Several previous studies had found that the magnetic shield that surrounds Earth has weakened by 9 percent over the past 200 years. Further analysis conducted by NASA has suggested that the magnetosphere has become extremely weak in one particular area that stretches across Chile to Zimbabwe, and it is now known as the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA).
Is Magnetosphere Going to Split?
Interestingly, life on Earth, as we know it, depends very much on the magnetosphere, as it protects living beings on the blue planet from deadly space radiation. Birds have a peculiar capability to sense the magnetic poles on Earth, and it helps these creatures to successfully navigate across the globe during periods of mass migration.
After recent analysis, NASA has suggested that the SAA is now expanding westward, and it is also weakening dramatically, much more than previous speculations.
Several top space scientists believe that the weakening of the magnetosphere could result in magnetic pole reversal, where the north and south pole gets switched. According to experts, the last time the magnetic pole reversal happened was around 7,80,000 years ago, and as a result, humans are completely not aware of its repercussions.
If a magnetic pole switch happens, the strength of the magnetic field will be reduced by 90 percent, and this phenomenon will continue for several decades, or sometimes for several centuries. As humans were not present on the earth during the last pole shift, it is practically impossible to predict how it will affect the daily lives of humans. However, space experts predict that a probable magnetosphere weakening could drastically affect the functioning of satellites, and it could also make earth more vulnerable to deadly space radiation.
World End to Happen Soon?
In the meantime, a section of netizens has started claiming that all these recent events including the probable pole shift that could happen are indicating possibilities of an imminent world end. According to these people, the world will witness events very similar to the one depicted in the movie 2012 if a pole shift happens.
Citing recent close approaches made by asteroids, these doomsday mongers outlandishly conclude that humanity is currently going through the end times.
"When our magnetic North Pole reaches the 40-degree point. The pole shift speeds up dramatically and is imminent. Day after tomorrow/2012 films- that's what occurs. Stay vigilant," commented Mark Elkin, a popular conspiracy theorist, on his Facebook page.
"Earth's wobble will play with atmospheric compression so, floods, landslides, tornadoes, lightning, large hail. We're entering the debris field so an increase in fireballs, meteors, and comets to come," commented Daniel Dempsey, a Facebook user.
