Charles Hapgood

History professor Charles Hapgood came up with an intriguing hypothesis about the earth. Hapgood, who wrote The Path of The Pole (1970), suggested that the magnetic poles reversed numerous times throughout geologic history. Each reversal took approximately 5,000 years. The reason I mention Hapgood is because he was a radical thinker. Although many of his ideas have been rejected by mainstream scientists, he was a leader in rejecting the theory of plate tectonics. Well, plate tectonics is an established theory today, but that doesn't mean Hapgood was wrong about everything. Sometimes radical thinkers have insights that are useful and helpful. Sometimes they don't. In this case, the jury is still out on Hapgood's ideas. I, for one, like to think that radical innovators will get a fair hearing. It's always interesting to discover a new theory, and Hapgood's about the earth's pole shifting is one of the best I've heard in a long time. I'm dying to read his book, too.