Giant breach in Earth's magnetic field

[steph]

Take a look at this...the damn thing is HUGE. They can't explain it yet though.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/16dec_giantbreach.htm
Looks like the next years will get mighty interesting.

 

[pete.dakota]

Global Warming.

 

[garyw]

Magnetic role reversal.

 

[to be]

We can't just blame everything new on global warming, that would be quite anti-scientific. That it was north aligned is very interesting.

 

[willy88]

Duck and cover!

 

[Star explorer]

Duck and cover!

will this kill us?

 

[GregBurch]

It's George Bush's fault.

 

[James.Denholm]

Somewhere, out there, there's a particle saying "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;"

Good old Shakespeare.

 

[tblaxland]

will this kill us?

No.

 

[Andy44]

He was turned to steel
In the great magnetic field
When he traveled time
For the future of mankind

 

[Arrowstar]

Somewhere, out there, there's a particle saying "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;"

Good old Shakespeare.

Don't think Willy quite had THIS in mind when he wrote that. :lol:

 

[tblaxland]

He was turned to steel
In the great magnetic field
When he traveled time
For the future of mankind

And the people sitting around me in the office are now wondering why I am thrashing my head and making the sign of the horns... :lol:

 

[Hielor]

It will grow until 2012 at which point it will have encompassed the whole planet, and then we will all die.

The mayans will have been proven correct.

 

[Andy44]

Clear bay 327, we are opening the magnetic field...

 

[Urwumpe]

So the combination is one, two, three, four, five. That's the stupidest combination I've ever heard in my life! That's the kinda thing an idiot would have on his luggage!

 

[ar81]

It is a magnetic shoe from the sun...

 

[lennartsmit]

Shall we all put tinfoil around our heads?

 

[cjp]

Shall we all put tinfoil around our heads?

Nah, just makes things worse:
http://people.csail.mit.edu/rahimi/helmet/

 

[jedidia]

So, what COULD actually hapen? what is a geomagnetic storm? The word by itself sounds teribly treki..

 

[Urwumpe]

So, what COULD actually hapen? what is a geomagnetic storm? The word by itself sounds teribly treki..

A geomagnetic storm happens, when the interaction of the solar wind with the atmosphere creates strong electromagnetic fields, which are dangerous when they induce currents in long mediums of metal - pipelines and overland lines.