Skip to main content

Earth’s magnetic pole shifts, screws up runway at Florida airport

An airport in Tampa, Florida, has had to temporarily close its runways to keep up with Earth's magnetic north pole, which is drifting toward Russia at a rate of 40 miles per year.
Fox News reports that the international airport was forced to adjust the signs on its busiest runway Thursday because pilots depend on the magnetic fields to navigate. The runway will be closed until Jan. 13, and will re-open with new taxiway signs that indicate its new location on aviation charts, the Tampa Bay Tribune reports.
Paul Takemoto, a spokesman for the FAA, says the Earth's magnetic fields are constantly in flux -- but rarely so much so that runway signage needs to be changed. "You want to be absolutely precise in your compass heading," he told Fox. "To make sure the precision is there that we need, you have to make these changes."
[Rewind: Scary gaffe adds to week of airline mishaps]

"The Earth's poles are changing constantly, and when they change more than three degrees, that can affect runway numbering," FAA spokesperson Kathleen Bergen told Fox News. It's unclear whether any other airports will have to adjust their runways.
Earth's magnetic field, which still flummoxes those who study it, "is thought to be generated deep inside the planet," LiveScience writer Jeanna Bryner explains. "An inner core of solid iron is surrounded by an outer core of molten iron. They rotate at different rates, and the interaction between the regions creates what scientists call a 'hydromagnetic dynamo.' It's something like an electric motor, and it generates a magnetic field akin to a giant bar magnet."
Sometimes, the poles completely flip -- and presumably when that happens, many bigger changes are afoot than modest tweaks to airport signs. The last time the planet experienced a polarity flip was 780,000 years ago.
(Flight takes off from Tampa International Airport: AP)
Other popular stories on Yahoo!:
• North Pole shifting screws up Florida airport
• Teen kicked off basketball team because of haircut
• List: Surprising cities where celebs are migrating

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Washing Machine Accident

An Oregon family is devastated after a tragic accident took the life of their toddler. Tiffany Hebb was doing laundry, while her 21-month-old Ollie kept her company. When she left the room briefly, he crawled into the washing machine and drowned. A frantic Hebb found her son minutes later trapped in the water-filled basin and tried desperately to resuscitate him. After suffering severe brain damage, he died the following day in the hospital. "It was the worst day of my life," the grieving mother told a local Fox affiliate through tears. Now Tiffany and her husband Chris are on a mission to educate parents about the dangers of the seemingly innocuous household appliance. "I want to make mothers and fathers aware that it's a possibility," she said. Read more: Toddler's trauma highlights laundry room dangers Between 2005 and 2009, two children under the age of five lost their lives in laundry room accidents , according to a report by the Consu...
Post a Comment
Read more

New Dishes for this Week

MONDAY Stroganoff-Style Beef with Broccoli TUESDAY Chicken Alfredo and Rice Casserole WEDNESDAY Slow-Cooker Flemish Beef Stew THURSDAY Vegetarian Chili FRIDAY Slow-Cooked Chicken with Sourdough-Mushroom Stuffing SATURDAY Easy Marinated Pork Tenderloin SUNDAY Lamb Chops with Red Onion, Grape Tomatoes, and Feta (...AND sign up for Yahoo! Shine's weekly recipe newsletter) MONDAY Stroganoff-Style Beef with Broccoli Provided by Better Homes and Gardens For more stroganoff recipes, try these delicious dishes. Here is a dinner idea that can be ready in 30 minutes. If you are a fan of beef and broccoli, this is a recipe you must try. Serve it on top of cooked wide noodles and enjoy. Share this recipe with friends who also have busy schedules and are looking for a quick and delicious main dish...
Post a Comment
Read more

Plane Crew Thwart Hijack China

BEIJING: Crew and passengers traveling on a plane that had just taken off from a restive city in China s far-western Xinjiang region on Friday thwarted a hijack attempt by six people, authorities said.The plane returned safely to the airport and the six have been detained, a brief statement on the Xinjiang government s news website said, without detailing who the hijackers were.
Post a Comment
Read more