Many people may have seen a movie, "Rescue from the Center of the Earth". The movie depicts a catastrophe in which the center of the earth stops turning, the earth loses its magnetic field, and the blazing sunlight directly hits the earth, which can instantly boil seawater and melt a bridge made of steel.
In the end, it was only through the heroic sacrifices of several scientists that the center of the earth was reactivated and it was restored to motion. So what would you think if scientists told you now that the disaster described in the movie might be about to become a reality?
The interior of the earth is like a giant magnetic field-making machine. Its core, like a red-hot liquid metal ball, is silently rotating, and this rotation not only creates the earth's magnetic field as we know it, but also an important umbrella in our lives. This magnetic field is not only a "talisman" that blocks the solar wind, but also a "compass" for us to perceive direction and navigate.
However, this kernel is not always the same. Sometimes it spends up spinning like it's been fast-forwarded, sometimes it slows down quietly, and maybe even stops or reverses. This change can have an impact on our Earth's magnetic field, and it can also affect our lives.
Imagine what it would be like if the Earth's inner core suddenly stopped spinning: The Earth's magnetic field disappeared, navigation systems failed, communications were cut off, power grids collapsed, lives were threatened?
It sounds like a science fiction movie, but it's not pure fiction. Scientists have discovered that the speed and direction of rotation of the Earth's inner core are not constant, they change over time, sometimes for as little as a few years.
Scientists rely on seismic waves to spy on the movements of the Earth's core. Their findings are astonishing: from the early '70s to around 2009, the Earth's inner core rotated faster than the rest of the world, and after 2009, the core began to rotate in the opposite direction and gradually slowed down.
We already know that the rotation of the Earth's inner core is a major contributor to the Earth's magnetic field. However, this kernel is not stable. Sometimes it accelerates suddenly, sometimes it slows down quietly, or even stops or reverses. Such changes could trigger changes in the Earth's magnetic field, which could have an impact on our daily lives.
So why does the Earth's inner core stop or turn upside down? This is a mystery that the scientific community has not yet fully solved. Some scientists believe that the dynamics of the inner core are the result of a combination of thermal convection and electromagnetic induction. When these two forces are out of balance, the motion of the inner core changes. Other scientists believe that the movement of the inner core is influenced by the rotation and revolution of the Earth.
When the Earth's rotation speed or orbit changes, the motion of the inner core also changes. There is also a school of scientists who believe that the movement of the inner core is affected by external factors, such as solar activity, lunar gravity, climate change, etc. Once these factors change, they can affect the movement of the inner core.
Whatever the reason, after countless years of accumulation, we are about to face this fact, and this change will definitely affect our lives, because the stagnation or reversal of the Earth's inner core can seriously affect the Earth's magnetic field, causing the magnetic poles to shift or reverse.
A change in the direction of the Earth's magnetic field, resulting in a change in the position of the Earth's magnetic north and magnetic south, is known as a magnetic pole shift or reversal. This phenomenon has occurred many times in Earth's history, most recently about 780,000 years ago. However, scientists have found that the change of magnetic poles is not a simple one-time event, but a complex process that can lead to the appearance of multiple magnetic poles or even the disappearance of the magnetic field.
Changes in magnetic poles have long affected the habitability of the Earth, and may also have an impact on the origin and development of life on Earth. The magnetic field acts as a barrier against the solar wind and cosmic rays. Once the magnetic field changes or disappears, we are exposed to strong radiation, posing a threat to health and survival.
The magnetic field is also an important support for our positioning and navigation, and if the magnetic field changes or disappears, it will be disoriented, causing traffic and communication chaos. In addition, magnetic fields affect the climate and environment, and when they change or disappear, they can trigger extreme weather and natural disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.
Scientists have limited understanding of the Earth's inner core, and use seismology, geomagnetism, and numerical simulations to speculate on the composition of the core, the laws of motion, and the principles of change. They explored the connection between the movement of the kernel and other phenomena on Earth, predicting that the kernel would "reverse" and restart rotation within 20 years, but perhaps in a different direction. This could have a profound impact on the future of the planet, so we need to be prepared for possible challenges and crises.
Now that we know that we will face this crisis in the coming decades, scientists are naturally prepared to deal with it.
The first step is to continue to study the Earth's inner core, improve the ability to monitor and predict the Earth's magnetic field, and enhance the understanding of the relationship between changes in the Earth's magnetic field and other Earth phenomena. Only in this way can we gain timely insight into the movement and change trend of the earth's inner core, as well as the mode and extent of its impact on the earth.
On the other hand, it is also necessary to strengthen the protection and effective use of the earth's magnetic field, reduce its interference and damage, and improve the efficiency and safety of its utilization. For example, we can enhance the protection of satellites and other spacecraft from the solar wind and cosmic rays, improve navigation and communication systems to reduce interference and disruption from the geomagnetic field, and develop new energy and technologies to make full use of the energy and information of the geomagnetic field.
We also need to improve our ability to adapt to changes in the Earth's magnetic field, reduce fear and resistance to changes, and improve our awareness of coping and innovation. For example, we can adapt our lifestyles and Xi to changes in the Earth's magnetic field, use wisdom and creativity to meet the challenges and opportunities brought about by its changes, and work with other countries and regions to address the effects and challenges of changes in the Earth's magnetic field.
In the face of the uncertainty that the Earth's inner core may have stopped or even "reversed", we need to meet the unknown challenges with a scientific vision and a positive attitude. In-depth study of the Earth's core, improving the ability to monitor and predict the magnetic field, and improving the understanding of the correlation between the Earth's magnetic field and other natural phenomena are all aimed at better preventing and adapting to potential impacts.
Strengthening the protection and utilization of magnetic fields, reducing interference and damage to them, and improving utilization efficiency and safety, will be a key task for us to meet future challenges. By improving technology, strengthening the protection of satellites and spacecraft, optimizing navigation and communication systems, and making full use of the energy and information of the geomagnetic field, we will be able to better maintain the stability of human society.
Most importantly, we need to be more adaptable and less afraid of and resistant to changes in magnetic fields. By adapting our lifestyles, using our wisdom and creativity, we can better adapt to potential changes in the Earth's magnetic field, seeing it as an uncharted territory where challenges and opportunities coexist.
In this uncertain path of exploration, international cooperation will become crucial. Working together with other countries and regions to share research results will help to jointly respond to the impacts and crises of possible changes in the Earth's core. By working together, we can better face the unknown, embrace possible changes, and shape a more stable and prosperous tomorrow.