The North is losing its north: the magnetic North Pole is heading towards Russia, its position updated by scientists

Fasten your seat belts and adjust your compasses. According to information reported by the CNN and the Washington Posta new version of the World Magnetic Model (WMM), the main tool developed to model the evolution of the Earth’s magnetic field, was published in December 2024.

Unlike its geographic cousin, the magnetic North Pole never stays in place: it is guided by the Earth’s magnetic fields. As the American Oceanic and Atmospheric Observation Agency explains, these famous magnetic fields evolve “unpredictably over time”forcing scientists to update the WMM every five years to prevent our compasses from completely losing north. Literally.

Please note that this system is not a gadget for geeks: it is crucial for major airlines and shipping companieswho depend on it to plan their routes.

North gets closer to north

Soon, Santa Claus may have to relocate his production. Because according to the latest data, the magnetic North Pole continues to move towards the North. So, it is “now closer to Siberia and continues to drift towards Russia”.

This drift is not new, but it has recently accelerated before slowing down a little, leaving scientists perplexed. Why this magnetic waltz? Mystery…

That said, the current drift of the magnetic North Pole is unmatched by geomagnetic upheavals that have taken place in the past. Scientists estimate that a major geomagnetic reversal, which took thousands of years, occurred around 750,000 to 780,000 years ago.