Earth's magnetic shield is weakening rapidly, particularly in the South Atlantic Anomaly region spanning from Chile to Zimbabwe.
By Aniket Chakraborty
Apr 3, 2025
The weakened field in this region poses risks to satellites and spacecraft due to increased radiation exposure.
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Ancient Bantu peoples unwittingly provided crucial data by burning clay huts during drought rituals, creating "compasses frozen in time."
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These archaeological remains revealed similar magnetic disturbances occurred in 400-450 CE, 700-750 CE, and 1225-1550 CE.
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The South Atlantic Anomaly appears to be part of a recurring pattern spanning over 1,000 years, not a one-time phenomenon.
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A massive dense rock formation called the African Large Low Shear Velocity Province sits 2,900 kilometers below southern Africa.
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This deep structure may be disrupting the flow of molten iron that generates Earth's magnetic field.
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Scientists now believe magnetic pole reversals may be linked to specific features like the African LLSVP rather than occurring randomly.
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Earth's current magnetic weakening began about 160 years ago, following a pattern documented for centuries.
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While Earth's poles have completely reversed before (most recently 780,000 years ago), scientists can't yet predict if the current weakening will lead to a full pole reversal.