Earth

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[[File:pbd.jpg|<center> Can you find the Earth in this picture? </center>]]
 
 
 
'''Earth''' is one of <s>nine</s> eight planets in the [[solar system]] orbiting a [[star]] called [[sun|Sol]] in random [[science fiction]] stories. While some believe there is intelligent [[life]] on Earth, others are too smart to really believe this.
 
'''Earth''' is one of <s>nine</s> eight planets in the [[solar system]] orbiting a [[star]] called [[sun|Sol]] in random [[science fiction]] stories. While some believe there is intelligent [[life]] on Earth, others are too smart to really believe this.
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[[File:Pale Blue Dot.png|thumb|right|180px|<center>'''Can you find the Earth in this picture?'''</center>]]
  
 
Earth is also one of the four fundamental elements the [[Greek]]s [[philosophy|philosophised]] about, the others being water, air and fire. Some people consider their philosophical ruminations to be somewhat naive. If you consider that they were doing said philosophizing a good few thousand years ago, and the four elements line up pretty well with solid, liquid, gas and energy, perhaps they were not too far off the mark after all.
 
Earth is also one of the four fundamental elements the [[Greek]]s [[philosophy|philosophised]] about, the others being water, air and fire. Some people consider their philosophical ruminations to be somewhat naive. If you consider that they were doing said philosophizing a good few thousand years ago, and the four elements line up pretty well with solid, liquid, gas and energy, perhaps they were not too far off the mark after all.

Revision as of 14:32, 11 March 2010

Earth is one of nine eight planets in the solar system orbiting a star called Sol in random science fiction stories. While some believe there is intelligent life on Earth, others are too smart to really believe this.

Can you find the Earth in this picture?

Earth is also one of the four fundamental elements the Greeks philosophised about, the others being water, air and fire. Some people consider their philosophical ruminations to be somewhat naive. If you consider that they were doing said philosophizing a good few thousand years ago, and the four elements line up pretty well with solid, liquid, gas and energy, perhaps they were not too far off the mark after all.

Fun facts about the Earth

  • Most humans believe that the Earth is a sphere (more-or-less). A highly vocal, loony, and nasally minority seem to think that it is flat, presumably squarish. This RationalWiki editor believes that it is a dodecahedron.
  • There is a heck of a lot of water on the Earth. Curiously, while water is absolutely vital to continued life as humans know it, most of the Earth's water, if consumed in sufficient quantities, would kill humans.
  • The Earth's environment is seemingly quite fragile. However, since it is our God-given right to trash it, dammit we're gonna do it.
  • Everyone that has ever lived and everyone you have ever known has been from Earth. Deep, ain't it? Alien abductionists may disagree with this.
  • Earth's star, Sol (though possession probably should belong to Sol and not Earth), is considered to be average as stars go. How's that for weird?
  • Earth lost out to Mars when all of the planetary bodies of the Solar System voted for Most Likely to Support Life. But, who's laughing now?
  • " Mostly Harmless" (caps intentional)

Fact sheet (serious)

  • Radius (volumetric mean) = 6371.0 km
    • Equatorial = 6378.1 km
    • Polar = 6356.8 km
    • Crust depth = 25 km (varies)
    • Mantle thickness = 2860 km
    • Core = 3480 km
  • Mass = 5.9736E24 kg
    • Atmosphere = 5.1E18 kg
    • Hydrosphere = 1.4E21 kg
    • Crust = 3.4E22 kg
    • Mantle = 4.0E24 kg
    • Core = 1.9E24 kg
  • Distance from the Sun = 1.4960E11 m
  • Distance from the Moon = 3.8440E8 m
  • Escape velocity = 11.186 km/s
  • Bond albedo = 0.306
  • Surface temperature = 288 K
  • Gravitational binding energy = 2.5E32 J
  • Moment of inertia = 8.02E37 kg m²
  • Density = 5514.8 kg/m³
    • Atmosphere (surface) = 1.217 kg/m³
    • Crust = 2700 kg/m³
    • Mantle = 4500 kg/m³
    • Core = 1.1E4 kg/m³
  • Age = 6000 years (approx.)
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