Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

The Earth is Round


TommyK

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 50
  • Created
  • Last Reply

It's an oblate spheroid :P

 

That's exactly right. This is why gravity is slightly different at the equator than the poles (called the J2 effect). Not a big deal for us on Earth but this little effect can be a nightmare for spacecraft designers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Farnsbarns Wunterslausche

It's an oblate spheroid :P

 

Not many people know that. (unless they watch QI)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From Wikipedia:

 

A well-known scientist (some say it was Bertrand Russell) once gave a public lecture on astronomy. He described how the earth orbits around the sun and how the sun, in turn, orbits around the center of a vast collection of stars called our galaxy. At the end of the lecture, a little old lady at the back of the room got up and said: "What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise." The scientist gave a superior smile before replying, "What is the tortoise standing on?" "You're very clever, young man, very clever," said the old lady. "But it's turtles all the way down!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i fall off the edge every friday night...jus sayin

 

... and as luck would have it, tonight is Friday. Don't worry too much about the edge. The tortoises'll save you (or at least that's what you might think it come 2:00a.m. [biggrin] )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually after I hit age 10 or 12 I began to wonder why the atmosphere and various magnetic bands and such aren't also included as what makes up "earth" by definition. It's more than just a dirty rock.

 

m

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Because is darned difficult to stuff a globe in your pocket.

 

"Is that a globe in your pocket or are you..." [blush]

 

Hmmm.........Sometimes cute women discover that I have two globes in my pocket.......[flapper] [flapper] ....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...