Scientists say ‘anomaly’ in Earth’s magnetic field is splitting

[Mike Wehner]

• Researchers have spotted interesting changes in the South Atlantic Anomaly, which is a region of Earth's magnetic field that has a large dent.
• The area of weak magnetism appears to be splitting, and researchers are eager to understand why.
• The anomaly doesn't pose a threat to life on Earth.

There are many reasons why life is able to exist on Earth. We're the right distance from the Sun, our planet has an abundance of liquid water (but not too much to cover all of the land), and our atmosphere is nice and thick, protecting us from radiation and hazards in space. Earth's magnetic field is very important as well, as it protects our atmosphere from charged particles flying through space that would otherwise slowly tear it away.

Now, scientists have observed changes in what they are calling a "dent" in Earth's magnetic field, and the so-called South Atlantic Anomaly is splitting. In the short term, this phenomenon could create a headache for satellite operators, as protection for their spacecraft over this region would be lessened. In the long term? We really don't know what it means.

Continue reading...

Today's Top Deals

1. Sony’s next-gen WH1000XM4 headphones launch tomorrow, but you can buy them right now
2. 3M respirators and FDA-authorized KN95 face masks on Amazon are finally available to everyone
3. Today’s top deals: NIOSH-tested KN95 face masks, Clorox wipes, Sony ANC headphones, $300 off the ultimate Roomba, more

Trending Right Now:

1. Pay attention to these stimulus check dates to get all the money you’re owed
2. New study says the coronavirus pandemic could end sooner than we thought
3. If you see this bug, kill it

Scientists say ‘anomaly’ in Earth’s magnetic field is splitting originally appeared on BGR.com on Tue, 18 Aug 2020 at 20:09:26 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Via BRG - Boy Genius Report