E
emperor_of_localgroup
Guest
<p><font size="2">I had this crazy thought a while back and worked on the theory a bit to get a feel of all the variables necessary in such situation. Then I put this aside for much more real important works. But recently I noticed a couple of threads in SDC forums which may relate to my crazy theory. The threads are about dinosaurs and lobsters on Mars. Here is a weird possibility for dino extinction.<br /><br />The earth has a escape velocity of approximately 25000mph. It is possible in a distant past earth's speed was abruptly reduced by at least 25000mph causing most loose objects on the surface of the earth to fly off the earth-surface into space, due of course to inertia. This is the same effect we all observe while driving cars and by suddenly applying the brakes. I know you are asking how that can ever be possible for our sweet home we call earth. Simple. All the earth needs for a sudden change in speed (or momentum) is a massive space object to fly by without hitting the earth. Currently earth speed around the sun is, again approximately, 64800mph. Which means before this speed reduction the earth had been moving at 89900mph or more, which does not seem too high. I even have a sketch of the fictitious event. </font></p><p> <br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/9/5/a92f15e6-5846-4bc1-851d-226ea93f7e8c.Medium.gif" alt="" /></p><p><font size="2">The math is also very simple if we equate the force necessary to reduce earth speed by 25000mph (rate of change in momentum) with gravitational pull on the earth by the massive space object.</font></p><p><font size="2"> </font><br /> <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/Content/images/store/14/7/ceb3d42d-b982-44f5-975a-a18b05846adf.Medium.gif" alt="" /></p><p> <font size="2">An undergraduate student with Microsoft Excel can easily plot a few graphs showing the relationships between R and M, R and t, M and t, or even M,R and speed of space object, which will enable a speed reduction by 25000mph.<br /><br />The moral of this story (or event or theory) is if we find dino fossils (in fact any fossil) on Mars or Moon or other objects in the solar system, the first thing we must do is run a DNA test, their origin may be this good old earth.</font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="2" color="#ff0000"><strong>Earth is Boring</strong></font> </div>