Slog - Comments on You'll Feel the Earth Move http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move The problem: The Earth is going to die. The Sun is slowly getting warmer as it burns the hydrogen in its core. In about 5 billion years, the Sun will begin evolving into a bloated red giant. Its outer gas shell will swell up, engulfing the Earth by the time it reaches its peak size and brightness 7 billion years from now. But long before that,, raising average terrestrial temperatures to around 50 °C (120 °F). That will warm the oceans so much that they evaporate without boiling, like a pan of water left on a sunny kitchen counter.... Copyright 2008 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0800 Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:07:35 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by keshmeshi Why don't we start worrying about when the universe contracts and collapses back on itself. That'll happen in, what, several hundred billion years? Get cracking, scientists, the future of the universe is at stake!

]]> keshmeshi http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181601 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181601 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:11:05 -0800 Comment by Sachi Wilson After the red giant collapses into a white dwarf, what do we do THEN? Huh huh?

]]> Sachi Wilson http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181608 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181608 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:15:30 -0800 Comment by -B- In 5 billion years there is a good chance we will not exist. We have been on this planet in this form for such a short amount of time. 5 billion years is more than enough time for evolution to move on and reinvent itself many times over with other versions of life. We will just be a footnote. Moving the planet a little further from a dying sun is just postponing the inevitable. But then thinking about this concept is just us placing ourselves with the help of our imagination in this future scenario. We are just creating a little fear in out heads for no reason at all because we will not be there.
So enjoy your time in the here and now.
Go watch some porn, pray to a god or not, create something cool anything that makes life interesting now. Forget about 5 billion years hence.

]]> -B- http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181612 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181612 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:17:51 -0800 Comment by Matthew Will we not have mastered space travel in 5 billion years? At least well enough to move out to some other planet in the solar system? A hotter sun would make mars a nice place to hang out, no?

]]> Matthew http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181625 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181625 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:29:20 -0800 Comment by Ben Seven billion years, huh? Can we perhaps put this one off a bit? The way I see it either A) Global warming or nuclear war or SOMETHING will kill us all off long before this is a problem or B) If we manage to survive for, say, a billion years, we'll have so much unimaginable science at our disposal that this problem will be pretty trivial. And still six billion years to solve it!

]]> Ben http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181626 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181626 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:29:35 -0800 Comment by Vince Oh shit! At the rate the human race is destroying itself and it's planet's resources, we won't have a thing to worry about. Besides that, the dinosaurs lasted one hundred and sixty million years until an asteroid destroyed them. People have been around only a few million. Something will come along anytime that will finish us off long before the sun burns out.

]]> Vince http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181636 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181636 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:37:05 -0800 Comment by BrinkleyBoy That's how they solved global warming in an episode of Futurama.

]]> BrinkleyBoy http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181639 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181639 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:38:53 -0800 Comment by Colin ok, maybe I'm missing something here and maybe I'm over thinking this ridiculous idea too much.

What, exactly, do you attach a planet sized solar sail to? Forget the fact that it would have to be a bolt so strong that you could pull a planet with it, not to mention the million mile long cable. Where do you attach it? Bolt it to a mountain and you'd either wind the cable around the planet as it spins or stop the planets rotation. Put it at the North or South poles and you'll screw up the axis. Seriously WTF?!?

Yes, I'm over thinking it.

]]> Colin http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181650 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181650 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:41:08 -0800 Comment by inkweary In other sun-related news: This year has been very good for the Sun's complexion. There have been no sunspots for the longest period in decades.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080609124551.htm

]]> inkweary http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181652 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181652 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:42:37 -0800 Comment by Colin I also wonder how the change in the length of our year would effect things.

]]> Colin http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181666 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181666 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:54:16 -0800 Comment by Balt-O-Matt When I was little they showed this happening on 3-2-1 Contact. It scared me shitless b/c I thought it was going to happen, like, the next day. Curse you, science!

]]> Balt-O-Matt http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181672 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181672 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:57:04 -0800 Comment by COMTE This is Seattle. If we don't set up the blue-ribbon advisory exploratory committee NOW, we'll never make that deadline 5 billion years hence.

]]> COMTE http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181681 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181681 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:00:34 -0800 Comment by Angel I'm reading a book about all the ways the earth will (could) be destroyed. It's called Death from the Skies, by Phil Plait. It's fun, if you like being scared.

]]> Angel http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181687 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181687 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:02:42 -0800 Comment by Ryan If we are still around in 5 billion years, I'm looking forward to the human race having the ability to move planet-sized objects with only the power of their genitalia.

My cock can move planets!

]]> Ryan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181742 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181742 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:31:26 -0800 Comment by Greg So this will really become an issue in what, three billion years? Whereas maybe two hundred years from now, we can start moving to Mars.

What's the problem again?

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181758 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181758 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:42:10 -0800 Comment by Greg Besides, all we need to move the Earth is a really long lever, right? Haven't you read your classics?

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181760 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181760 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:43:20 -0800 Comment by Slartibartfast The Vogons will have demolished your planet long before then.

]]> Slartibartfast http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181773 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181773 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:48:41 -0800 Comment by Jeff Rutherford If you're interested in solar sails, you should check out this brand new book - http://tinyurl.com/6ks2to

]]> Jeff Rutherford http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181786 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181786 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:54:38 -0800 Comment by Vince @14 I once dated a guy whose cock could move planets. He moved my moon real good.(well?)

]]> Vince http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181862 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1181862 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:41:56 -0800 Comment by inkweary @16... and a place to stand.

]]> inkweary http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1182015 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1182015 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:02:31 -0800 Comment by Greg Well shit, forget that plan then.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1182019 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/youll_feel_the_earth_move#c1182019 Science Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:07:35 -0800