Not quite Space nor a conspiracy, but thought I'd post to see if anyone can debunk/comment on this. Heard of Sean David Morton? He's kind of up there on the credibility scale with Ed Dames and a few other woo's. But http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THc4VX0qmLQ shows a short video of him making some interesting if not totally fallacious claims. I have done as much research as I can including contacting the University of Hyderabad in India, but they did not answer (probably thought I was crazy!). In short, the claim is: the Earth's magnetic field and geographic field are apart (this much is true), but in 5-7 years (ie, around 2012, of course), the magnetic pole will wander to the physical pole and they will meet, according to this (unverifiable) "computer model study" supposedly done at the University of Hyderabad. Allegedly their results show that in a certain percentage of cases there would be a magnetic pole shift when the two poles meet and in a smaller percentage the planet itself will shift. Now we're all aware of the old pole shift stories that keep cropping up, and I know of no mechanism why the two poles meeting (if in fact they ever will) should cause such things... Or maybe just good old Sean is just messing with our heads. Anyone heard of this??? (P.S. If you watch the video try to ignore his metaphysical meanderings which are nonsense and a distraction; what I'm really interested in whether there is any scientific truth here). Thanks.

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"One of the most untruthful things possible, you know, is a collection of facts, because they can be made to appear so many different ways." -Karl A. Menninger

2012 predictions don't usually describe pole shifts. This topic did some: Pole shift idea origins.

But, if you look hard enough, probably all effects are predicted for 2012, somewhere.

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Not quite about your topic, but I've got this unstoppable urge to include this article in my 2012 list:

Earth's Magnetic Field & 2012 Plane of the ecliptic of the galaxy?
Galactic Tsunami?
So what will we see in 2012?
2012: What do you think well happen (if anything)
Horizon Project-New End of World Scare?
Pole shift idea origins
2003 no, 2012 si
2012
Pole shift / Planetary alignment 2012?
2012 alignment question
about the Mayan 2012 item
2012 Debunking?
Possible asteroid impact in 2012?
2012 asteroid?
We don't have to worry about 2012!
More on 2012 from India Daily
2012 Completion of conspiracy?
Here's what's REALLY going to happen in 2012...
crop circles, Planet X and 2012
Planet X, crop circles and 2012 cataclysma
According to the Mayans, what will happen on 23rd Dec. 2012?
More 2012 Nonsense
NEO 2012?
Dangerous NEO in 2012?
Christmas 2012
2012 mayan calender end of world
Regarding the supposed polar shift/new ice age in 2012
New 2012 threat?
2012 look at this thing on the sun
Russian Expert Predicts Global Cooling from 2012
Dec 20 2012
2012 Stuff
Date: December 21st 2012
Earth passing thru Galactic center in 2012 - didn't that already happen?
2012: What do you think well happen (if anything)

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Thanks for pointing out that thread.

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"One of the most untruthful things possible, you know, is a collection of facts, because they can be made to appear so many different ways." -Karl A. Menninger

I by no means searched through all those threads for similar stuff. And I'm no expert on the many claims. It could be old news, or geomagnetic catastrophe could well be a new effect predicted for 2012. The 2012 fear-mongers are nothing if not creative.

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On the the last day 2012 we should have party to say good bye to this myth.

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If it's just us, it seems like an awful waste of space.
Contact Carl Sagan

Hmph. By that time, there will be at least three other "end of the world" stories running about, all pointing to some years ahead.

Stupidity never dies, it just changes bandwagons.

Fred

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"For shame, gentlemen, pack your evidence a little better against another time."
-- John Dryden, "The Vindication of The Duke of Guise" 1684

What the heck is a "geographic field"? There is a pole in the sense that the rotational axis of the Earth has north and south points, but there is no "field". Is there supposed to be "geographic energy"? (I understand 2001Intrepid you are just the messenger)

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

You're right and sorry-I misspoke in my question. What I meant was "rotational" pole, not geographic field. I meant that point at which around the mass of the Earth actually spins. So, AFAIK, the actual spin/rotational/geographic pole of Earth is not at the same location of the geomagnetic pole (which is wandering and projected to be in Siberia within 50 years) . To clear any confusion, I meant that Sean Morton claims that when the rotational (geographic) North pole meets with the wandering magnetic North pole (which is caused by the spinning Earth's core), then the "trouble" is supposed to happen. And according to the video, it's not exactly in 2012 but 2012 to 2014. Anyone know if the poles are projected to meet then, and what, (if probably nothing), will happen if they do?

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"One of the most untruthful things possible, you know, is a collection of facts, because they can be made to appear so many different ways." -Karl A. Menninger

Impressive list, thanks for maintaining it. Wish I had done that with PX stuff back in 2002-2003.

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Now while I might be amused by Cthulhians, I don't necessarily distrust them to carry out the functions of government. -- JayUtah

What's it like being a skeptic in the Middle East? Check out my blog.

I agree, with 2012 hysteria right around the corner, that list should be sticky and required reading for those who get caught in the prophetic 2012 mess!

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"One of the most untruthful things possible, you know, is a collection of facts, because they can be made to appear so many different ways." -Karl A. Menninger

Man, that must be some torque that the intergalactic magnetic field will put onto the Earth, when the poles align and the whole Earth flips. Leave it to the University of Hyderabat to come up with something like this (if they do at all, but they seem to be popping up in threads with woowoo stuff and GLP).

It makes no sense that the Earth would flip at alignment, because it could just as easily flip with a small angle between the two, does not change that much the torque needed. Unless, you can come up with some magical energy source that can only be tapped from when alignment is there.

Wow, and I have not even looked at youtube .

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Optimism does not change the laws of physics. (T'Pol)
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is. (Dao De Jing 27)
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Martin ( http://www.geocities.com/DrMartinV )

On this website from Woods Hole is data on the position over time. Using the 2001 to 2005 data, I did a linear regression of latitude as a function of year. It was a pretty good fit (r^2 = 0.9976) and if I extrapolate it, the magnetic pole does not reach 90 degrees latitude till about 2026, not 2012.

While looking around for the data, I found this NASA link that talks about pole reversals.

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)

Swift, nice fitting!

Indeed as the quote says, the field does not vanish. Unfortunately, the quote is "dummed down" for the general, but we here on BAUT are edumacated and know that what they want to say is that the dipole component disappears (and reappears) and will leave only the higher order moments of the magnetic field. Therefore, we see four poles in the simulation, generated by the quadrupole field.

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************************************************** *************************
Optimism does not change the laws of physics. (T'Pol)
A good scientist has freed himself of concepts and keeps his mind open to what is. (Dao De Jing 27)
************************************************** *************************
Martin ( http://www.geocities.com/DrMartinV )

I am just sticking a finger in the dike, awaiting someone (not me, my finger's busy!) to write a 2012 FAQ. We've got a few years. It'll happen.

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When I read so many breathless "end of the world" predictions, I get the impression that some people seem to be looking forward to some gigantic disaster. It seems they actually want it to happen. If so, I can hardly imagine why.

Thanks Swift for doing the math. It's a lot more reassuring than what I heard on the video and seems to make more sense. Does anyone know where the rotational pole is now? Also I didn't know the U. of Hyderabad 's name was popping up at GLP-That is a rather telling sign in itself. They probably figure no one will ever be able to verify what a university in another country is doing! It kind of reminds me of the India Daily "news" reports that used to pop up-I think I remember seeing their name used in those. And it's, true, I couldn't think of any INTERNAL force that could flip the planet or catastrophically change it's magnetic field. It was good to have others check this out!

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"One of the most untruthful things possible, you know, is a collection of facts, because they can be made to appear so many different ways." -Karl A. Menninger

Ever seen: INTERNATIONAL EARTH ROTATION & REFERENCE SYSTEMS SERVICE

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One theory I've heard about this is that people who think this way expect/assume that they will be one of the few survivors. So it is a way to wipe out all "dem other people" and be a top dog in the group that's left behind. Cults that predict the coming end of the world or similar are particularly well known for this.

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At night the stars put on a show for free (Carole King)