Bernard Brunhes

Bernard Brunhes was a French geophysicist known for his pioneering work in paleomagnetism, the study of Earth's past magnetic fields recorded in rocks. In the early 1900s, he discovered that certain volcanic rocks exhibited permanent magnetic orientations that reflected the Earth's magnetic field at the time they formed. His findings revealed that the Earth’s magnetic poles have switched places multiple times throughout history, a phenomenon known as geomagnetic reversal. This discovery has been crucial for understanding Earth's geological history and the dynamics of its interior, providing insights into plate tectonics and the age of geological formations.