Our planet’s magnetosphere has seen dramatic shifts across its history—even total reversals—but this recent wrinkle doesn’t pose a threat to life Earth’s magnetic field surrounds the planet, with ...

In 1845, Michael Faraday discovered what’s known today as the Faraday Effect—which describes how light and electromagnetism are related. A new study revealed that the magnetic component of light ...

New research shows that light’s magnetic field is far more influential than scientists once believed. The team found that this magnetic component significantly affects how light rotates as it passes ...

Simulations and satellite data reveal that Earth's magnetic field is more complex than scientists had thought. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s ...

Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: The Earth’s magnetosphere protects life from deadly space radiation, but many aspects of its function remain a mystery. Scientists have long believed ...

When New Times called Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields in late August, he apologized for his respiratory distress. He sounded a little congested, but his dulcifer baritone voice was unaffected ...

A major dip in the Earth’s magnetic field over the South Atlantic has been puzzling scientists for over a century. An international team of researchers analyzed data collected by the European Space ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky. Using 11 years of magnetic field measurements from the ...

A weak spot in the Earth's magnetic field is growing over the South Atlantic Ocean, according to more than a decade's worth of satellite data collected by scientists. The magnetic field surrounding ...

The South Atlantic Anomaly, a huge weak spot in the geomagnetic field off South America, has expanded and sprouted a lobe in the direction of Africa over the past decade. When you purchase through ...

James is a published author with multiple pop-history and science books to his name. He specializes in history, space, strange science, and anything out of the ordinary.View full profile James is a ...