Brunhes-Matuyama reversal

The Brunhes-Matuyama reversal is a natural change in Earth's magnetic field that occurred roughly 780,000 years ago. Earth's magnetic field acts like a giant bar magnet, with magnetic poles that sometimes flip. During this reversal, the magnetic north and south poles switched places. This process took thousands of years and is part of ongoing magnetic field changes scientists study to understand Earth's interior and its magnetic history. Evidence of this reversal is found in volcanic and sediment records, where the direction of magnetized minerals reveals past magnetic configurations.