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Scientists state every 200,000 to 300,000 years the Earth’s poles flip where north becomes south and vice versa.
The poles attempted to swap 40,000 years ago, but this was unsuccessful.
As a result, the last time the poles switched place was 780,000 years ago, meaning we are long overdue a pole reversal which could very feasibly happen within a lifetime.
When it finally does happen again, the magnetic shield will fail by at least 10 percent.
Many species of animals, most notably birds, have a sense for the magnetic poles which allow them to successfully navigate the globe during periods of mass-migration, leading experts to fear that it could cause confusion. However, as humans were not about during the last switch, it is impossible to accurately predict.
But with a weakened magnetic shield, the Earth is more vulnerable to solar storms.
Solar storms are sparked by radiation which pummels our planet heats up the outer atmosphere, causing it to expand.
This means satellite signals would struggle to penetrate the atmosphere, leading to a lack of internet service, GPS navigation, satellite TV such as Sky and mobile phone signal.
Additionally, increased currents in the Earth’s magnetic field – or magnetosphere – could theoretically lead to a surge of electricity in power lines, which can blow out electrical transformers and power stations leading to a temporary loss of electricity in a region.
Science website Futurism writes: “These grids could fail, leading to worldwide blackouts that experts predict could last for decades.
“Without functioning electric grids, we couldn’t use cell phones, household appliances, and so much more. The sudden blackouts would have hospitals scrambling for backup power sources, putting countless lives at risk.
“GPS technology would also be compromised, affecting everything from military operations to our ability navigate our cars.”