What Is The Cause Of The Earths Magnetic Field?
Some have thought that it was caused by the naturally magnetic ores within the earth. In other words, they have considered the earth to be a giant permanent magnet. But in more recent times it has been learned that the very high interior temperature of the earth rules out that possibility. Today the most commonly accepted explanation is that our globe’s magnetic field results from electric currents in the earth’s core, in some way related to the revolution of the earth on its axis. There is evidence also that other planets are magnetic. Jupiter, in particular, has a field much stronger than the earth’s. And the sun itself has an extremely powerful magnetic field. Even the Milky Way, the galaxy that includes our sun and some hundred billion other stars, gives evidence of having a magnetic field. The role of the earth’s magnetic field in protecting life is just being brought to light by scientists. An example of this can be seen in connection with the violent magnetic storms on the surfa
