The pole shifting hypothesis states that on occasion the poles of the planet dramatically shift, changing position by over a hundred degrees. It would seem that we have normal pole wander, the pole's much as any southerner knows enjoy a bit of a mosey. They creep about the planet, moving 1 degree every million years or so (and that's even slow for a mosey). This doesn't cause anything dramatic environmental changes, unless, as we discussed yesterday, it leads to a magnetic pole shift in which case we all might be sitting in a microwave oven.
The geographic poles are those two points on the surface of the planet that the axis of rotation intersects. The pole shifting hypothesis postulates that these poles may dramatically shift "with respect to this axis." 800 odd million years ago these poles may have shifted up to 155 degrees. Now, that means, not the poles, not the axis, but the surface of the planet…so that the planet rolls over…or under…what our neighbors down under would call a Walk About…distinctly different from the mosey we practice here in the deep south of U.S.
Here's a diagram (because I fell like this post needs one) of the earth and its present pole/axis/rotation.
But the theory states that the pole reversal is dramatic, being quite sudden. Though I'm not sure what they base that on (we really don't have a good measuring stick for things beyond 1880) it sounds like it would be an astoundingly wild ride for a few minutes.
But this comes with massive problems with the tides, tectonics, weather and netflix, a true apocalypse.
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