<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p>Scientists have taken to Twitter to talk about all the important work NASA's Earth <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> program does, using the hashtag #ThanksNASA.</p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p>The researchers who started and spread the hashtag have not called out any political figures, or made any explicit political statements around it. But context is important: On Wednesday, top Trump adviser Bob Walker told the Guardian that the new presidential administration will <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/22/nasa-earth-donald-trump-eliminate-climate-change-research?CMP=fb_gu">cut Earth science research at NASA</a>. He suggested that the agency will lose the more than 40% of its funding dedicated to understanding our own planet, and be instructed to turn its attention instead toward exploration and deep space research.</p><p>Why? Walker suggested that it has to do with&#xa0;NASA's focus on what he called "politically correct environmental monitoring."</p><p>NASA's Earth science program is an indispensable source of data for researchers who study our planet's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/arctic-ice-melt-north-pole-2016-11">melting ice sheets</a>&#xa0;and changing climate.</p><p>The results of that research could present a challenge for the President-elect, whose past statements run counter to the&#xa0;scientific consensus&#xa0;that the planet's climate is warming as a result of human activities. Trump has also&#xa0;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-climate-change-danger-action-2016-11">suggested that he would remove scientists who study the climate from federal agencies</a>&#xa0;and selected&#xa0;Myron Ebell, a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-epa-climate-science-myron-ebell-2016-11">man who has called climate scientists "global warming alarmists,"</a>&#xa0;to&#xa0;lead the transition at the Environmental Protection Agency.</p><p>NASA Earth science data is not only used to look at climate change. It is also used to help predict hurricanes, track erosion, and study other subjects that require an eye on our planet from space.</p><p>Here are some of the tweets from scientists and others using the #ThanksNASA hashtag.</p><p><em><div></div></em></p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p><em><div></div></em></p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p><div></div></p><p>Are you a scientist who relies on NASA Earth science data for your work? Email me at rletzter@businessinsider.com, Tweet me at @RafiLetzter, or shoot me a DM and we can set up a time to chat.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-chief-scientist-explains-how-humans-breathe-mars-2016-11">NASA's Chief Scientist explains how the first humans on Mars will breathe</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="B2cDZuNzE6H7GHavTmNwOtCxspeT6w8v" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

People are tweeting #ThanksNASA after a Trump adviser suggested he'd axe its climate change research arm

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="https://twitter.com/StationCDRKelly/status/657641917136637953">Twitter.com/Scott Kelly</a></span></p><p class="caption">Hurricane Patricia.</p></div><p></p></div></div>In October, <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/hurricane-patricia-from-international-space-station-2015-10">Hurricane Patricia</a> became the most powerful hurricane ever recorded, whipping up tornado-like winds of over 200 mph.</p><p>Patricia lost steam as it made landfall, but <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/devastating-gray-swan-hurricane-could-hit-tampa-2015-9">more devastating storms will form</a> in the future as climate change warms Earth's oceans, so the likelihood of disaster will only increase.</p><p>Luckily researchers now believe there's a way to stop hurricanes. <strong>Pumping billions of tons of a dense gas into the atmosphere could create a "sunglasses effect," which they say would absorb some sunlight and cool down warm ocean water, the engines of hurricanes - but with a huge sacrifice.</strong></p><p>Right now the world is focused on Plan A: Cutting <a href="http://www.techinsider.io/obama-carbon-emission-cuts-5-reasons-improve-your-life-2015-8">greenhouse gas emissions</a> to get climate change under control. Some argue it's already too late to reverse runaway climate change by cutting emissions. Yet if we haven't passed the point of no return, the world has yet to agree on a comprehensive plan that curbs emissions enough to make a difference.</p><p>That's why geoengineers are hard at work developing a Plan B.</p><p>According to new research published in the journal <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/10/21/1510530112.full.pdf">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>, if we pumped sulfate gases into our planet's upper atmosphere, we could cool down our oceans enough to cut the number of Katrina-force hurricanes in half over the next 50 years. It'd require about 10 billion tons of sulfates to get the job done, which is tens or hundreds of times the <a href="http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Aerosols/page3.php">sulfates a typical volcanic eruption can form</a>.</p><p>Sulfates are known to block out some wavelengths of light. So regularly pumping the chemicals into the atmosphere would essentially create a giant pair of sunglasses for the Earth, and bring the overall temperature of the oceans down.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>NASA</span></p><p class="caption">Hurricane Katrina.</p></div><p></p></div></div>We already have natural evidence that this works.</p><p>"The explosive volcanic eruptions of Katmai (Alaska, June 1912) and El Chichon (Mexico, April 1982) preferentially loaded the Northern Hemisphere with aerosol, and they were followed by the least active hurricane season on record in 1914 and the least active hurricane season in the satellite observation period in 1983," the researchers write in the paper.</p><p>It might be tricky to get the right balance, they note, since a cooler Atlantic means more intense <em>Pacific</em> hurricanes, and a cooler Pacific means more intense <em>Atlantic</em> hurricanes.</p><p>Meteorologists aren't sure why that happens. However, if both the Atlantic and the Pacific are cooled, it would temper the frequency and intensity of hurricanes in both oceans, just maybe not as much as much as we'd expect.</p><p>Regardless, it would work and we'd actually be able to afford it, according to the researchers. Pumping 10 billion tons (the weight of about 100,000 aircraft carriers) of sulfate into the atmosphere every year would cost about $10 billion per year, which is relatively cheap when compared to the expenses of cutting back greenhouse gases, John Moore, lead author on the paper, <a href="http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a17924/hurricane-geoengineering/">told Popular Mechanics</a>.</p><p>This all sounds like a pretty straightforward solution: We pump sulfates into the atmosphere, the oceans cool down, and fewer hurricanes devastate our cities. But there's one huge problem: <strong>Pumping that much sulfate into the atmosphere would poke holes in the protective ozone layer surrounding the Earth.</strong> The ozone is critical because it protects us from deadly radiation from the sun.</p><p>So sulfates aren't a viable option, but the model itself could still work. Engineers are already working on a mix of gases that <a href="http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/geoengineering-definition-of-terms/">mimic the shading property of sulfates</a>. If they're successful, we could pump those artificial particles into the atmosphere without shredding the ozone.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-antartica-gaining-ice-study-climate-change-2015-11">NASA says Antarctica is gaining ice</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="1kZHNreDpKo886922Q9HIfiyKH_mR7G-" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Engineers could stop hurricanes with the 'sunglasses effect' - but it'd require a huge sacrifice

<p class="financial-disclaimer"><i>When you buy through our links, we may earn money from our affiliate partners. <a href="https://www.insider-inc.com/commerce-on-insider-inc/">Learn more.</a></i></p><p><a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored nofollow sponsored"></a></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>After testing all five of Casper's new mattresses, I wouldn't recommend the </strong><a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored"><strong>Casper Wave Hybrid</strong></a><strong>.</strong></li><li><strong>It was ultimately a little too firm for my preferred side-sleeping position, didn't dissipate heat well, and lacks the edge support and motion isolation properties ideal for couples sharing a bed.</strong></li><li><strong>The Casper Wave Hybrid</strong> <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F%3Fsize%3Dtwin%26material%3Dhybrid" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored"><strong>starts at $1,495 for a Twin</strong></a><strong> and comes with a 100-night risk-free trial and a 10-year limited warranty.</strong></li></ul>Table of Contents: Masthead Sticky<p>Casper is a startup darling for comfortable and reasonably-priced mattresses and bedding accessories. We've tested and reviewed all of its mattresses, named them as some of the best picks in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-mattress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">our various buying guides</a>, and more.</p><p>I tested all five of its new mattresses this spring and summer (you can see some of the <keyword id="52147" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="reviews">reviews</keyword> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/casper-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/casper-hybrid-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>), and despite my <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-mattress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous positive experiences with the brand</a>, I can't recommend its latest version of the high-end <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid Mattress</a>. I tested a Queen-sized <keyword id="6503675" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mattress">mattress</keyword>, and the lack of motion isolation and edge support combined with poor heat dissipation left me unimpressed. For something as expensive as this, I expected a much more well-rounded mattress.</p><h2>Specs</h2><p><a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored"><div type="image" title="Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress Specs" height="900" width="1200" msid="77424000" hostid="261"></div></a></p><p>As a hybrid, the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a> features individually-wrapped spring coils meant to aid in airflow for a night of cooler <keyword id="6372996" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sleep">sleep</keyword>, provide support, and to give a little lift.</p><p>Additionally, there are five layers of foam. The topmost layer is made with a cooling gel and the second layer has tiny holes to help release body heat and hot air, and prevent overheating. The ergonomic zoned support of the third layer helps aligns your spine with added firmness around the lower back, waist, and hips and a softer feel by the shoulders. The fourth layer works with the third layer to offer zoned support by using gel pods. Finally, the base layer surrounds the springs to provide additional edge support.</p><p>All of the foams Casper uses are CertiPUR-US certified, which means no ozone-depleting materials or other hazardous chemicals are used in the making of the foam. And environmentally-friendly materials are used to make the cover, including recycled bottles. </p><p>Though many retail locations are closed or have different operating hours due to the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-virus-everything-we-know-deadly-2019-ncov-wuhan-spread-2020-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">novel coronavirus pandemic</a>, Casper has <a href="https://stores.casper.com/index.html">stores in every major city</a> in the United States. Under normal circumstances, you can schedule a 30-minute sleep trial, so we suggest calling your local store for availability and additional info. You can also find Casper mattresses in more than 1,000 Target stores across the US, but we'd advise calling ahead first.</p><h2>Set-up process</h2><p>In non-pandemic times, you could pay a flat fee for Casper to hire a local delivery company to set up your mattress in the room of your choice and remove any packaging, along with your old bed, with them. Unfortunately, the in-home setup is not currently available. </p><p>The manual way isn't actually that difficult and you should be able to set the mattress up with the help of a family member or partner. The box with the mattress inside weighs 120 pounds so help is a must. The unboxing process is straightforward and took me about five minutes. Casper provides instructions to guide you through the process, but you probably won't need them. </p><p>Like all beds-in-a-box, the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a> had a "new bed smell" that I don't particularly enjoy so I gave it time to air out and expand before I put sheets on it. By bedtime about 10 hours later, the bed was fully expanded and the odor had dissipated. </p><p>You can use the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a> with any bed frame. Casper recommends choosing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/casper-bed-frames-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one of its own</a>, but my cheap <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D7HBR76/ref=as_li_tl?imprToken=RMZaIRaYvevUEzvwcBHo2A&amp;slotNum=0&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biipf_062520_casper-nova-hybrid-mattress-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=w61&amp;creativeASIN=B07D7HBR76&amp;linkId=e46da97859d9449f07d5168429bcd080e46da97859d9449f07d5168429bcd080">Zinus bed frame</a> worked just fine.</p><h2>My review of the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Casper Wave Hybrid</a> </h2><p><a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored"><div type="image" title="Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress Touch" height="900" width="1200" msid="77424006" hostid="261"></div></a></p><p>The only way to truly know if a mattress is right for you is to sleep on it for at least 14 nights to break it in — after you've read the reviews and done your research, of course. Fortunately, Casper provides a 100-night risk-free trial with all of its mattresses. If you find the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a> doesn't suit your needs, Casper will arrange for a charity or recycling center to come to pick it up. You will then receive a full refund within two weeks.</p><p><a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">The Wave Hybrid</a> is a little firmer than your average firm mattress. I generally prefer to sleep on my side, but I felt more comfortable sleeping on my stomach because of the firmness level. In this position, I felt pressure relief and I didn't wake up with stiffness at any time during the testing period. Though I don't personally sleep on my back, firmer mattresses tend to be a better option for back sleepers, so I think the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a> would appeal to back sleepers as well.</p><p>Speaking of the back, I suffer from chronic lower back pain that rears its ugly head every few months or so. I've found it tends to flare up when I exercise excessively and sleep on an unsupportive mattress. While testing the Wave Hybrid, I did exercise excessively — running and lifting weights every morning to cope with the pandemic — yet, my back did not act up at all and I'd like to think that the mattress served me well. Check with your doctor or chiropractor if you're in a similar situation for expert advice. </p><p><a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">The Wave Hybrid</a> and all Casper beds are backed by a 10-year limited warranty. If you handle your mattress properly, use it normally, and sleep on it with a supportive foundation, you are eligible for free repairs or a replacement in the event your bed has major indentations, deterioration, manufacturing defects, or physical flaws.</p><h2>Cons to consider</h2><p>I am a hot sleeper, and the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a> did not help. Usually, when I go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, my body heat dissipates from the mattress before I get back, which helps me fall asleep again. <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">The Wave Hybrid</a> trapped the heat and was still warm by the time I got back in bed, causing me to toss and turn as I tried to find a cool, comfortable position. If you like being hot while sleeping, then this might be a positive for you but I didn't enjoy it.</p><p>The edge support of the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a> is also poor. Whenever I was close to the edge, I felt like I was going to fall off. This makes it a bad option if you share a bed with someone who crowds you and can also make it harder to physically get out of bed in the morning. The side also sagged significantly when I sat on the mattress to put on socks.</p><p>The motion isolation was good in some spots but not so good in others. I test motion transfer by dropping a 15-pound bowling ball from about four feet above the mattress so that it lands a foot away from a 12-ounce can of soda. If the can stays upright, it's a good indicator that the bed has good motion isolation. If the can falls over, the motion isolation is poor. The results varied depending on where the can and impact point were on the mattress, which tells me the motion dampening is so-so. And in my subjective experience, I could easily feel when my wife moved around in the bed and when my rat terrier hopped on.</p><p>The mattress is quite heavy and unwieldy because of its foam construction. A Queen tips the scales at 111 pounds and it bends easily so it's hard to pick up and move around. It might be feasible if you have a partner to help, but when it comes time to rotate the mattress (once every three to six months) or if you are relocating, it's a pain to move.</p><h2>The bottom line</h2><p><a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored"><div type="image" title="Casper Wave Hybrid Corner" height="900" width="1200" msid="77424015" hostid="261"></div></a></p><p>Overall, these cons outweigh the benefits of the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored nofollow sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a>. I found myself looking forward to finishing testing and moving onto something else. Still, it might appeal to some consumers.  </p><h3>Should you buy it?</h3><p>At more than $2,300, the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a> is one of the most expensive mattresses I've tested, and for my personal needs, wouldn't be able to justify spending that kind of money on it. As someone who's tested more than 25 mattresses for various reviews and buying guides, I'd usually make the case that expensive mattresses are often higher-quality and durable — you get what you pay for. But that wasn't necessarily the case here. </p><p>However, there may be some specific use cases where the Wave Hybrid might be a good fit. </p><p>Since the edge support and motion isolation leave a lot to be desired for couples, the mattress might be better for people who sleep alone and don't have to worry about an antsy sleeping partner. The heat dissipation is also inadequate, so consider this mattress if you tend to get cold at night and want something that will hold onto your body heat. And if you're a back and stomach sleeper, you might actually prefer the above-average firmness level here for added support.</p><p>If you fit into all of these categories and can afford a luxury mattress, the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a> might be right for you. </p><h3>What model should you get?</h3><p><a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F%3Fsize%3Dtwin%26material%3Dhybrid" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Twin</a>, Twin XL, and Full mattresses are generally for people sleeping alone. Twin is best for smaller individuals. If you're tall, Twin XL is better. And Full is ideal for larger folks. If you plan on sharing a bed with someone, go with a Queen, King, or Cal King. Queen is for your average couple. If you and your bed buddy are bigger, try a King. Tall couples will benefit from a Cal King.</p><p>I always test <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Queen mattresses</a> since that is the most popular size, but I usually prefer a King when sleeping with my wife, dog, and full-body pillow. My wife and I are both slightly bigger than average.</p><h3>What are your alternatives?</h3><p>Casper has five mattresses available and I'd recommend all of them except the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-wave%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Wave Hybrid</a>. If you are looking to save money, the <a href="https://casper.5ad6.net/c/196318/396851/7235?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcasper.com%2Fmattresses%2Fcasper-element%2Fv1%2F" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener sponsored">Element</a> is a great solution for couples. On the luxury end of the spectrum, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/casper-nova-hybrid-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Nova Hybrid</a> was my favorite with its plush softness and cool touch. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/casper-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Original</a> has a budget-friendly price, great heat dissipation, and impressive pressure relief, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/casper-hybrid-mattress-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Original Hybrid</a> offers firm support and outstanding edge support with a combo of foam and innersprings.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-mattress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our guide to the best mattresses</a> also features our top picks based on rigorous firsthand testing.</p><p><strong>Pros:</strong> 100-night risk-free trial, 13 inches thick with five foam layers and supportive coils, made with eco-friendly materials, 10-year limited warranty</p><p><strong>Cons:</strong> Poor edge support, traps heat, not ideal for side sleepers, heavy, inconsistent motion isolation</p>

I've tested all of Casper's new mattresses and I wouldn't recommend the Wave Hybrid because of its poor motion isolation, breathability, and edge support

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<p class="source"><span>YouTube/ASAP Science</span></p>
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</div></div>Animal extinctions, holes in the ozone and ocean acidification are a few examples of the enormous impact humans have had on Earth. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">But what would happen if humans suddenly vanished?</span>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">It's a fun thought experiment, and Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown gave us their take in the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guh7i7tHeZk">latest ASAP Science video</a> released Friday January 30.</span></p>
<p>It's easy to imagine an empty, desolate planet with crumbling cities overrun with weeds and vines in a human-free world. But it would take a long time to reach that kind of calm equilibrium. <strong>The first few weeks without humans would be absolute chaos, according to ASAP <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="science">Science</keyword>.</strong></p>
<p>First, power plants would fizzle out. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Then, with no more electric fences to corral them, about 1 billion pigs, 1.5 billion cows and 20 billion chickens would break out of their pens in search of food. These domesticated animals are dependent on humans, so its likely that many would starve</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em; font-size: 15px;">. Some would meet a more grisly fate and become food for wild dogs and cats.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Many of our prize, dog show and cat show-winning breeds are not suited for life in the wild, and more resilient mixed breeds, wolves, and wildcats would wipe them out. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Rats and cockroaches would sorely miss the trash&#xa0;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">we produce, and their population would plummet. Head lice would go completely extinct.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div>
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<p class="source"><span>YouTube/ASAP Science</span></p>
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<p>Before plants even get the chance to overrun streets and cities, many would burn to the ground first. With no firefighters, one single lightning strike that hits a timber roof and starts a blaze could destroy a city worth of buildings. Within 100 years, most wooden structures would be gone.</p>
<p>Anything made out of steel, like cars and bridges, would be next to go. Without constant paint coatings, the iron in steel would react with oxygen in the air and turn to rust. Steel buildings in the desert would last much longer since there's less moisture there to speed up rusting.</p>
<p>The cities that survived the fires would be overrun by weeds and vines, and eventually by larger plants and trees. Roads would turn to rivers, and underground subway systems would flood.</p>
<p>Most species that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/earths-sixth-mass-extinction-is-already-happening-2014-7">humans have repressed</a> would return to the population levels they were at before humans evolved. Invasive species that humans have imported and exported would continue to thrive in their non-native lands. ASAP Science points out that it's even possible that escaped zoo animals could thrive in their new habitat.</p>
<p>Think lions roaming the Great Plains, or hippos swimming in South American rivers.</p>
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<p class="source"><span>YouTube/ASAP Science</span></p>
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<p>Even if we suddenly disappeared, humans would leave behind some permanent traces. Electromagnetic radiation from our radios and phones will continue zipping their way through space. Our mountains of trash would also linger. The chemicals in plastics and certain types of rubber can't be digested by bacteria and do not naturally break down.</p>
<p>The plastics and rubber would eventually be <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tiny-plastic-bits-destroying-oceans-2014-12">swept into the oceans</a> and settle in sediment layers. After hundreds of millions of years they would integrate into rock layers and become part of the geological record.</p>
<p>"Alien geologists from outer space may be surprised to find sedimentary rocks full of tiny carbon-based particles that were once part of rubber tires or plastic bags," ASAP Science says in the video.</p>
<p>The natural carbon cycle would return atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to normal after a few thousand years, but radioactive material from sources like nuclear power plants would stick around much longer.</p>
<p>These lingering human traces would be puzzling to any aliens that stumble upon our planet, but the biggest mystery would be how we suddenly disappeared off the face of the Earth.</p>
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<p class="source"><span>YouTube/ASAP Science</span></p>
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<p>You can watch the full ASAP Science video below:</p>
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The Earth would be totally chaotic if humans suddenly disappeared

“Was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Permaculture-How-do-we-save-the-environment-from-us-our-technology/articleshow/53192641.cms">Civilisation</a> a big mistake?”<br />
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From the perspective of any non-civilized individual, this thought would seem, by all accounts, to be dipped in irony. Here we are, all things considered, the absolute most civilized individuals on the planet, examining in the most civilized way conceivable whether civilization itself may be a blunder. The vast majority of our kindred civilians would likely discover our discourse, notwithstanding being unexpected, likewise disturbing and pointless: all things considered, what individual who has grown up with cars, electricity, and television would savour living without a house, and of surviving just on wild rations?<br />
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People need to believe that their ideas of change are really progressive. Regardless of the possibility that you can come to the heart of the matter where they will concede that the greenest processing factory conceivable would now produce pollution and they will figure out how to oppose you. At that point people will say, "This is excessively compelling!" The impact of the old <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/What-The-Abandoned-Venues-From-The-Athens-Olympics-Look-Like-10-Years-Later/articleshow/39837205.cms">Athenians</a> lives on. Extremity is anathema. In the event that it’s not direct we are molded to think there is some kind of problem with it. We overlook that the Athenian notion of equalization and the brilliant mean was created by a general public that subjugated just about its whole populace, conceded no privileges of any sort to women, colonized a significant part of the Mediterranean, and considered non-Greeks to be subhumans. Why we ought to listen to anything that such people believe is a riddle to me.<br />
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<strong>Hunting &amp; Gathering over Comfort &amp; <keyword id="6355118" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="technology">Technology</keyword></strong><br />
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By most estimates, the oceans are collapsing, the human populace is extending long ways past the long haul conveying capacity of the land, the ozone layer is vanishing, and the worldwide climate is hinting at troubling flimsiness. Unless extreme strides are taken, in fifty years half of the world's populace will probably be existing in conditions such that the way of life of for all intents and purposes any undisturbed primitive tribe would be heaven by correlation.<br />
<br /> “When we (advocates of <keyword id="3495198" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Primitivism">Primitivism</keyword>) talk about it, people are like ‘Are you freaking crazy?’ Sometimes they just ask me ‘Why’ with words dipped in sarcasm. Most of them try to defend civilisation, saying, what about medicine? People used to die all the time with tons of diseases. What about women rights? They used to get all bashed and raped by men at that time. What about convenience and ease? What about peace and safety? The strong have always exploited the weak.”<br />
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The picture of a lost Golden Age of freedom and guiltlessness is at the heart of all the world's religions, is a standout amongst the most powerful themes in history, and most characteristic expression of primitivism- - the perennial belief in the need of going back to where we started.<br />
<br /> As a philosophical thought, primitivism has had as its advocates like Lao Tze, Rousseau, and <keyword id="3495197" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="thoreau">Thoreau</keyword>, and in addition the greater part of the pre-Socratics, the medieval Jewish and Christian scholars, and nineteenth and twentieth century rebel social scholars, every one of whom contended (on various bases and in various ways) the prevalence of a basic life close to <keyword id="6360307" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nature">nature</keyword>. All the more as of late, numerous anthropologists have expressed reverence for the otherworldly and material points of interest of the lifestyles of the world's most "primitive" social orders - the surviving gathering-and-hunting people groups who now make up short of what one hundredth of one percent of the world's populace.<br />
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As Bailey quoted, “Unfortunately, the precautionary principle sounds sensible to many people, especially those who live in societies already replete with technology. These people have their centrally heated house in the woods; they already enjoy the freedom from want, disease, and ignorance that technology can provide. They may think they can afford the luxury of ultimate precaution. But there are billions of people who still yearn to have their lives transformed. For them, the precautionary principle is a warrant for continued poverty, not safety.”<br />
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Individuals are formed from birth by their cultural surroundings and by their interactions with the general population nearest to them. Civilization manipulates these essential relationships so as to tame the newborn child - that is, in order to familiarize it to life in a social structure one stage expelled from nature. The real procedure of training is describable as takes after, utilizing terms obtained from the item relations school of brain science.<br />
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<strong>Domesticated Vs Wild</strong><br />
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The newborn child lives totally in a condition of immaculate trust and straightforwardness, profoundly reinforced with her mother. Be that as it may, as she develops, she finds that her mother is a different thing with her own needs and points of confinement. The newborn child's experience of relationship changes from one of unconstrained trust to one that is suffused with need and yearning. This makes a hole amongst self and other in the consciousness of the child, who tries to fill this extending fracture with transitional items - at first, maybe a teddy bear; later, addictions and convictions that serve to fill the psychic hole and consequently give a suspicion that all is well and good. It is the effective human requirement for transitional articles that drives people in their quest for property and power, and that produces organizations and advances as individuals pool their endeavors.<br />
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This is totally different in primitive childrearing, where the baby is treated with liberality, is in consistent physical contact with a guardian all through earliest stages, and later experiences soul changing experiences. In primal societies the requirement for transitional items has all the earmarks of being minimized. Anthropological and mental exploration unite to propose that huge numbers of socialized individuals' emotional ills originate from our way of life's deserting of normal childrearing techniques and initiatory ceremonies and its deliberate substitution of alienating pedagogical practices from home through college.<br />
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<strong>Capitalism &amp; Primitivism</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Time-for-a-better-capitalism/articleshow/52752635.cms">Capitalism</a> actually fears primitivism. You can tell that since everyone from over the political range is against it. Primitivism is the one study that is not permitted to sit at the table. It’s fine to say "We ought to purchase better, cleaner items!" It’s not fine to say "Never purchase anything! What's more, don't have any cash!" It’s fine to say "Corporations ought to have less impact over legislative issues!" It’s not fine to say "Corporations and governments ought to be abolished altogether!" This is the reason articulate people have been contending for more fairness in society for a large number of years but then we now have more disparity than any point ever. Since we can't keep expecting, hoping, and asking that crazy, detestable frameworks can be improved and kinder. They must be torn down and left to rot and disintegrate.<br />
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No reasoning or "- ism" is a solution of every single human problem. Primitivism doesn't offer simple answers, yet it suggests an option. For a long time, civilization has been going towards imitation, control, and domination. Primitivism lets us know that there is an inherent breaking point to our proceeded with development in that bearing, and that sooner or later we should start to readapt ourselves to nature. The purpose of a primitivist critique of civilization is not as a matter of course to demand an outright dismissal of each part of modern life, yet to help with clearing up issues so we can better comprehend the tradeoffs we are making now, develop a way towards renegotiating our own deals with nature, and along these lines add to the reframing of our society's collective undertaking.<br />

Give up Technology & Go back to 'Hunting & Gathering'

<p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source">Twitter</p></div>Chris Hadfield, an astronaut on the International <keyword id="41531" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="space">Space</keyword> Station, did an "<a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/18pik4/i_am_astronaut_chris_hadfield_currently_orbiting/">Ask Me Anything</a>" on Reddit this weekend. </p>
<p>This is the commander's second live Q&amp;A. The first one was <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/14schr/i_am_astronaut_chris_hadfield_commander_of/">before launch to the ISS</a> back in December.  </p>
<p>Naturally, the subject of meteors was popular given Earth's multiple run-ins with flying space rocks over the past few days (see <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/live-building-sized-asteroid-nears-earth-2013-2">here</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/officials-russian-meteorite-not-related-to-todays-asteroid-flyby-2013-2">here</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/another-fireball-spotted-this-time-over-califonia-2013-2">here</a>). Hadfield also fielded questions about the coolest views from space, the greatest dangers, and the future of private space travel. </p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Here are some of the highlights:</span></p>
<p><span>On meteor impacts:</span></p>
<form id="form-t1_c8guu5ge8m" class="usertext" action="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/18pik4/i_am_astronaut_chris_hadfield_currently_orbiting/#">
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<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Sometimes we hear pings as tiny rocks hit our spaceship, and also the creaks and snaps of expanding metal as we go in and out of sunlight. The solar panels are full of tiny holes from the micro-meteorites.</p>
<p>On the scariest thing he's seen in space:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>I watched a large meteorite burn up between me and Australia, and to think of that hypersonic dumb lump of rock randomly hurtling into us instead sent a shiver up my back.</span></p>
<p><span>On the biggest danger in space:</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span><span>The biggest danger is launch - all that power and acceleration. Once we survive that, it's just a steady threat of radiation, meteorite impacts, and vehicle system failure like fire or ammonia breakthrough.</span></span></p>
<p><span>On what part of the world looks coolest from space:</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Australia looks coolest - the colours and textures of the Outback are severely artistic. The most beautiful to me are the Bahamas, the vast glowing reefs of every shade of blue that exists.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; color: #000000;">On shaving:</span></p>
<div>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">I shave with cream and a standard multi-blade, just wipe it on a cloth every time, works fine</p>
<p>On his most embarrassing moment:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>During my 2nd spaceflight, while doing a live National TV News broadcast, I forgot the name of the Space Shuttle Commander. He always went by his nickname of Rommel, and to come up with Kent Riming somehow escaped me. Instead, I said Ken Cameron, the CDR of my 1st flight. Oops.</span></p>
<p><span>On the smell of space:</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span><span>The vacuum of space has no smell, but when we come in from a spacewalk the airlock smells like ozone, or gunpowder. It likely comes from the gentle offgassing of the outer metal and fabric of our suits.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>On his favorite picture of Earth:</span></span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">My favourite picture is of noctilucent cloud - to me it is both beautiful and scientific. I never thought I'd even see those rare phenomena, let alone get a top-notch photo of them.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">You can see the photo <a href="https://twitter.com/Cmdr_Hadfield/status/287978095405838336">here</a>.</p>
<p>On spacewalking:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>I was Canada's first spacewalker, doing 2 to help build the mighty Canadarm2 robot onto ISS. It was the most magnificent experience of my life. Alone in a 1-person spaceship (my suit), just holding on with my 1 hand, with the bottomless black universe on my left and the World pouring by in technicolor on my right. I highly recommend it.</span></p>
<p><span>On sending an average person to space:</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span><span>We need better engines for spaceflight to be safer and simpler, and thus cheaper. Like the difference to cross the Atlantic in a prop vs a jet airplane.</span></span></p>
<p><span>Check out the <a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/18pik4/i_am_astronaut_chris_hadfield_currently_orbiting/">full AMA here</a>. </span></p>
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Astronauts Have To Deal With Terrifying Meteors All Of The Time

<p><div class="image-container float_right"><div class="image"><p class="source"><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dissection_tools.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></p></div></div>There's a small chance that thirteen patients in and around New Hampshire were exposed to <span>an extremely rare, terrifying, and deadly degenerative <keyword id="6361813" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="brain">brain</keyword> disease known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob, according to <span> a </span><a href="http://www.dhhs.state.nh.us/media/pr/2013/09-sept/09042013cjd.htm" target="_blank">state health official announcement</a><span> Wednesday.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>The potential contamination was announced after a patient that "likely had the disease" underwent brain <span>surgery at Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, N.H., and later died from the disease. </span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span>The surgical instruments were washed using standard washing techniques and reused between May and August on eight other brain surgery patients at the center, and possibly five elsewhere.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p>This disease-causing protein, however, <a href="http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v15/n7/full/nn.3120.html" target="_blank">isn't killed by standard sterilizing methods</a>. Even sterilized tools can still transit the disease.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">"The risk to these individuals is considered extremely low," said Dr. José Montero, Director of Public <keyword id="6354750" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="health">Health</keyword> at DHHS, "but after extensive expert discussion, we could not conclude that there was no risk, so we are taking the step of notifying the patients and providing them with as much information as we can. Our sympathies are with all of the patients and their families, as this may be a confusing and difficult situation."</span></p>
<p><strong>An infectious protein</strong></p>
<p>The disease is caused by abnormally folded proteins called prions. Proteins are created from - and we usually think of them as - long strands of amino acids. What actually happens in the body is that these strands are folded up into specific shapes, and those shapes determine how the protein acts.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v15/n7/full/nn.3120.html" target="_blank">prion protein is expressed throughout the body</a> and can be folded into two different conformations. The problem? One of these shapes is infectious, latching onto other prion proteins and bends them to its shape.</p>
<p>These prions go on and bend others until there is no normal prion protein left and aggregate into big clumps that the cells can't get rid of.</p>
<p><div class="image-container float_left"><div class="image"><p class="source"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:VCJD_Tonsil.jpg">Wikipedia/Sbrandner</a></p><p class="caption">This image, of a different kind of prion protein disease, shows purple cells with brown globs of prion proteins surrounding them. </p></div></div>Cells can't function normally when they are full of globs of useless bent prions, so this causes big problems. The cells often activate their suicide channels and kill themselves - a big problem for brain cells.</p>
<p><strong>A cannibal's disease</strong></p>
<p>The ineffectiveness of the protein means that the disease can be passed from person to person through brain tissue. This is actually seen in the <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673606689307" target="_blank">prion disease Kuru</a>, which is transferred between members of cannibalistic tribes in Papua New Guinea when they eat the brains of their dead.</p>
<p>Researchers guess that one tribe member developed spontaneous Creutzfeldt-Jakob, like the New Hampshire man, and the disease spread through the cultures' tradition of mourning the dead by eating their bodies. The brains were the best cuts - usually given to the women and children.</p>
<p>Everyday citizens shouldn't be at risk, unless they go around eating these people's brains (please don't do that). Those potentially exposed to Creutzfeldt-Jakob <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014067360415486X" target="_blank">shouldn't give blood or donate organs</a>.</p>
<p>Doctors think the original patient got the disease spontaneously - something in the cell just made the protein fold differently - though it can be caused by a genetic mutation that can be passed down in families. We won't know more until the autopsy - being performed by the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center - is complete.</p>
<p><strong>Almost impossible to kill</strong></p>
<p>These prions are incredibly tough proteins. Normally, a protein can be unfolded using heat or acids, but <a href="http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v15/n7/full/nn.3120.html" target="_blank">prions take a lot more to kill them</a>. That's why traditional surgical tool cleaning left future patients at risk of contracting the disease.</p>
<p>Surgical tools should be disposed of after they contact prions, the CDC and WHO suggest. Other than that, high heat and chemicals can disinfect the tools.</p>
<p>A study last year discovered that they <a href="http://phys.org/news/2012-02-prions-ozone.html" target="_blank">are killable by ozone</a> - three oxygen molecules bonded together. This could be a new avenue to cleaning medical equipment or even wastewater from farms infected by <keyword id="1026141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Mad-cow">mad cow</keyword> disease.</p>
<p><strong><div class="image-container float_right"><div class="image"><p class="source"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Histology_bse.jpg">Public domain</a></p><p class="caption">This tissue sample is from the brain of a cow with Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis, or, Mad Cow Disease, which is similar to prion disease in humans. The holes in the brain tissue is caused by neurons dying off. </p></div></div></strong>There is no test for Creutzfeldt-Jakob. Symptoms don't show up for decades, as the proteins slowly rot your brains and <keyword id="24289" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dementia">dementia</keyword> sets in. Usually, the neurodegenerative disease is <a href="http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/8815857" target="_blank">indistinguishable from other forms of dementia</a>, and the difference isn't apparent until the brain is sliced open and studied.</p>
<p>There is no treatment. The disease, after detection, kills within four months as the brain is quickly turned into Swiss cheese. And furthermore, these patients will never know for sure for the rest of their lives if they contracted the disease from their exposure to the surgical instruments.</p>
<p>"After extensive expert discussion, we could not conclude that there was no risk, so we are taking the step of notifying the patients and providing them with as much information as we can," said Dr. José Montero, director of public health at the New Hampshire Department of health and Human Services. "Our sympathies are with all of the patients and their families, as this may be a confusing and difficult situation."</p>

New Hampshire Hospital May Have Exposed Patients To An Incurable, Terrifying Brain Disease

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/cat.mhtml?lang=en&amp;search_source=search_form&amp;version=llv1&amp;anyorall=all&amp;safesearch=1&amp;searchterm=earth+magnetic+field&amp;search_group=&amp;orient=&amp;search_cat=&amp;searchtermx=&amp;photographer_name=&amp;people_gender=&amp;people_age=&amp;people_ethnicity=&amp;people_number=&amp;commercial_ok=&amp;color=&amp;show_color_wheel=1#id=95349190&amp;src=0cfa086d0a7c187d50bc61aac8aee4b0-1-4">Shutterstock</a></span></p><p class="caption">Magnetic poles surrounding the globe.</p></div><p></p></div></div>The Earth's magnetic field protects life on Earth, shielding it from damaging radiation and moderating our climate.</p>
<p>So the idea that it could completely flip around, or collapse altogether, should cause us to worry, right?</p>
<p>Well, yes and no.</p>
<p><strong>Magnetosphere Basics</strong></p>
<p>The result of electrical currents generated deep within the Earth through dynamic action, the magnetosphere is a fluid force that is constantly changing in strength and orientation.</p>
<p><strong>The Center of the Earth</strong></p>
<p>The very heart of our planet is a <a href="http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/core/?ar_a=1" target="_blank">solid inner core</a> of mostly iron that is about the size of the moon.</p>
<p>It is so hot (9000°F to 13000°F or about 5000°C to 7200°C) that its temperature equals that of the "surface" of the sun, but it remains solid because of the combined pressure of everything above it being pulled toward it by gravity.</p>
<p>Surrounding this solid inner core is a second layer made primarily of an iron-nickel alloy. Nearly as hot (7200°F to 9000°F or about 4000°C to 5000°C) but under a bit less pressure, this <a href="http://www.livescience.com/29054-earth-core-hotter.html" target="_blank">outer core</a> is liquid.</p>
<p>Around the outer core is a hot layer of dense rock, called the mantle, that "<a href="http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/education/vwlessons/lessons/Earths_layers/Earths_layers6.html" target="_blank">flows like asphalt under a heavy weight</a>." At temperatures ranging from 1600°F (871°C), where it meets the Earth's crust, to 4000°F (2204°C), where it meets the outer core, it is relatively cool compared to its deeper, denser neighbors.</p>
<p><strong>Electrical Currents</strong></p>
<p>The disparity in temperature between the inner core and the mantle causes the Earth to become a giant magnet. As was <a href="http://www.livescience.com/29054-earth-core-hotter.html" target="_blank">recently explained</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>There needs to be a 2,700-degree F (1,500C) difference between the inner core and the mantle to spur "thermal movements" that - along with Earth's spin - create the magnetic field.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>These thermal movements of flowing liquid induce <a href="http://geomag.nrcan.gc.ca/mag_fld/fld-eng.php" target="_blank">electrical currents that in turn create the magnetosphere</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>For magnetic field generation to occur several conditions must be met: 1. there must be a conducting fluid; 2. there must be enough energy to cause the fluid to move with sufficient speed and with the appropriate flow pattern; 3. there must be a "seed" magnetic field… There is sufficient energy [in the outer core] to drive convection, and… coupled with the Earth's rotation, produce the appropriate flow pattern… The existing field [of the Sun] acts as the seed field. As a stream of molten iron passes through the existing magnetic field [of the Sun], an electric current is generated… The newly created electric field will in turn create a magnetic field…<em><br /></em></p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>The Magnetic Field in Flux</strong></p>
<p>Given the fluidity of the system, it stands to reason that the magnetic field is not an immovable constant, but <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/29dec_magneticfield.html" target="_blank">changes in its strength, orientation and polarity</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Orientation</strong></p>
<p>Since it was first pinpointed in 1831 by James Ross, the magnetic north pole has moved more than 600 miles, and in recent years, this change has accelerated from "<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012-poleReversal.html" target="_blank">an average speed of 10 km per year . . . to 40 km per yea</a>r." It is expected to move from its current location in North America to Asia within a few decades.</p>
<p><strong>Waning Strength</strong></p>
<p>Over the last 200 years, the magnetic field has "<a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/are-the-earths-poles-about-the-flip/" target="_blank">weakened by about 15 percent.</a>" Since the magnetic field shields the Earth's surface from some amount of radiation, "<a href="http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012-poleReversal.html" target="_blank">flares and coronal mass ejections from the sun</a>," were the field to disappear entirely, there could be <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2545465/Forget-global-warming-worry-MAGNETOSPHERE-Earths-magnetic-field-collapsing-affect-climate-wipe-power-grids.html" target="_blank">dramatic consequences</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Radiation at ground level would increase . . . causing more deaths from cancer . . . but only slightly . . . . Electric grid collapse from severe solar storms is a major risk . . . [and] the Earth's climate could also change . . . . Some speculative studies have suggested that as the Earth's magnetic field weakens we could see an increase in cloud coverage in the troposphere and an increase in the polar ozone holes . . . .</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Pole Reversal</strong></p>
<p>Part of the natural order, over the last 20 million years, the poles have reversed, on average, every 200,000-300,000 years. <em>However, </em>we are long overdue for a long-term reversal, since the last one occurred about 780,000 years ago.</p>
<p>Although scientists aren't certain, some believe that the pole flip is related to the convection within the core, where "<a href="http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/Phys-earth-core.html" target="_blank">lighter components, like oxygen, sulfur, and silicon . . . rise toward the core-mantle boundary (CMB).</a>" Accumulating like sediment on the floor of the ocean, these "fall" upward from the core onto the surface of the mantle, which is uneven like the topography of the Earth's surface. When enough sediment collects, it tumbles like an avalanche, into the outer core, thereby cooling it. Some theorize that "<a href="http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/Phys-earth-core.html" target="_blank">truly massive CMB avalanches could disrupt the geodynamo and cause Earth's dipole [two-poled magnetic] field to collapse</a>."</p>
<p><strong>Slow Reversals</strong></p>
<p>Discerned from magnetic signatures found on rocks and sediments, scientists today know that the poles routinely switch places. For those reversals that last 200,000 years or more, the change occurs over a<a href="http://www.livescience.com/18426-earth-magnetic-poles-flip.html" target="_blank">1,000 to 10,000 year-period</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It's not a sudden flip, but a slow process, during which the field strength becomes weak, very probably the field becomes more complex and might show more than two poles for a while, and then builds up in strength and aligns in the opposite direction.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Given the field's waning strength over the last couple of centuries, some scientists believe we are approaching another long-term flip. Many downplay the risk to humans, noting that the magnetosphere rarely disappears, so life on Earth remains largely protected during the reversal.</p>
<p>However, if the magnetic field were to significantly weaken, we could (potentially) be in trouble. In fact, some researchers have opined that there is "<a href="http://www.livescience.com/18426-earth-magnetic-poles-flip.html" target="_blank">a direct link between the demise of the Neanderthals . . . and a significant decrease of the geomagnetic field intensity that occurred exactly at the same period</a>."</p>
<p><strong>Rapid Reversals</strong></p>
<p>In recent years, scientists have found evidence that magnetic pole shifts can occur very quickly, although it is not clear if they typically result in complete reversals.</p>
<p>In the late 1960s near the village of Laschamp in the Massif-Central in France, scientists found incomplete evidence that led them to believe an extremely rapid, short-term magnetic reversal had occurred a mere 41,000 years ago (about the time the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jun/02/why-did-neanderthals-die-out" target="_blank">Neanderthal disappeared from Europe</a>).</p>
<p>Other evidence of a rapid pole shift was discovered in 1995 in hardened lava in Steens Mountain, Oregon. There, magnetic crystals in the rocks indicated a super-fast magnetic shift had occurred, one in which the poles moved "<a href="http://phys.org/news202971192.html" target="_blank">over 10,000 times faster than normal, at six degrees a day</a>."</p>
<p>At that breakneck rate, a complete magnetic shift could occur in <em>months</em>, rather than thousands of years, so many scientists were understandably skeptical - that is until further evidence of short-term flips was found in 2010 in Battle Mountain, Nevada, where it was revealed that the "<a href="http://phys.org/news202971192.html" target="_blank">magnetic field moved by 53 degrees in a single year.</a>"</p>
<p>Even more recently, in 2012, scientists re-visited the Laschamp event, this time examining sediment cores from the Black Sea as well as other data from the South Pacific and North Atlantic, and their <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121016084936.htm" target="_blank">findings were remarkable</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The field geometry of reversed polarity, with field lines pointing into the opposite direction when compared to today's configuration, last for only about 440 years, and it was associated with a field strength that was only one quarter of today's field. . . . During this period, the field was even weaker, with only 5% of today's field strength. As a consequence, Earth nearly completely lost its protection shield against hard cosmic rays, leading to a significantly increased radiation exposure.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Although there is no direct evidence of a causal relationship, the Black Sea sediment cores also revealed that two other "<a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121016084936.htm" target="_blank">extreme scenarios</a>" occurred at about the same time:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Numerous abrupt climate changes during the last ice age [were happening along with] . . . the largest volcanic eruption on the Northern hemisphere in the past 100,000 years . . . near Naples, Italy . . . [and the] short and fast reversal of the Earth's magnetic field.</p>
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