Scientists Find Hole In Earth's Magnetic Field

Velorium writes "The Earth's magnetic field has been found to have two large holes that are making Earth's surface vulnerable to solar winds. Despite what scientists originally thought, these holes allow 20 times the normal amount of solar particles through when they are facing away from the sun. This is the opposite of what the scientists had first speculated."

Comments

The price of aluminum will skyrocket...

[fucket]

...as the demand for tinfoil hats reaches an all-time high.

I saw this in "The Core"

[YesIAmAScript]

A bright shaft of light is going to sneak through the hole in the field and melt the Golden Gate Bridge. Just you wait.

At least we can be safe at night. ...Probably...

Re:I saw this in "The Core"

[Knave75]

Never fear, scientists have almost perfected the synthesis of "unobtainium"

Re:I saw this in "The Core"

[supernova_hq]

At least we can be safe at night.

...these holes allow 20 times the normal amount of solar particles through when they are facing away from the sun

Well, so much for being safe at night...

Re:I saw this in "The Core"

[weber]

At least we can be safe at night. ...Probably...

They mostly come at night... mostly...

Re:Hmmm....

[Anonymous Coward]

If global warming is presumably caused by SUVs, what are holes in the magnetic field caused by? Too many cell phones?

The results of a runaway experiment after "Bring your daughter to work day" at Aperture Science?

Ah sorry guys

[Zwicky]

I left my ACME Megalaser of Doom plugged in overnight, on the 'degaussing' setting. Honestly, I thought it was just on 'charge'.

Awfully sorry. It won't happen again. Promise.

There's a hole

[Slashdotgirl]

There's a hole in the Mag Field, dear Liza, dear Liza,

There's a hole in the Mag Field dear Liza, a hole.

So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
So fix it dear Henry, dear Henry, FIX IT,

With what should I fix it, dear Liza dear Liza,
With what should I fix it, dear Liza with what?

With a Greenie, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry,
With a Greenie, dear Henry, dear Henry, with Greenie's (sigh),

Regards
Slashdot Girl

Re:There's a hole

[Anonymous Coward]

With what should I fix it, dear Liza dear Liza

With Henries, of course!

probably need lead, instead

[Gary W. Longsine]

Hrm... tinfoil might not be good enough... might even be counter productive. The high energy particles that smack into something in the tin foil would probably generate a spray of secondary particles, all of which would be more likely to smack into something in your brain than the original particle (which would be more likely to pass right through your "me-jelly").

ironic in the Alanis Morissette sense

[Gary W. Longsine]

Like when you want to post to Slashdot, but all you have is a Nomad.

Speaking of tin foil

[djupedal]

...before the LHC "we see nothing". And now, after the LHC was turned on... "oh, look at the too shiny two holes!" - coincidence?

Re:Speaking of tin foil

[julesh]

before the LHC "we see nothing". And now, after the LHC was turned on... "oh, look at the too shiny two holes!" - coincidence?

Before LHC: George W. Bush.
After LHC: Barack Obama.

I think we need more high energy physics expirements.

Mayans

[IrritableBeing]

Were the Mayans correct in predicting the world's end for 2012?

Quote from TFA:

"Understanding how these holes form will help them better predict the electrical storms that cause power grid blackouts and the aurora, activity that will peak in 2012 as sunspots hit their maximum level."

Please God let Diablo III come out before then.

Re:1st Comment!

[Megatog615]

Apparently the holes let "first post"-ers through as well.

Re:Earth's Taint

[Waffle Iron]

"The Earth's magnetic field has been found to have two large holes that are making Earth's surface vulnerable to solar winds"

I am wondering what is between the two large holes?

A region of the earth known as the magnetic perineum.

Re:Hmmm....

[Blain]

George Bush. Everything is his fault.

Expect the holes to start closing in about five weeks.