#1 The Earth’s Rotation is Slowing Down Gradually
The rotation of the Earth has been slowing down, however, it happens very slowly. Studies have shown that its rotation has slowed approximately 17 milliseconds for every 100 years. This slower rate will make our days longer. You won’t need to worry about seeing this in your lifetime, however. If will take up to 140 million years for the length of a day to increase by 25 hours.
#2 The Earth Has Its Own Magnetic Field
Because the core of the Earth is made of nickel and iron, it can create a magnetic field. When you combine the Earth’s core and its rapid rotation process, it creates a strong magnetic field. It is this magnetic field that protects the planet from the effects of solar winds.
#3 70% of the Earth’s Surface is Water
The first time astronauts went into space and looked down at the Earth, they called it the Blue Planet. This is because 70% of the Earth is covered by water. The remaining 30% is covered by solid ground that is above sea level. Grass, rock, and dirt are what made up the remaining parts of the Earth when it was first seen from above.
#4 The Earth is the Only Planet Not Named After a God
Of all of the planets, Earth is the only one not named after a God. The others were named after Roman Gods or Goddesses. The only planets that were named during ancient times were Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. This is because these were the only ones that could be seen with the naked eye. After Neptune and Uranus were discovered, the Roman method of naming the planets went into effect.
#5 It Was Once Believed that the Earth Was at the Center of the Universe
Because of the movement of the sun and the planets in relation to where they could be seen, ancient scientists believed that the Earth stood still and the other planets, as well as the Sun, orbited around it. Over time, the view of the Sun was at the center of the universe, and it was finally discovered that the Earth was never at the center of the universe.
#6 The Earth Isn’t a Perfect Sphere
Many people believe that the Earth is a perfect sphere. This is not the case. When the Earth spins, gravity points toward the center of the planet. This causes a force to push outward. This outward force gives the earth extra masses of water and earth, which creates a bulge. This bulge makes the Earth, not a perfect sphere.
#7 The Earth Moves Incredibly Fast
While you are standing on the Earth, it is spinning at over 1,000 miles per hour. What you may not know is that not only is the Earth spinning on its own, it is also moving around the Earth at the same time. At all times, the Earth spins around the Sun at 67,000 miles per hour. Considering how fast the planet is always moving, it is surprising that we cannot feel the Earth moving at all. The actual reason that we don’t feel the Earth moving is because the speed is constant. It doesn’t slow down or excel, therefore, you don’t feel any motion. The movement of the Earth compares to that of a moving car. If you are in a vehicle on a smooth road going the same speed, you likely won’t feel the movement then either.
#8 The Earth is Very Old
Since there is nobody alive who was alive when the Earth was first formed, scientists had to use the oldest rocks and other items to determine how old the planet actually is. It is believed that the Earth was formed at the same time the solar system was formed. This would make the earth about 4.54 billion years old. For years, scientists have been trying to dig up more and more artifacts to pinpoint the actual date that the Earth was formed. Unfortunately, this may not be something that can ever be done.
#9 The Hottest, Coldest, and Bumpiest Places on Earth
Earthquakes happen quite often, however, most of them don’t do much damage. The largest earthquake to ever shake the U.S. occurred on Good Friday, March 28, 1964. It was a magnitude of 9.2 and it struck Prince William Sound, Alaska. The world’s largest earthquake occurred on May 22, 1990, in Chile. It was a magnitude of 9.5. The Earth even has its own hot spot. The hottest spot on Earth is in El Azizia, Libya, where the record temperature hit 136 degrees on September 13, 1922. This data was collected from a weather station. The coldest place on Earth is in Antarctica. During the winter, the temperature can drop to minus 100 degrees. The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was at Russia’s Vostok weather station on July 21, 1983. The temperature that day dropped down to minus 128.6 degrees.
#10 The Earth May Have Had Two Moons At One Time
Many scientists believe that there were once two moons. It is believed that there was a very small second moon that was just 750 miles wide, and it orbited the Earth with the larger moon. According to scientists, the two moons slammed into each other. This huge crash could explain why the two sides of the moon look so different. Because there was nobody around way back then, we will never know the truth. We can only go by what the scientists have discovered and hypothesized.
#11 Pollution is Killing the Earth
This is one of the most frightening facts about Earth. Recent studies have shown that what the Earth looked like from outer space in 1978 will differ greatly with what it will look like in 2066. This is due to the way that we treat our planet. What was once a beautiful, blue, green, white planet will one day look brown, gray, and black from space. It is important that we make the necessary changes now to keep this from happening.
