Earth is how old!?

[weeman]

I thought I would share something very interesting with all of you. <br /><br />I was watching the show, 'Time' last night on the Science Channel, which is hosted by Dr. Michio Kaku. Our present estimates of Earth's age puts it right at about 4.6 billion years old. But can any of us really visualize how much 4.6 billion years is?<br /><br />Dr. Kaku helped put it into perspective.<br /><br />Lets say 1 millimeter represents one year backwards in time. So, if you're 40 years old, your entire life can be represented by 4cm. At this scale, it would take just 2 meters to represent all off the last 2,000 years, going back to the time of Christ. <br /><br />So then how much space do we need to represent 4.6 billion years? <br /><br />That equates to 4.6 billion millimeters. <br />4,600,000,000/1,000= 4.6 million meters<br />4,600,000/1,000= 4,600 kilometers<br /><br />4,600 kilometers is equal to about 2,800 miles. Which means that 4.6 billion years, on a millimeter scale, would stretch from New York to Los Angeles, and then some. Meaning, you would have to drive from New York, past Los Angeles, and into the Pacific Ocean for another 400 miles to reach 4.6 billion millimeters!<br /><br />Puts things into perspective, huh!? I thought that was an interesting fact that I would share <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[kyle_baron]

I also saw the same program last night. I thought it was excellent. OTOH, so what if man's time here on Earth is small, compared to the age of the Earth? Remember, time is relative! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="4"><strong></strong></font></p> </div>

 

[mooware]

Kyle.<br /><br />Dam is spelled with an N behind the M<br /><br />

 

[weeman]

<font color="yellow"> OTOH, so what if man's time here on Earth is small, compared to the age of the Earth? Remember, time is relative! <br /> </font><br /><br />Oh definitely, this thread is mainly to help us appreciate how old Earth is, because after all, it's our home and we owe our lives to it <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[cosmictraveler]

We need it more than it needs us. One day, since Earth is a living organism, it will just do away with humans forever. It can only stand so much abuse and neglect before it just gets pissed off enough to eliminate the pests that humans are to it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>It does not require many words to speak the truth. Chief Joseph</p> </div>

 

[kyle_baron]

Thanks, I appreciate it. Are you an English teacher? <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="4"><strong></strong></font></p> </div>

 

[yevaud]

Kaku is quite good at explaining Physics, true. I've enjoyed a few of his books and/or blog entries. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Differential Diagnosis:  </em>"<strong><em>I am both amused and annoyed that you think I should be less stubborn than you are</em></strong>."<br /> </p> </div>

 

[weeman]

You're right, cosmictraveler. At some point, Earth will do away with the human race, as it has done with all other species that became extinct in the past. Major extinctions are a regular cycle on this planet, it's just a matter of time until our number is up. <br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[emperor_of_localgroup]

Well, I don't think it's something extraordinary. If an insect traveled 1mm a year, and had it started at the beginning of the earth from NY, it would now be in CA. It's not too much of a distance.<br /><br />This may be a way to relate time with change.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="2" color="#ff0000"><strong>Earth is Boring</strong></font> </div>

 

[billslugg]

There is NO WAY an insect could have traveled that far without getting squashed by a car. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p> </div>

 

[weeman]

<font color="yellow"> If an insect traveled 1mm a year, and had it started at the beginning of the earth from NY, it would now be in CA. It's not too much of a distance. <br /> </font><br /><br />Damn, that'd be one scary bug! He'd be some kind of immortal Godzilla bug. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>

 

[schmack]

it probably would have been eaten by a bird or lizard first <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="4" color="#ff0000"><font size="2">Assumption is the mother of all stuff ups</font> </font></p><p><font size="4" color="#ff0000">Gimme some Schmack Schmack!</font></p> </div>

 

[commander_khashoggi]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>We need it more than it needs us. One day, since Earth is a living organism, it will just do away with humans forever. It can only stand so much abuse and neglect before it just gets pissed off enough to eliminate the pests that humans are to it.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />xDDD<img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /><br />I love that take on it.... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font size="3"><font color="#339966">"<strong>If it's planned,</strong></font> <font color="#808080"><u>it's boring.</u>"</font><font color="#ff9900"> </font><font color="#ffcc33"><strong>- <em>Freddie Mercury</em></strong></font></font></p> </div>