Earth's poles shifted surprisingly fast during the age of dinosaurs, ancient sea levels reveal

New research indicates that Earth's geographic poles shifted significantly during the age of dinosaurs due to 'true polar wander,' a process where the planet's crust shifts relative to its spin axis. This phenomenon occurred faster than plate tectonics and likely influenced global climate and evolutionary environments.
Why it matters
Understanding historical polar shifts provides deeper insight into Earth's geological history and the long-term drivers of climate change.
Solar System Earth Earth's poles shifted surprisingly fast during the age of dinosaurs, ancient sea levels reveal News By Keith Cooper Published 13 October 2026 The events, the most recent of which occurred 10 - 20 million years ago, saw the geographical poles shift by up to 0.6 degrees per million years - faster than plate tectonics.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here's how it works .
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in