Brunhes–Matuyama reversal
Ok kiddo, so you know how we have a compass to help us find which way is North, right? Well, did you know that the Earth actually has a giant magnetic field that makes a compass work? It’s like the Earth has its own invisible magnet inside it!
Now, sometimes the magnetic field of the Earth flips around so that North becomes South and South becomes North. This is called a magnetic reversal. The last time this happened was about 780,000 years ago, and it’s known as the Brunhes-Matuyama reversal.
Scientists know about this reversal because they study rocks and sediments that are really old. They can tell which direction the Earth’s magnetic field was pointing in at different times by looking at iron particles in the rocks, kind of like a time capsule.
The Brunhes-Matuyama reversal was a big deal because it happened over a long period of time, maybe several thousand years. During that time, the Earth's magnetic field was getting weaker and weaker until it flipped completely. Scientists are still studying why and how magnetic reversals happen, and what effects they might have on the Earth.
Now, sometimes the magnetic field of the Earth flips around so that North becomes South and South becomes North. This is called a magnetic reversal. The last time this happened was about 780,000 years ago, and it’s known as the Brunhes-Matuyama reversal.
Scientists know about this reversal because they study rocks and sediments that are really old. They can tell which direction the Earth’s magnetic field was pointing in at different times by looking at iron particles in the rocks, kind of like a time capsule.
The Brunhes-Matuyama reversal was a big deal because it happened over a long period of time, maybe several thousand years. During that time, the Earth's magnetic field was getting weaker and weaker until it flipped completely. Scientists are still studying why and how magnetic reversals happen, and what effects they might have on the Earth.