Devika Rao
The planet's magnetic North Pole, where compasses point, has been unexpectedly moving toward Russia. While shifting is not a rare occurrence, the pole is moving both faster and differently than it was before, raising questions about the planet's magnetic field. If the Earth's field is disrupted, it may cause problems in technology and navigation, as well as expose the planet to unwanted radiation.
Moving the poles
There are two types of poles on Earth: the geographic and magnetic poles. The geographic North Pole "stays at the same place, as it is where all lines of longitude converge," while the magnetic North Pole is where a compass points, which "changes from time to time as the contours of Earth's magnetic field also change," said USA Today. Because of this, scientists have long tracked changes in the magnetic pole. "For centuries, the magnetic North Pole steadily tracked along Canada's northern shore," but in the past few decades, it has "taken a new path, accelerating across the Arctic Ocean toward Russia's Siberia province at varying speeds that have puzzled scientists," said Newsweek.
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