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Chilean Earthquake Shortened Earth's Day

Posted by kdawson on from the ice-skater-effect dept.

ailnlv writes "Days on Earth just got shorter. The recent earthquake in Chile shifted the planet's axis by about 8 cm and shortened days by 1.26 microseconds 'The changes can be modeled, though they're difficult to detect physically given their small size. ... Some changes may be more obvious, and islands may have shifted. ... Santa Maria Island off the coast near Concepcion, Chile’s second-largest city, may have been raised 2 meters (6 feet) as a result of the latest quake ...'"

11 of 374 comments (clear)

  1. Great! by MichaelSmith · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can go home a few microseconds early today.

    --
    http://michaelsmith.id.au
    1. Re:Great! by derGoldstein · · Score: 5, Funny

      Sir, please don't bring your heliocentric propaganda into this scientific discussion.

      --
      Entomologically speaking, the spider is not a bug, it's a feature.
    2. Re:Great! by TapeCutter · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Hu, that's pretty interesting but what's a nutron star again?"

      Irresistible bait for spelling Nazi's.

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  2. Re:Did this affect climate by larry+bagina · · Score: 5, Funny

    either way, it's anthropogenic.

    --
    Do you even lift?

    These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  3. Re:What's with the red headline bar? by Tynin · · Score: 5, Funny

    It means that no one had posted anything to the comments of the story yet. And if you are a /. regular it's really a secret troll code telling you to rush in to comment about frosty piss and checking the post anonymously button while praying to the FSM that you beat all the other cowards to it. ;)

  4. Re:Did this affect climate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I knew it! I blame the political party I'm not affiliated with.

  5. Re:I know we love sensationalist headlines, but by The+Wild+Norseman · · Score: 5, Funny

    Remember, this is only what a model predicts, unlike what the headline suggests.

    Lemme guess: they used the Quake II engine?

    --
    "A government is a body of people usually -- notably -- ungoverned." -Shepherd Book
  6. Re:GPS affected? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    A James Bond inch? How awesome!

  7. Re:Did this affect climate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Q. What do all ice ages have in common?

    A. They never happened! That's what they have in common, they have all been concocted by scientists with an agenda to undermine scripture.

    And for all those who think that this earthquake wasn't caused by Man ... well it was! Fornication, homosexuality, feminism, democracy, drug-taking, violent video games, on-line porn, science, charity, freedom of speech, blashpemy, etc. etc. all these evils will not go unpunished!

  8. Re:Did this affect climate by Mitchell314 · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's the fault of both the parties, you sheeple!

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    I read TFA and all I got was this lousy cookie
  9. Re:I say everyone by derGoldstein · · Score: 5, Funny

    I wonder... Compare the total weight of the entire chinese population to the total weight of the entire population of the US. Who's heavier?

    --
    Entomologically speaking, the spider is not a bug, it's a feature.