Earthfiles investigative reporter, Linda Moulton Howe discussed whether Earth is getting ready for a magnetic flip, a mysterious protective force field, and evidence for the survival of consciousness beyond death. For the first time in 2014, the SWARM satellites orbiting Earth to measure the planet's magnetic field, have sent back data that shows the field is weakening 10 times faster than scientists had originally expected. She interviewed Prof. Paul Renne of the UC Berkeley Geochronology Center about the possibility of a pole flip this century, and how it might affect life on Earth. A geomagneticist named Jean-Pierre Valet published a paper postulating that the extinction of the Neanderthals was caused by a brief magnetic event that was like a pole reversal, he noted. More here.

Plasma physicists at MIT and other institutions have discovered what they are calling an "invisible shield" 7,200 miles above the Earth's surface that is blocking "killer solar electrons" from reaching the physical planet. Ironically, the barrier is embedded in and hidden by two bands of high-energy charged particles from the sun called the Van Allen Radiation Belts, which have been considered a danger to astronauts and their technology. Research scientist Phillip J. Erickson from Cornell University explained that this shield helps to preserve Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere by deflecting damaging high-energy particles. Further info.

In her third and fourth reports, Linda examined NDE cases and research. First, she spoke with Judy Bachrach, about her new book Glimpsing Heaven that focuses on cases where people were clinically dead before their vital signs returned. "We now know, thanks to CPR, that people die and then are resuscitated and many of them come back with memories of what I call death travels -- because they actually travel -- their minds do not cease thinking with death," Bachrach said, citing the astonishing case of Pamela Reynolds Lowery. Linda also spoke with neurosurgeon Eben Alexander about his latest book, Map of Heaven, which details his conviction that human consciousness does not die but persistently evolves by recycling in and out of matter containers at births and deaths. Further info: Part 1, Part 2.

Deteriorating US-Russian Relations

First hour guest, author and scholar of Soviet and post-Soviet Russia, Stephen F. Cohen, suggested that the US may be closer to war with Russia than any time since the Cuban missile crisis. Pres. Obama is considering signing the Ukraine Freedom Support Act that would provide military aid to Ukrainian armed forces. In all the years of the Cold War, the US never went to war with Russia, and now we're close to shooting each other, and surprisingly this isn't even under communist Russia, he commented.

News segment guests: Charles R. Smith, Timothy Ball, Peter Davenport