Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Bouncing UK Children Cause Earthquake

Posted by timothy on from the up-and-down-simultaneously-sounds-impossible dept.

Xibalba writes: "This is kinda cool. One million children in the UK jumped up and down simultaneously in an attempt to see what would seismically happen." This cries out to become an annual (and international) all-ages event. Bounce! Bounce! Gain weight! Bounce! Repeat.

3 of 221 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Consequence? by tahini · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Richter scale is logarithmic, remember. 1000*3 on richter scale doesn't equal 3000 on richter scale.

  2. Re:They actually succeeded... by RedBear · · Score: 4, Redundant
    What if they have made a real big earthquake with damage and such?

    Lord Richter: "Do not be so proud of these children you've instructed; the power of one million bouncing children is insignificant next to the power of the Force..."

    Commander of Child-Powered Earthquake Machine: "You don't frighten us with your scientist's ways, Lord Richter. Your sad devotion to that ancient profession has not helped you conjure up new fault lines, or given you clairvoyance enough to--urk! Ack! Ick! Urg!"

    Prime Minister Tarkin: "Enough of this! Richter, stop jumping up and down on him!"

    Lord Richter: "As you wish..."

  3. 75,000 tons of energy ??? by wowbagger · · Score: 1, Redundant
    From the article:
    Early estimates suggested 75,000 tons of energy had been released during the minute of jumping.


    Exactly what do they think they mean by 75,000 tons of energy? Do they mean
    • "The energy of 75,000 tons of TNT detonating" (or 75 kT)
    • "The energy of a 75,000 ton object falling (an unspecified distance)"
    • Or for the pendantic: "An amount of energy equivelent to 75,000 tons of matter at E=MC^2"


    <sarcasm>
    Gosh, I do so love reporters and editors who are right on top of sceince <sic>
    </sarcasm>
    --
    www.eFax.com are spammers