Neil deGrasse Tyson on Magnetic Pole Reversal and Extinction

Could Earth's magnetic poles reverse in the near future, and could that mean the extinction of the human race? Neil deGrasse Tyson explains magnetic pole reversal to comic co-host Chuck Nice in this Cosmic Query.

Catch up with StarTalk Radio around the web:

[sekuharwell]

This video was placed 7 years ago... no telling when it was actually recorded....things are definitely changing now....need for the update.

[NO_Expectations]

The magnetic North pole is no longer in Canada it did a u turn and has now left the Arctic circle and is heading towards Siberia, the South pole has also left the Antarctic and both poles are now racing towards each other, Funny how things change in just a few years.

[bowl]

Neil didn't answer the other part of the question about how the magnetic poles flipping would affect technology. Also just because people survived previous flips doesn't mean they were unaffected by it.

[sysprog]

I don't think anything was discussed about the technological impact of magnetic pole reversal.

[JeromeGardiner]

As a lieutenant in the army, I was trained as a field artillery officer. When we used our equipment to point our artillery pieces towards particular target area, we used a magnetic needle in our aiming device to find the magnetic north. This was called "laying a battery." We then added or subtracted the inclination to obtain true north. For those who came from that era and that particular training do you recall "SAM ULU."

[ForOrAgainstUs]

Completely didn't answer my question, but I did learn more. Thank you.

[StarTalk]

Greetings to those of you who found us from Business Insider!

[cartmaninlove]

I like how scientists sometimes downplay things.

[TangoCharlieAlpha]

I like how something so serious can be made into a laughing joke. But hey, Neil will be one of the ones squirreled away underground in a SHTF scenario.

[inthefight]

compasses seem backward today. What yours say?

[gasser]

is there a video or a stream like this of his talk show? or are these little snippit tidbits of awesomeness, and well just have to make due with the radio show?

[patzman]

Once the magnetic poles completely flip, is that why the pole flip map shows much of the world going under water?

[liquid_shadow]

How about revisiting this subject with the new study by the Aussies that came out recently? They give compelling evidence that 42, 000 there was a crisis due to the magnetic pole incursion.

[freddb]

Magnetic declination is the angular measure for the difference between the true north and the magnetic north in a given time. Deviation would mean something else, like the error in compass measures caused by interference of other magnetic fields around the observer.

[ababbit]

This video came out well before the CIA released "The Adam and Eve Story" which says that when the poles flip, the earth's rotation stops and the oceans keep moving. The oceans "slosh" across the continents at 500 mph while being 2 miles high. The winds are going at 1, 000 mph too. This wipes out all living things in the ocean's wake. Chan Thomas's "The Adam and Eve Story" explains it best.

[holiday]

One of the most intelligent and entertaining men I'll probablyu ever get to watch in my entire lifetime.

[odaydrums]

An oddly edited bunch of of gibber jab when it came time to make the point. I am not claiming a cover up or anything, just sort of an odd cut away and then a quick summation.

[Saiprahladk]

Chuck nice's reactions are awesome !! 

[marknbeckygoodell]

This will sound uneducated, but here is my thoughts.
With the magnetic polar shift basically happening, would this heat the Earth’s core, and cause more volcanic activity. Volcanic activity has basically doubled on average from around 25 per day to around 50 per day. And wouldn’t this lead to more CO2 emissions?
I mean this global warming thing seems to be a politician’s dream come true, to take everyone’s money, change life habits, and have a goal unattainable due to magnetic polar reversal while a shift is underway.
Just thoughts….

[JB-ipvr]

The north compass pole is really the south compass pole. Why is everyone saying that the North pole is really the South pole. The compass has already been flipped they just don't tell you to avoid confusion. The earths poles aren't reversed its the compass that's reversed. It's like saying on a Sat Nav on route to Canada from America, viewed upside down without audio means Canada is in South America, its not the place that moves its the compass.