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Building a Miniature Magnetic Earth

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the don't-bring-your-laptop-near-there dept.

Doofus writes "There was an interesting story on NPR this morning about a geophysicist who has constructed a miniature earth to model the earth's dynamo effects. Dan Lathrop, a geophysicist at the University of Maryland, has constructed a 10-foot diameter stainless steel sphere. He intends to fill the sphere with molten sodium and spin the sphere to examine the propensity for the system to generate its own magnetic field. The article includes both video, in which Lathrop spins up the sphere, and audio, including the conversion of magnetic wave functions in prior experiments into audible sound: literally the music of the spheres."

21 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. Hollow earth! by Ecuador · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wait, don't fill it up with anything. The model is accurate right now!

    --
    Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
    1. Re:Hollow earth! by bsDaemon · · Score: 4, Funny

      INFIDEL!! The Earth can't be both flat AND hollow! I'll kill you!!! I'll kill you all!!!

  2. Re:This isn't new by The+Ultimate+Fartkno · · Score: 4, Funny

    WTF? Mythbusters created their own planet? Where the fuck do I sign up? I've been worshiping Kari for a long time now, but I didn't know her deity status had been made official!

  3. Dream come true! by xpuppykickerx · · Score: 2, Funny

    We're going to go create our own dome, a dome within a dome. So don't come knockin on our door!

  4. thats a lot of sodium... by X0563511 · · Score: 5, Funny

    A 10-foot sphere filled with sodium? Damn... talk about playing with fire.

    --
    For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    1. Re:thats a lot of sodium... by hkfczrqj · · Score: 4, Funny

      Dan Lathrop works at the University of Maryland... probably you already have other reasons to stay out of thar region of the US.

    2. Re:thats a lot of sodium... by Firehed · · Score: 5, Funny

      if you're messing with large quanties of liquid sodium you'd think they'd have done their homework and know what to use

      A new pair of running shoes?
      --
      How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
    3. Re:thats a lot of sodium... by R2.0 · · Score: 2, Funny

      "A new pair of running shoes?"

      More likely a spare pair of underwear.

      --
      "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
  5. On top of things... by Otter · · Score: 4, Funny
    Sodium becomes liquid at stovetop temperatures and conducts electricity well, but it's flammable. A sodium fire can't just be put out with water. Water can actually make things worse -- Lathrop's team has disabled the sprinkler system.

    My first thought upon reading the summary here was "Man, I really hope they disabled the sprinkler system...

    --
    What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
  6. Just ask a Koreshan by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 2, Funny

    You fools, you are all wrong. The truth is that we live IN the hollow earth!

    --
    It is by the juice of the coffee bean that thoughts acquire speed, the teeth acquire stains. The stains become a warning
  7. Re:This isn't new by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 4, Funny

    > An interesting story on NPR this morning, about
    > a geophysicist who has constructed a miniature earth

    "Everything was modeled with exacting proportionality, including Pamela Andersons fake breasts, approximately 1cm in diameter on the beach-ball sized planet."

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    (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
  8. Re:nooo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    shouldn't you be commenting on youtube videos or something?

  9. Swiss by camperdave · · Score: 3, Funny

    Swiss Cheese is both flat and hollow.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    1. Re:Swiss by FurtiveGlancer · · Score: 2, Funny

      IMO, this "hole" discussion is flat and hollow. :b

      --
      Invenio via vel creo
  10. Class D fires by camperdave · · Score: 5, Funny

    Class D fires are not fun.

    You're not doing them right, then.

    --
    When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  11. You've been taught EVIL!! by nicodoggie · · Score: 3, Funny

    It has been proven by the Wisest Human on Earth, Dr. Gene Ray that the world is a CUBE!!

    Education vaporized your brain by not being taught the four corners of CUBIC CREATION!!!

    1. Re:You've been taught EVIL!! by Culture20 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Did you click on the "Next Page" link at the bottom of the page? The first page can't really be fathomed without reading the next three pages to form a full four-cornered web-timecube.

      <font color=ff0000><blink><marquee scrolldelay=100>Timecube</marquee><blink></font>

  12. Re:it has to be said by FurtiveGlancer · · Score: 2, Funny

    Steel, yes, but only one really big one. :(

    --
    Invenio via vel creo
  13. They're testing it now with water... by dpbsmith · · Score: 4, Funny

    I hope they remember to dry it out before they put in the sodium.

    --

    "How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!

  14. Re:Earth as a model? by BotnetZombie · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm mostly worried about the fjords now. Much harder on a tiny sphere.

  15. Re:He made one? by maxume · · Score: 2, Funny

    When you heard them say "coffee", you missed them saying "less".

    --
    Nerd rage is the funniest rage.