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The Moon Is Shrinking Like a Wrinkled Apple

Posted by Soulskill on from the that's-no-apple dept.

astroengine writes "New observations by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter have uncovered a number of previously unknown, recently formed 'lobate scarps' — raised cliffs about 9 meters high and several kilometers long — over the lunar surface. These scarps form along thrust faults where compression forces the moon's crust to rise. Up until now it was thought these lobate scarps only occurred around the lunar equator, but the high resolution LRO imagery suggests they are ubiquitous, regardless of latitude. As the moon is geologically inactive, what could be creating these features? It would appear the moon's surface is acting like the skin of an apple surrounding the shrinking, dehydrated flesh of the fruit; the lunar crust (skin) is wrinkling as the body of the moon (the flesh) shrinks due to cooling contraction inside the moon's core."

3 of 116 comments (clear)

  1. Re:I'll bet by ThinkWeak · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Mankind.....or Manbearpig!

  2. Re:The analogy is all wrong by Skater · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Well, the moon is made of cheese, so...

  3. Re:Tides? by UnknownSoldier · · Score: 0, Redundant

    > David Morrison, senior scientist at NASA's Lunar Science Institute

    > "Ancient calendars are interesting to historians, but of they cannot match the ability we have today to keep track of time, or the precision of the calendars currently in use."

    The Mayan Calender (365.2420 days) is more accurate then the Gregorian Calendar (365.2425 days) compared to the solar tropical year of 365.2422 days.

    Apparently he has never read "Calendar: Humanity's Epic Struggle to Determine a True and Accurate Year"

    > "There are many objectives of government, but they do not include keeping the population at ease."

    Riiiiiight, so "National Security", and the Declaration of Independence's "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." is just a a myth...

    Methings David should stick to just Astrobiology instead of exposing his ignorance...