Earth’s magnetic field is often described as a steady shield, but the geological record tells a more restless story. Polarity flips, when magnetic north and south swap places, happen several times per ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. The Earth's magnetic field deflects particles emitted by the Sun. Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library via Getty Images The Earth’s ...

Earth's magnetic field is generated by the churn of its liquid nickel-iron outer core, but it is not a constant feature.

Deep beneath the ocean floor, ancient sediments hint that Earth’s magnetic field sometimes changed far more slowly than expected.

Earth’s magnetic field can linger in a weakened, unstable state for tens of thousands of years before fully flipping.

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Over 11 years of satellite data reveal that Earth’s magnetic field is reshaping. (CREDIT: Shutterstock) More than a decade of ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky. Using 11 years of magnetic field measurements from the ...

Earth’s magnetic field feels steady and dependable, but over geological time it is anything but fixed. The magnetic north and south poles have swapped places many times in the planet’s history in ...

In A Nutshell Two massive hot regions deep beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean have been influencing Earth’s protective ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Bressan is a geologist who covers curiosities about Earth. Nov 28, 2025, 07:59am EST Map of the strength of the Earth's ...

Learn how some of Earth’s magnetic field flips last longer than others, weakening our defenses against cosmic radiation.