Magnetic Reversals

Magnetic reversals are events where Earth's magnetic poles swap places, meaning the magnetic north becomes south and vice versa. These reversals happen over thousands to millions of years due to changes in Earth's liquid outer core, which generates its magnetic field. During a reversal, the magnetic field weakens, becomes more complex, and then gradually restores with the opposite polarity. Such reversals are recorded in the magnetic properties of rocks, providing evidence of Earth's dynamic core. Although they can cause some disruptions in navigation systems that rely on magnetic fields, they are natural, infrequent events in Earth's geological history.