Some 42,000 years ago, Earth’s magnetic poles switched, causing the magnetic field around the planet to temporarily collapse. According to a new study, the shift was apocalyptic, sparking major climate shifts filling the skies with electrical storms, widespread auroras, and cosmic radiation. The researchers even argue these major climate shifts and may have had a decisive role in the extinction of the Neanderthals and the giant megafauna that once roamed Australia.
It’s easy to assume that Earth’s magnetic poles are stable north is north and south is south. However, the magnetic poles can wander several kilometers every year, and based on geological records, it appears that Earth is long overdue for a total pole shift. This process is generally thought to be guided by the movement of the magnetic blobs of molten material swirling around the planet s interior.