The only apocalypse I fear.

[Scrapheap]

Is the one we know with almost 100% certianty will happen,the reversal of the earths magentic field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomagnetic_reversal

The last time this happened was 780,000 years ago and when it happens, the magnetic field loses 90% of its strength. As it satands right now, there's already a magnetic dead spot off the coast of South America which hints that the poles may be ready to start reversing.

Much of the earth will become uninhabitable. The worlds population will plumet from 7+ billion to just a few million. There will be massive wars fought to be the few lucky who survive. Civilization as we know it will come to an end and there will be a struggle to preserve all of mankinds scientific knolwedge.

How can we prepare for this thing that we know is going to happen??

[RageBeoulve]

Just be ready to do whatever it takes to survive. And I mean whatever it takes. If it takes degenerating into an animal that cannibalizes or murders other humans for what they have and lives in whatever conditions are available, then be ready to.

(assuming survival is what you're after.)

[Scrapheap]

Just be ready to do whatever it takes to survive. And I mean whatever it takes. If it takes degenerating into an animal that cannibalizes or murders other humans for what they have and lives in whatever conditions are available, then be ready to.

(assuming survival is what you're after.)

It isn't just survival, I think the most important thing is the preservation of our scientific knowledge.

How can we perserve that so when the magnetic field re-stabilizes, we can resume scientific progress where we left off.

[RageBeoulve]

Just be ready to do whatever it takes to survive. And I mean whatever it takes. If it takes degenerating into an animal that cannibalizes or murders other humans for what they have and lives in whatever conditions are available, then be ready to.

(assuming survival is what you're after.)

It isn't just survival, I think the most important thing is the preservation of our scientific knowledge.

How can we perserve that so when the magnetic field re-stabilizes, we can resume scientific progress where we left off.

No way that I can think of, dude.

[McGiver]

Dude, they have that weird anti gravity spot near San Jose.

[odeon]

Is the one we know with almost 100% certianty will happen,the reversal of the earths magentic field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomagnetic_reversal

The last time this happened was 780,000 years ago and when it happens, the magnetic field loses 90% of its strength. As it satands right now, there's already a magnetic dead spot off the coast of South America which hints that the poles may be ready to start reversing.

Much of the earth will become uninhabitable. The worlds population will plumet from 7+ billion to just a few million. There will be massive wars fought to be the few lucky who survive. Civilization as we know it will come to an end and there will be a struggle to preserve all of mankinds scientific knolwedge.

How can we prepare for this thing that we know is going to happen??

You might want to reread the Wikipedia article you link to more carefully:

Statistical analysis shows no evidence for a correlation between reversals and extinctions.

This is how Hollywood movies are born.

[Peter]

The Earth's magnetic field is really only important in terms of preventing the atmosphere from being eroded by the solar wind over geological timescales; it provides some radiation shielding, but the atmosphere itself is an excellent radiation shield, providing the equivalent shielding of about 10 metres of water, which is more than adequate.

[skyblue1]

Is the one we know with almost 100% certianty will happen,the reversal of the earths magentic field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomagnetic_reversal

The last time this happened was 780,000 years ago and when it happens, the magnetic field loses 90% of its strength. As it satands right now, there's already a magnetic dead spot off the coast of South America which hints that the poles may be ready to start reversing.

Much of the earth will become uninhabitable. The worlds population will plumet from 7+ billion to just a few million. There will be massive wars fought to be the few lucky who survive. Civilization as we know it will come to an end and there will be a struggle to preserve all of mankinds scientific knolwedge.

How can we prepare for this thing that we know is going to happen??

sounds nice

since man is the root of most problems here on earth

maybe the earth will recover

[Scrapheap]

Is the one we know with almost 100% certianty will happen,the reversal of the earths magentic field.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geomagnetic_reversal

The last time this happened was 780,000 years ago and when it happens, the magnetic field loses 90% of its strength. As it satands right now, there's already a magnetic dead spot off the coast of South America which hints that the poles may be ready to start reversing.

Much of the earth will become uninhabitable. The worlds population will plumet from 7+ billion to just a few million. There will be massive wars fought to be the few lucky who survive. Civilization as we know it will come to an end and there will be a struggle to preserve all of mankinds scientific knolwedge.

How can we prepare for this thing that we know is going to happen??

You might want to reread the Wikipedia article you link to more carefully:

Statistical analysis shows no evidence for a correlation between reversals and extinctions.

 

A severe reduction in population is not an extinction.

Now we know why odeon isn't a scientist, he's too fucking stupid for the field.

[Queen Victoria]

Something I was pondering yesterday.  What will happen in the far future after mankind has gone and the aliens visit?  Will most of the world's knowledge be stored in electronic data form?  How much will be destroyed by trying to access it?  (X-rays, magnetic stuff, etc.)

Similarly, will the flipping of the poles wipe the data off? 

[TheoK]

Never mind. It's worse that the exact pronunciation of classical Latin is lost forever 

[Scrapheap]

Never mind. It's worse that the exact pronunciation of classical Latin is lost forever 

You could always build a time machine. 

[McGiver]

What do we want?
A time machine.
When do we want it?
It doesn't matter!

[Parts]

One of the problems that is not thought about a lot in preserving knowledge in the case of severe worldwide catastrophe no matter what the cause is now that most things have gone digital is that you need some sort of reader to access it.  Sure you have your laptop now but without power what good is it?   How about five years from now with nobody making new ones and no replacement parts?  Another though even if you have a working computer you need the information which is mostly online?  I ran into problems when we lost power during the hurricanes needing information that was online I have since made hard copy back ups.

[Jack]

One of my greatest fears is a breakdown in society.