On: NASA proposes a magnetic shield to protect Mars' a...

[jlebrech]

I guess you're right. Bad for humans, maybe good enough to reverse some of the damage humans have done.

[fudged71 → jlebrech]

I could be mistaken, but I understand that bombarding the earth with radiation will do plenty of damage to other species as well. According to Wikipedia, a pole reversal could lead to vigorous convection leading to widespread volcanism, and that subsequent airborne ash could cause mass extinctions.