Earth's magnetic field
Latest about Earth's magnetic field
![Extremely rare pink auroras temporarily filled the skies above Norway after a crack in the Earth's magnetosphere enabled solar wind to penetrate deep into Earth's atmsopehre.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UFFeSzcRDCciv73wX6xKtC-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UFFeSzcRDCciv73wX6xKtC-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UFFeSzcRDCciv73wX6xKtC-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UFFeSzcRDCciv73wX6xKtC-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UFFeSzcRDCciv73wX6xKtC-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UFFeSzcRDCciv73wX6xKtC-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UFFeSzcRDCciv73wX6xKtC-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/UFFeSzcRDCciv73wX6xKtC-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Solar storm smashes hole in Earth's magnetosphere, triggering extremely rare pink auroras
By Harry Baker published
On Nov. 3, a solar storm caused a temporary crack in Earth's magnetic field. The resulting hole enabled energetic particles to penetrate deep into the planet's atmosphere and set off extremely rare pink auroras.
![A photo shows the cliffside in Japan's Chiba prefecture that's part of a line of sediment that recorded the geologic history of the planet between 770,000 and 126,000 years ago.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WzLkfSZnu8jjiwDnLMTxb7-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WzLkfSZnu8jjiwDnLMTxb7-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WzLkfSZnu8jjiwDnLMTxb7-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WzLkfSZnu8jjiwDnLMTxb7-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WzLkfSZnu8jjiwDnLMTxb7-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WzLkfSZnu8jjiwDnLMTxb7-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WzLkfSZnu8jjiwDnLMTxb7-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/WzLkfSZnu8jjiwDnLMTxb7-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Earth has a new geologic age: The Chibanian
By Rafi Letzter published
It's all thanks to a cliff by a river in Japan.
![Gray whale surfacing.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/asGxaTjtX25orU7MkU8K8B-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/asGxaTjtX25orU7MkU8K8B-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/asGxaTjtX25orU7MkU8K8B-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/asGxaTjtX25orU7MkU8K8B-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/asGxaTjtX25orU7MkU8K8B-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/asGxaTjtX25orU7MkU8K8B-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/asGxaTjtX25orU7MkU8K8B-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/asGxaTjtX25orU7MkU8K8B-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Solar Storms Might Be Causing Gray Whales to Get Lost
By Kimberly Hickok published
Strandings of healthy gray whales increase with the prevalence of solar storms.
![A magnetic field surrounds our planet and protects it from solar radiation. Our brains might be able to tune into it.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qS2oVbjbf2E6aaCNbse23g-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qS2oVbjbf2E6aaCNbse23g-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qS2oVbjbf2E6aaCNbse23g-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qS2oVbjbf2E6aaCNbse23g-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qS2oVbjbf2E6aaCNbse23g-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qS2oVbjbf2E6aaCNbse23g-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qS2oVbjbf2E6aaCNbse23g-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qS2oVbjbf2E6aaCNbse23g-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Scientists Find Evidence That Your Brain Can Sense Earth's Magnetic Field
By Yasemin Saplakoglu published
The Earth's magnetic field might be influencing the brain.
![earth's magnetic field now and in times past](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EVEaJZgCFuvtkMyGe3nx95-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EVEaJZgCFuvtkMyGe3nx95-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EVEaJZgCFuvtkMyGe3nx95-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EVEaJZgCFuvtkMyGe3nx95-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EVEaJZgCFuvtkMyGe3nx95-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EVEaJZgCFuvtkMyGe3nx95-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EVEaJZgCFuvtkMyGe3nx95-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EVEaJZgCFuvtkMyGe3nx95-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Why Earth's Magnetic Field Might Not Flip After All
By Stephanie Pappas published
The magnetic field is likely to recover without major disruption, new research finds.
![nasa-beached-whale-calf](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EG57E3mN8CgQxsioAbWSEN-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EG57E3mN8CgQxsioAbWSEN-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EG57E3mN8CgQxsioAbWSEN-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EG57E3mN8CgQxsioAbWSEN-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EG57E3mN8CgQxsioAbWSEN-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EG57E3mN8CgQxsioAbWSEN-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EG57E3mN8CgQxsioAbWSEN-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/EG57E3mN8CgQxsioAbWSEN-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Are Solar Storms Causing Mysterious Sea Animal Beachings?
By Kacey Deamer published
Whales, dolphins and porpoises end up stranded on beaches and no one knows why.
![Grain Bins in Southern Africa](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YBBhDayn2rY5538TqjJ2cE-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YBBhDayn2rY5538TqjJ2cE-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YBBhDayn2rY5538TqjJ2cE-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YBBhDayn2rY5538TqjJ2cE-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YBBhDayn2rY5538TqjJ2cE-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YBBhDayn2rY5538TqjJ2cE-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YBBhDayn2rY5538TqjJ2cE-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YBBhDayn2rY5538TqjJ2cE-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Ancient Huts May Reveal Clues to Earth's Magnetic Pole Reversals
By Sarah Lewin published
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