

A reversal could knock out power grids, hurt astronauts and satellites, widen atmospheric ozone holes, send polar auroras flashing to the equator and confuse birds, fish and migratory animals that rely on the steadiness of the magnetic field as a navigation aid. But experts said the repercussions would fall short of catastrophic, despite a few proclamations of doom and sketchy evidence of past links between field reversals and species extinctions.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Technical
KEYWORDS: aurora; earth; geomagnitism; gps; magneticfield; magnetism; ozone; poleshift; skyfalling
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A reversal could knock out power grids, hurt astronauts and satellites, widen atmospheric ozone holes......

That makes a lot more sense than the ozone layer being destroyed by spray Right Guard.

So9

1 posted on 07/13/2004 7:25:27 AM PDT by Servant of the 9
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To: Servant of the 9
women and minorities hit hardest.
2 posted on 07/13/2004 7:27:45 AM PDT by dts32041 (Gen Karpinski A bullet, A Gun, a Room, her only honorable solution (MP Officer Not))
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To: Servant of the 9

Women and minorities are really gonna be hit hard by this!


3 posted on 07/13/2004 7:28:26 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (The Fourth Estate is a Fifth Column)
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To: Servant of the 9

This is Bush's fault.


4 posted on 07/13/2004 7:28:40 AM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Kerry has a Carter Plan. Bush has a Reagan Plan. You choose which is your plan.)
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To: dts32041

Dang!


5 posted on 07/13/2004 7:28:42 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (The Fourth Estate is a Fifth Column)
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To: ClearCase_guy

It's Bush's fault.


6 posted on 07/13/2004 7:28:47 AM PDT by wbill
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To: Conspiracy Guy

Dang!


7 posted on 07/13/2004 7:29:02 AM PDT by wbill
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To: wbill

Late.


8 posted on 07/13/2004 7:29:09 AM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Kerry has a Carter Plan. Bush has a Reagan Plan. You choose which is your plan.)
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To: Servant of the 9
compass needles that normally point north would point south,

Horse puckey.

Compass needles do not point to geographic North now - they point to the North magnetic pole, somewhere in Canada at the moment.

They would continue to point to the north magnetic pole, even if it moved to Argentina.

9 posted on 07/13/2004 7:29:46 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Servant of the 9

Quick - Get Algore on this! It HAS to be the Republican's fault!


10 posted on 07/13/2004 7:29:50 AM PDT by The Sons of Liberty (Ronald Reagan - the Greatest President of the 20th Century)
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To: Conspiracy Guy; ClearCase_guy

I think there's an echo in this thread.


11 posted on 07/13/2004 7:30:06 AM PDT by wbill
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To: wbill

I think there's an echo in this thread.


12 posted on 07/13/2004 7:30:37 AM PDT by dead (I've got my eye out for Mullah Omar.)
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To: Servant of the 9
I wonder who gets to throw the switch to change the magnetic field of the earth??

Now THAT</B< would be a cool job!

Think of the power....!!

13 posted on 07/13/2004 7:30:58 AM PDT by Logic n' Reason (Don't piss down my back and tell me it's rainin')
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To: Servant of the 9

Hope it's not as catastrophic as Y2K was.


14 posted on 07/13/2004 7:31:02 AM PDT by ladtx ( "Remember your regiment and follow your officers." Captain Charles May, 2d Dragoons, 9 May 1846)
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To: Logic n' Reason

Sorry about the html...can't type!


15 posted on 07/13/2004 7:31:28 AM PDT by Logic n' Reason (Don't piss down my back and tell me it's rainin')
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To: Servant of the 9
"A reversal could... widen atmospheric ozone holes,..."

OF course;
so the only solution is to ban the internal combustion engine and stop free trade, right?

16 posted on 07/13/2004 7:32:24 AM PDT by Redbob
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To: Servant of the 9

Seems kinda tinfoil hat-ish to me. However, as you said its more plausible than suggesting that the Aqua-Net the 80s hair metal bands used caused an ozone hole.


17 posted on 07/13/2004 7:33:19 AM PDT by RockinRight
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To: Servant of the 9

Ad on Page 6!!! Getcher new compass--- only $9.99 plus shipping.........


18 posted on 07/13/2004 7:34:02 AM PDT by litehaus
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To: wbill

7 seconds.


19 posted on 07/13/2004 7:43:24 AM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Kerry has a Carter Plan. Bush has a Reagan Plan. You choose which is your plan.)
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Comment #20 Removed by Moderator


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