External magnetic field

Since the forces that generate our magnetic field are constantly changing, the field itself is also in continual flux, its strength waxing and waning over time . This causes the location of Earth’s magnetic north and south poles to gradually shift, and to even completely flip locations every 300,000 years or so.

Earth’s magnetic field, also known as the geomagnetic field, is the magnetic field that extends from Earth’s interior out into space , where it interacts with the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emanating from the Sun.

The Earth’s magnetic field does not directly affect human health . Humans evolved to live on this planet. High altitude pilots and astronauts can experience higher levels of radiation during magnetic storms, but the hazard is due to the radiation, not the magnetic field itself.

Scientists know that today the Earth’s magnetic field is powered by the solidification of the planet’s liquid iron core . The cooling and crystallization of the core stirs up the surrounding liquid iron, creating powerful electric currents that generate a magnetic field stretching far out into space.