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DR Congo Ring May Be Giant Impact Crater

Posted by Soulskill on from the leaving-a-mark dept.

Phrogman writes "The BBC is reporting that deforestation has 'revealed what could be a giant impact crater in Central Africa, scientists say. The 36-46km-wide feature, identified in DR Congo, may be one of the largest such structures discovered in the last decade.' If you search Google Maps for 'Omeonga Democratic Republic of the Congo,' you will be right in the middle of the suspected crater."

13 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Deforestation by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    Deforestation has revealed what could be a giant impact crater in Central Africa, scientists say.

    Well then, we should keep deforesting the entire planet. Who knows what amazing discoveries await?!

    --
    Trolling is a art,
    1. Re:Deforestation by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Well then, we should keep deforesting the entire planet. Who knows what amazing discoveries await?!

      We should not. The amazing discovery could easily be the one that increasing deforestation means more craters. (It seems kind of obvious when you take a look at the Moon.)

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  2. Similar feature by jbeaupre · · Score: 4, Funny

    Circular features are a great way to find impact sites. Heck, this area must have been hit by hundreds of meteors: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=37.701207,-100.71991&spn=0.375406,0.617294&t=h&z=11

    --
    The world is made by those who show up for the job.
    1. Re:Similar feature by BrentH · · Score: 3, Interesting

      What I never understand is that with a different packing pattern (hexagonal), they could use around 10% more land than they do now. Why don't they do this?

    2. Re:Similar feature by Burdell · · Score: 3, Informative

      It is kind of hard to make a straight-line irrigation beam extend and contract to form a hexagon as it goes around. These plots are irrigated from underground aquifers. There's a well in the middle and then a long irrigation beam that goes in a circle around the well. The pressure is controlled so the sprinkler heads near the middle release less water (since they cover less ground).

    3. Re:Similar feature by Locke2005 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Water is the limiting factor, not availability of land.

      --
      I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
    4. Re:Similar feature by camperdave · · Score: 3, Informative

      Some places do use a hex packing pattern. However most of the time the issue isn't land availability.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
  3. What's the opposite of Christopher Reeves? by spun · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Christopher Walken.

    But seriously, my GF in college worked with Chris Reeves at the Williamstown Theater Festival, and she said he was the nicest, most supportive and hard working actor she's ever met. He would thank the freaking techs! He would run lines with interns fer chrissake!

    He got thrown from his horse the summer after that, we were both pretty sad for the man.

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
    1. Re:What's the opposite of Christopher Reeves? by spun · · Score: 3, Funny

      Oh God, you're right. I can't believe I put wooden face's last name on Christopher.

      --
      - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
  4. Re:More Of The Same? by spun · · Score: 3, Interesting

    So the current destruction of that part of the earth has revealed an earlier attempt to destroy that part of the earth ... when will Mother Nature learn she can't get rid of us that easy?

    She doesn't want to kill us off. We're her eggs. She wants us to leave the nest, and go reproduce her on other planets.

    --
    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
  5. Link? by mr100percent · · Score: 4, Informative

    What is to stop slashdot from linking to the image in Google Maps in the original article?

  6. Re:So you're saying that superman... by Chris+Burke · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well, the leading theories right now are that it was either Superman crashing to earth at hypersonic speeds, or your mom playing hopscotch.

    --

    The enemies of Democracy are
  7. I'm still here by Bobb+Sledd · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you search Google Maps for 'Omeonga Democratic Republic of the Congo,' you will be right in the middle of the suspected crater.

    I did a google search, but I'm still here in this chair in my cubicle.

    --
    "They said I probly shouldn't fly with just one eye," "I am Bender. Please insert girder."