Scientists Just Moved the South Pole. Here's Why

"When we envision the South Pole, we tend to think of a fixed point on Earth. But it is more fluid than you might suppose. For starters, the geographic South Pole is situated at the southern tip of Earth's axis, pretty much right in the middle of Antarctica. But this place on our planet does not coincide with Earth's magnetic or geomagnetic South Polesthose are related to the planet's magnetic field and are located on the Adelie Coast and near Russia's Vostok Station, respectively."

"What the scientists did wasn't related to the magnetic field, however. They moved the marker stuck in the ice above the geographic South Pole. Technically, this pole doesn't move. But the marker must: the ice flows about 10 meters a year, so every year, it needs to be put back. The Antarctic ice sheet is essentially a very slow-moving frozen river, with ice flowing from the middle of Antarctica out to sea."

As the world rang in 2026, scientists in Antarctica physically moved the marker used to indicate the geographic South Pole. The geographic South Pole sits at the southern tip of Earth's rotational axis and is distinct from Earth's magnetic and geomagnetic south poles, which lie elsewhere and shift with changes in the planet's core. The ceremonial marker must be relocated annually because the Antarctic ice sheet flows roughly 10 meters per year. The Antarctic ice sheet behaves like a slow-moving frozen river, sending ice from the interior to the sea, and warming ocean waters are destabilizing coastal glaciers that could raise global sea levels if they collapse.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com