[TheBigDog]

What about people in planes when the earth jerks to a stop. They would feel no inertial effect of the earth stopping.

Bill

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by Lancaster

Because if it was any other way, the Earth might not be able to sustain life at all.

This is a completely non-scientific statement. We know that the Earth HAS had a vastly different biosphere than today, and it did sustain life. The rotational period has been different (shorter days), the mean temperature has been very different, the energy output from the sun has varied, the atmosphere constitution has changed over time. I'd say this proves that Earth can sustain life in an almost endless variety of combinations.

[Tormod]

Originally Posted by TheBigDog

What about people in planes when the earth jerks to a stop. They would feel no inertial effect of the earth stopping.

But surely their beer would taste different.

Oh, you mean planes *in the air*.

[Lancaster]

Originally Posted by Tormod

This is a completely non-scientific statement. We know that the Earth HAS had a vastly different biosphere than today, and it did sustain life. The rotational period has been different (shorter days), the mean temperature has been very different, the energy output from the sun has varied, the atmosphere constitution has changed over time. I'd say this proves that Earth can sustain life in an almost endless variety of combinations.

I apologize for making an incorrect, non-scientific statement.

I was wrong.

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by Lancaster

I apologize for making an incorrect, non-scientific statement.

I was wrong.

Your post count would quadruple if you did this each time it was the case...

[Lord Hakk]

umm... that obviously would be the case EXEPT i had said if the earth stopped spinning SLOWLY, like as slow as contenets move or somthing, no as if a giant hand grabbed hold of the earth and stoped it from spinning.

[HydrogenBond]

If the earth stopped spinning slowly, one night-day cycle would last a year at a time. If one side always faced the sun we would rotate once a year. Would the earth still wobble on its axis or would that stop too? It it continues to wobble that may help to balance out the weather. Things would be stressed out until the plants get used to the new seasons.

[Drip Curl Magic]

hmmm... so, I'm thinking... that it would all depend on if we could evolve fast enough to adapt to the change.

If it slowed for a year before it completely stopped... that'd still be such a fast change. and I doubt many if not any creatures could survive such rapid climate changes(resulting from the lack of spin).

I mean... maybe... but highly unlikely.

slow or fast.... we'd either have to evolve super fast or just die.

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by KickAssClown

Ummm... there are some issues with this, in regards to survivability. For instance Heating, and Cooling, Freezing. Imagine vast ice fields for months, and each "day" the dark side gets a little bit cooler, as the Light side becomes a scorching Desert and the ocean on this side boils from extended exposure to solar radiation. Also if the Dynamo theory of the earth applies, we have to contend without a Magnetic shield to deflect the majority of Cosmic radiation.

First, the bolded statement is patently false; it is Earth's atmosphere that protects us from cosmic radiation. (see this thread: http://hypography.com/forums/earth-s...ing-poles.html )
Given the extremes of temperature, I (& any surviving life) will adapt to following the great-circle terminator where we will continue consuming one-another as do we now.

[KickAssClown]

I wasn't saying we wouldn't have protection, only that we wouldn't have a magnetic shield. IF Dynamo Theory is wrong.

In the case of the Earth, the magnetic field is believed to be caused by the convection of molten iron and nickel, within the outer planetary core, along with Coriolis effect caused by the overall planetary rotation. When conducting fluid flows across an existing magnetic field, electric currents are induced, creating another magnetic field. When this magnetic field reinforces the original magnetic field, a dynamo is created which sustains itself. Similar magnetic fields are present in many celestial bodies including most stars such as the Sun (which contain conducting plasma) and active galactic nuclei.

Perhaps mine is a misunderstanding, perhaps it is not. I truely do not know, nor at this moment do I care. When I am better rested perhaps I will deal properly with such a problem.

However for now, I will stick by my assertion that if the earth stopped moving, stopped rotation, it would cease to be a dynamo and would cease to have a magnetic field. What the consequences for this would be I can only guess as I do not have the super computer to calculate such a tremendous problem. I can barely predict the weather without insturmentation.

I personally do not give credit to the Dynamo theory of Earth's Magnetosphere. I do give credit to the Ionosphere and Mesosphere for it's protection of the surface from radiation.