The Earth’s geographic poles – the points where the imaginary axis of the planet’s rotation is located – may be far less immutable than previously known, with a new study finding that ancient sea-level changes provide a clue to their movement.
Earth has two main pairs of poles: its magnetic poles, resulting from its magnetic field, and its geographic poles based on its rotation. The magnetic poles are constantly in movement and are often hundreds of kilometres away from the geographic north and south poles. They can even flip altogether.
The geographic poles are much more stable. But they can move a little, through a phenomenon called true polar wander. This is driven by the way plate tectonics and mantle convection slowly redistribute mass in Earth’s mantle and affect the planet’s spin…
Source: NewScientist | Earth
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