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Ancient Magnetic Flip Reveals Risks for Earth's Future

2/14/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Earth's magnetic field underwent a dramatic flip over 40,000 years ago during the Laschamps event, as uncovered by the European Space Agency's Swarm mission. This reversal weakened the magnetic shield, inviting cosmic rays that may have influenced climate shifts and species extinction. Today’s anomalies spark concern about the possibility of future flips.

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Story summary

Earth's magnetic field underwent a dramatic flip over 40,000 years ago during the Laschamps event, as uncovered by the European Space Agency's Swarm mission. This reversal weakened the magnetic shield, inviting cosmic rays that may have influenced climate shifts and species extinction. Today’s anomalies spark concern about the possibility of future flips.