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Continental Drift Rate
| February 26th, 2013 at 8:27:19 AM permalink | |
| odiousgambit Member since: Oct 28, 2012 Threads: 154 Posts: 5111 | Just heard on a TV episode of "how the earth was made" a memorable statistic. The answer below is spoiler-covered in case you want to guess. NO FAIR looking it up, of course. Making it into a question: "About how fast on average do continents drift away from each other [or towards each other] ? It does vary, but what is typical, can you get in the ballpark?" About 2.4 centimeters per year [ a bit less than an inch] about the rate of human fingernail growth PS: recently it made the news that parts of an old continent that was torn apart have been discovered in the Indian Ocean. It would seem they are just finding the old beaches [not sure about that]. It does support an old theory of mine, that I havent seen discussed, that there used to be old continents that have disappeared. Parts of continents at the very least. And not talking about Atlantis here [g] I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me] |
| February 26th, 2013 at 10:17:37 AM permalink | |
| Ayecarumba Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 89 Posts: 1744 | 3 cm per year |
| February 26th, 2013 at 10:19:29 AM permalink | |
| Ayecarumba Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 89 Posts: 1744 | Hey, I was pretty close. |
| February 26th, 2013 at 12:31:20 PM permalink | |
| Fleastiff Member since: Oct 27, 2012 Threads: 62 Posts: 7831 | I remember the shopping center's security guard who stopped people with political tee shirts, including the guy who wore a tee shirt emblazoned "Stop Continental Drift". Somewhere there is a magma plume aimed where it shouldn't be, but what can we do about it? |
| February 28th, 2013 at 11:59:04 AM permalink | |
| Ayecarumba Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 89 Posts: 1744 | Three years ago, there was a huge earthquake in Chile. Reports after the event indicated that a city near the epicenter had moved several FEET during the event. It must really screw up the GPS when that happens. |
| February 28th, 2013 at 11:32:58 PM permalink | |
| ewjones Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 6 Posts: 32 | I guessed 1 inch per year.. |
| March 1st, 2013 at 7:29:10 AM permalink | |
| Nareed Member since: Oct 24, 2012 Threads: 346 Posts: 12545 |
Not to set off a game of "can you top this?", but haven't some big eathquakes even slightly changed the Earth's rotation? I half-remember reading something about it not too long ago. Donald Trump is a one-term LOSER |
| March 2nd, 2013 at 7:07:17 AM permalink | |
| odiousgambit Member since: Oct 28, 2012 Threads: 154 Posts: 5111 |
There is a bit of wobble in the Earth's rotation. I could believe maybe that got affected ever so slightly. I'm Still Standing, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah [it's an old guy chant for me] |
| March 5th, 2013 at 1:58:15 AM permalink | |
| 1nickelmiracle Member since: Mar 5, 2013 Threads: 24 Posts: 623 | I never forgot that one. Dead on the money. |