Compasses become redundant as Magnetic North MOVES 55km per year – no-one knows why






The researchers say that the pole is moving by 34 miles (55km) a year, and it has been becoming more unpredictable for the past 100 years.


The North Pole is moving away from Canada RAPIDLY – and scientists are baffled (Image: GETTY)

While there is no solid explanation as to why it is happening, scientists believe it could be due to a massive section of liquid iron shifting in the planet’s interior.

Nature reports: “The fast motion of the north magnetic pole could be linked to a high-speed jet of liquid iron beneath Canada.”

Phil Livermore of the University of Leeds told an American Geophysical Union meeting: “The location of the north magnetic pole appears to be governed by two large-scale patches of magnetic field, one beneath Canada and one beneath Siberia.

“The Siberian patch is winning the competition.”

pole shift

How the North Pole is shifting (Image: World Data Center for Geomagnetism/Kyoto Univ.)

The shift could also be due to a possible impending pole reversal, where north becomes south and vice versa.

In recent years, scientists have been gearing up for a potential flip in the magnetic field – a natural phenomena which occurs every 200,000 to 300,000 years when the north and south poles switch.

The poles attempted to swap 40,000 years ago but the process failed.

north pole

The North Pole is moving – quickly (Image: GETTY)


Scientists have warned that once the process has begun, it could take 1,000 years to complete.

During that time, Earth’s magnetic field will be compromised leaving living beings on the planet vulnerable to an increased dosage of radiation from the sun.