42,000 years ago

Did an Ancient Magnetic Field Reversal Cause Chaos for Life on Earth 42,000 Years Ago?

The study links new, detailed data about Earth’s atmosphere to a series of unfortunate events that occurred around the same time

The study begins with fossilized Kauri trees (pictured) that died over 41,000 years ago. (Nelson Parker via University of New South Wales)

By Theresa Machemer

SMITHSONIANMAG.COM
FEBRUARY 23, 2021

Humans today take Earth’s magnetic North Pole for granted. But over the course of the planet’s history, the direction of its magnetic field has shifted. 

A new study suggests that the last time the field flipped around and flopped back again, the effects on Earth’s surface were cataclysmic, Carolyn Gramling reports for Science News.

The study, published on February 19 in the journal Science, makes use of massive, fossilized Kauri trees from New Zealand to create a timeline of how cosmic rays impacted Earth’s atmosphere during their lifetimes, which overlapped with a magnetic field flipping event called the Laschamps excursion.

By comparing the chemicals preserved in the tree rings to atmospheric records found in ice cores and soil, the researchers drew conclusions about the magnetic field’s effect on the ozone layer, as well as solar activity and space weather.

Many effects and side effects include:

They link the environmental effects to the extinction of large animals in Australia, the eventual demise of Neanderthals and humans’ use of red ocher pigment for cave art and sunscreen.

THIS ARTICLE IS NO MORE THAN A SUMMARY of PROfoUND CHANGES WHICH OCCURRED from 41,600 - 42,300 AGO, A PERIOD OF 700 YEARS.

FOR THE FULL ARTICLE GO TO:

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/did-ancient-magnetic-field-reversal-cause-chaos-life-earth-180977072/#.YDfCNxMwIFM.gmail

Wheeler Winston Dixon

Some of our friends may have already seen work by Wheeler Winston Dixon. 

David King presented this fine piece at last year's Bellarine Avant Garde Festival:

I Am Lost to the World

by Wheeler Winston Dixon / 9 months ago

Image: Wheeler Winston Dixon Track: Gustav Mahler In memory of Taylor Mead “I am lost to the world With which I used to waste much time; It has for so long known nothing of me, It may well believe that I am dead. Nor am I at all concerned If it should think that I am dead. Nor can I deny it, For truly I am dead to the world. I am dead to the world’s tumult And rest in a quiet realm! I live alone in my heaven, In my love, in my song!” – lyric by Friedrich Rückert, Trans. Richard Stokes This video was created using footage in the Public Domain, or released as CC0 Public Domain materials, and is made entirely from recycled, repurposed and refashioned images and materials. Copyright © 2020 Wheeler Winston Dixon. All rights reserved.

Forward this email to your friends and family so that they can watch the video too.

There are so many other fine works by Wheeler Winston Dixon... Wheeler is prolific. They are all available on Vimeo. 

Here's a short list of some which I will post over the coming weeks:

"August 28 1963"  

"The Apocalyptic Now"

"Ambient Landscape"

"Quicksilver"

Thank you Wheeler for sharing your work with us, and I welcome you for being with us in this venture.

                                                                                             pt