The Path of the Pole Paperback – October 1, 1999

Charles Hapgood's  The Path of the Pole  refers to the invisible but measurable magnetic axis, which runs through the earth from the Arctic to the Antarctic, but is constantly changing course. His book attempts to link two widely held ideas about this pole and about the earth's continents.* Scientists now believe that the tips of this pole are not static. Over very long periods of time, its end points appear to move great distances over the earth.* In addition, the idea that the continents are slowly drifting over the earth's surface is accepted scientific dogma. In some locations, their movement has been measured in inches; in others, by feet.Up until now, the explanation for this continental drift has been this: From deep within the earth's molten center, enormous convection currents rise up underneath the continents and shove them along. This can be demonstrated by dropping a toothpick into a pan of water that is boiling very slowly. The toothpick will not remain in place. Instead, it gets shoved around as the heated water rises and carries the toothpick along its surface. The water then drops back down to the pan's bottom. The tiny stick will be moved again and again as it is intercepted by other surface water currents.The ongoing rupture along the Atlantic Ocean bottom has been charted both by photographs and with sonar mapping devices. The Americas are slowly moving away from the European continent. On the other hand, the collision of the continental plates deep within the Pacific Ocean have also been mapped.But Hapgood would not agree that convection currents are solely responsible for continental drift. His evidence comes from many sources, chiefly the comparing of layers of the earth's crust from a variety of geographic locations around the world. Both surface and subterranean samples are contrasted. Using hollow drills, scientists bore deep holes in the earth and under ocean bottoms to bring up their samples.Matching samples from disconnected locations shows that in distant past ages land masses, which are separated from one another today, at one time were joined together on our planet's surface. Something made these continents separate and move toward the poles.It would seem obvious then that when these huge land masses moved and collided, great topographical changes took place. Mountains elevated in some areas while weaker surfaces crumpled downward becoming ocean floors. Great lakes and seas came about. Numerous displacements of the lithosphere (crust) could, in fact, constitute an essential, and perhaps even the basic, mechanism for the growth of continents.Depending on how far northward land moved, the climate on those masses would change accordingly. What was once a warmer equatorial climate, now endured an ice age. Plants and animals which could not adapt quickly enough became extinct. The Path of the Pole  posits the theory that polar wandering is the primary cause for the dislocation of earth's continents. Hapgood would begin his theory by showing that the continual piling up of ice and snow on Antarctica over enormous time periods exerts overwhelming downward pressure on the earth under the poles. The pressure is not equally distributed because Antarctica is not displaced evenly around the South Pole.To relieve this uneven downward pressure at the pole, land masses over the equator are forced to bulge slightly outward due to the centrifugal force of the earth's spin. These pressures cause fissures within the earth's crust which fill up with material from the molten center core. Volcanoes are the result of the superheated core melting rock into magma, which eventually erupts outward as lava flow.The added mass to the equatorial regions causes a slight wobble in the earth which realigns its axis to establish equilibrium. Accordingly, the earth's poles move. In the recent Pleistocene era--the time period from 1.8 million to 10,000 years before our present time-- The Path of the Pole  posits three major positions of the North Pole before it came to rest at its present position: 1) the Yukon 2) the Greenland Sea 3) Hudson bay. Thus, the cycle continues today.Movement of this type can be demonstrated by attaching a small piece of chewing gum to a top at its center. Now when spun, the top has an axis different from the original. The Path of the Pole  is a fascinating read involving physics, anthropology, and particularly geology. Although very scientific, I found it easy to understand because it is packed with illustrations, charts, diagrams, maps, and figures to help explain difficult concepts.I would highly recommend  The Path of the Pole  to anyone studying what causes continental drift, what causes shifts in earth's plates, why ice ages have come and gone, how various species arrived on different continents, what causes volcanoes, and most importantly--what the future of planet earth is.One might immediately question Hapgood's theory about downward pressure of snow and ice buildup at the poles considering todays global warming trend. This reviewer tends to think that melting polar ice caps would reduce downward pressure on Antarctica forcing the earth back into a more spherical form. In a very real sense, this would not disprove Hapgood's theory. Simply put, it would prove it in reverse. There would be less outward pressure along the equator and land masses would be forced to readjust.Other fascinating reads: The Rejection of Continental Drift: Theory and Method in American Earth Science The Long Thaw: How Humans Are Changing the Next 100,000 Years of Earth's Climate (Science Essentials)

Excellent book.

It disturbs me that it is called “pseudoscience “ by some presumed experts. Generally, when I look at theories, there are a few things that lead to credibility (for me): (1) reliable and confirmable sources for referenced facts; (2) logic that connects facts to conclusions utilizing standard methods, in particular, I am looking for things like diagrams (causality and effects) and quantification, measurements, etc.; and (3) falsify-ability. I am not, at this stage, equipped to cross reference the sources or audit the math; however, I will say that anyone who calls it pseudoscience should be able to separately attack the credibility on the basis of conflict with the above credibility criteria. Noting both that Hapgoood does explain his basis and quantitative analysis, and that Hapgood does provide areas for further research (including falsify ability criteria) the proponents of other theories, such as continental drift should be able to answer the issues with something more than ridicule and “consensus “.

This book is a very good starting point for an explanation if ice ages. It is also enlightening in that the author highlights how little of our theories of the earths processes are based in fact and how little we know. There doesn't seem to be a single theory that comes anywhere near becoming fact. Vast amounts of data need to be created to sort all of this out.

The Path of the Pole: Cataclysmic Poleshift Geology For anyone interested in Earth History, this book is a must read. As it took me on a journey around a shifting planet, I found myself wondering where the theory of Continental Drift fits into the scheme of things.I always enjoy reading books that make me question my beliefs and set me on a new path of exploration - although in this case I sense I will arrive at a compromise which allows for both theories to tell the story of our planet.A word of caution: this is not science writing at its best. It will take a determined effort to plow through this book.It's worth the effort though, as you near the end of this book, you will find yourself looking around at your world with a whole new perspective!

I've read the Flem-Ath book (see previous review from Rand Flem-Ath) on the search for Altlantis, and Graham Hancock's excellent book, Fingerprint of the Gods, and both books begin with Hapgood. His ideas on crustal displacement have been adopted by the "alternate history" writers and sometimes sensationalized. The back page of the copy of Path of the Pole which I got from Amazon quotes Richard Noone, author of one of those sensational books, and actually says "A planetary alignment on May 5, 2000 is predicted to cause the next pole shift -- are you ready?" This is total nonsense and a disservice to the meticulously researched book that Hapgood wrote. Hapgood felt these processes took place over thousands of years, which in his mind was "rapid." The geologists of his time were adherents of uniformitarianism and suggesting earth changes could happen in thousands, not millions, of years was heresy.Rand and Rose Flem-Ath build on Hapgood in their book, When the Sky Fell: The Search for Atlantis, and after reading Rand's note above, I feel better about their book knowing they were in touch with Charles Hapgood. Clearly these ideas are still not mainstream and it remains to be seen when Hapgood will get the recognition he deserves. Meanwhile, before you believe all the writers of "catastrophe" books, read the original. Path of the Pole is basically an academic book, not always an easy read. Hapgood presents mountains of evidence and much of it is highly technical. But if you seriously want to know what "pole shift" is all about, then you must read Path of the Pole.

Muy bueno e interesante

This book was bought as "Used, Very Good" condition. This is incorrect. This book arrived in pretty much perfect condition. Apparently, whoever first owned the book could not get past some dozens of pages. The material most have been laborious for them. However, this is not a difficult read, though the material is not common knowledge.I have read a number of books that indirectly support Hapgood's theory of earth crust displacement. I recall in grade school how we told the teacher Africa appears to fit alongside South America. The teacher rejected this; such was prevailing wisdom. Now continental drift is widely accepted. Likewise, Hapgood presents a theory that is not universally embraced, even today. Yet it is as intuitive as the jigsaw puzzle of landmasses. Moreover, those like me who believe that there certainly was a proto civilization find in Hapgood corroborating evidence that also supports Younger Dryas discoveries that "yes, something happened roughly 12,000 years ago that was catastrophic and altered the planet in such a way that its memory lingers on in our collective psyche throughout the world.This further corroborates the conclusion's of Hamlet's Mill, the theory that our entire library of ancient civilization legends and myths speak with one voice about the cataclysm and a warning. Hapgood's work exposes the underlying science that enables these theories regarding catastrophism.

This book reads like a fine detective novel. For those who like to watch TV programs like CSI it is a "must read" even though a bit dated now. I say that because if I have it correct it blows a big hole in the "loopy" science pandered by the AGW crowd and someone needs to do an update to bring the facts quoted in it current with what we now know.A thoroughly enjoyable read and quite contrary to some opinions not so difficult to digest. I found the theory extremely interesting.

albert Einstein wrote that this theory of Charles h hapgood electrified him and the idea of hapgood is original is also of great simplicity and if it continues to prove itself-of great importance to everything that is related to the history of the earths surface.i found this book to be fascinating I really enjoyed reading this book, this theory of hapgoods has been about since the late fifties has there been any future research into this theory? I doubt it, I bet the so called experts have ignored it like all the other authers of other great books like UNDERWORLD, FINGERPRINTS OF THE GODS, HEAVENS MIRROR, KEEPER OF GENESIS, MAPS OF THE ANCIENT SEA KINGS, FORBIDDEN ARCHEOLOGY, ATLANTIS BENEATH THE ICE and all the other books I want to purchase and read, if you have any of these books or anything similar then you should like this book

The Path to the Pole is a critical analysis of data gathered over many decades about some of the cataclysmic events that happened on earth. This book has sections that are somewhat laborious to read but it's a great book if you are interested in geology and details surrounding the latest extinction events that wiped out the mammoths and other animals of that period. I give it a two thumbs up.Jacques Plante