Question: is it true that in about 50 years the earths magnetic forces will switch around? what proplems would it cuase if it was true or is it a complete rumour

Ollie Russell answered on 13 Jun 2011:

From studying geological samples it has been shown that the magnetic field flips every 500,000 years, so the north pole becomes the south pole, and the south pole the north. I think that the last time this happened was over 500,000 years ago, so you could say we are due a flip. However, no one knows when, it could happen tomorrow or it could happen in 5,000 years.

As for what it would do, i think it would cause problems for our electronic devises. this is beacuse the magnetic field stops high energy radiation reaching earth, which can interfere with modern technology. So without the field, things like satelites will get damaged. As for its effect on us, I doubt it will do that much. The last time it happened there were not any massive extinctions like the dinosaurs or anything so i think we would survive.