Earth's Inner Core Rotation Slower Than Estimated 223
intellitech writes "Scientists at the University of Cambridge believe they have achieved the first accurate estimate of how much faster Earth's core is rotating compared to the rest of the planet. The rate — about one degree every million years — is much slower than previously thought and arises from the complex dynamic between Earth's inner and outer core, which generates Earth's geomagnetic field. Without our magnetic field, Earth's surface would not be protected from charged particles spewing from the Sun, and life would not be able to exist."
Or ... (Score:5, Interesting)
Earth's surface would not be protected from charged particles spewing from the Sun, and life would not be able to exist.
Life is more robust than that... (Score:5, Interesting)
It bothers me how often I hear absolutes with regards to "If not for XXX, life would not exist on Earth." Life has proven to be a lot more robust than such simple statements imply. Certainly, without a magnetic field, life on Earth would look a lot different than it does today as it would have adapted to a much different environment, but it would most certainly still exist with all other things being equal.