The earth: Now it's all going pear-shaped

Science ^ | FR Post 8-2-02 | Editorial Staff

[vannrox]

Tis is very perplexing and interesting. If true, then some theories are discarded, and others are profoundly validated.

[jwalsh07]

Maybe Mother Earth is with child.

[TomServo]

Just think. This planet will soon be shaped like everybodys mother-in-law.

[operation clinton cleanup]

Maybe Mother Earth is with child.

Or reaching middle age...

[RCW2001]

Yep...'she's gonna swellup and pop'! Thats whats she's gonna do...

[pepsi_junkie]

A geological (I guess its geological) phenomenon that hasbeen documented to have occurred for FOUR YEARS? Thats like saying a person is dying because they havent taken a breath in a second. May be true but it will take a lot more data before the observation has any meaning.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Aliens.

BTW, is global warming simply a fatter mother earth sweating more?

[lizma]

The main reason is that the melting of the ice caps has caused the mantle - the thick layer of nearly-molten rock between the crust and the Earth's core - to rebound.

Supposedly a change in the molten flow of the earth's core, a gazillion years ago, reversed the earth's magnetic poles. That wouldn't be any fun.

But I was under the impression that the overall volume of the ice caps has not changed.

[capt. norm]

This may cause the creation of the "Fat Earth Society".

[Jay W]

This may cause the creation of the "Fat Earth Society".

LOL! :-)

[Lokibob]

Go to any elementary school in the country, look for a globe of the earth. What do you see? Wing nuts on the north pole and the south pole. The answer is simple.

SOME KID TIGHTEND THE WING NUTS TOO TIGHT!!

(perhaps my wing nut is too tight)

[mrsmith]

She's really let herself go.
Let's leave the old bag for a younger planet with a better figure.

[luckodeirish]

Increased number of fast food resturants, mother earth becomming pear shaped. Causation or correlation?

[davisdoug]

argentinian cattle are the cause. Mc. D's and BK changed the fries a few years ago. the cows have recently been genetically (sp?) altered to gain mass have pulled the earth via gravity toward doom. sue all fast food companies for the sake of the children.

[Doctor Stochastic]

The North magnetic pole has moved about 800 miles since it was first visited. The Earth's magnetic field is rather weak. It does switch though, providing one of the direct evidences of continental drift.

[davisdoug]

now that makes about as much sense as the current lawsuits being filed. tort reform now.

[Doctor Stochastic]

The Arctic ice cap seems to have shrunk by about 40% since first measured. (It's thinner rather than being less widespread.) There's no known connection with climate change; it may just be a fluctuation. Of course, melting of the Arctic cap has no effect on ocean levels; melting of the Antarctic ice cap or Greenland ice cap would have an effect.

[mrsmith]

It's no use making excuses for her.

We've been a very successful race, I think we're ready to move on to a "trophy planet". Sure Earth was fun, stood by us through all our early struggles, but we can do better now.
And she'll still have a nice large settlement after we leave.

You know, I've had my eye on Venus for a long time- now there's a hot number, sharp dresser too!

[Doctor Stochastic]

But does she have arms?

[apochromat]

Maybe I should invest in a hot-air balloon. Then I can watch the fun.