Although as I was thinking about it last night, if one of those 'nuggets' passing through the earth is disruptive enough to be measured on seismographic equipment, perhaps it would be a bit more disruptive to the human body than I first thought.
We need a physicist to explain the gravitational and nuclear effects of something that dense instantaneously passing through 'normal' matter.
When you think about matter being dense enough to have a teaspoon full weigh thousands of tons, you realize how 'empty' normal matter is at the subatomic level -- there's a lot of empty space between the protons, neutrons and electrons in our body.
So, my theory is that while it would happen fast, it would be no more destructive than slowly pushing a long, very thin needle through your body. You might feel it, but the surrounding tissue would close up pretty quickly.
Think of a high pressure water jet cutting a steel plate -- the adjacent material isn't disrupted much.
And, because your body and the rest of the 'normal' matter that makes up the earth is so porous/light/empty there really wouldn't be enough to absorb much energy/create much heat from this tiny thing passing through your body.
So, have a Molson and blame your headache on that damn nugget that just zipped through your head.
Slashdot Mirror
Although as I was thinking about it last night, if one of those 'nuggets'
passing through the earth is disruptive enough to be measured on seismographic
equipment, perhaps it would be a bit more disruptive to the human body than
I first thought.
We need a physicist to explain the gravitational and nuclear effects of
something that dense instantaneously passing through 'normal' matter.
When you think about matter being dense enough to have a teaspoon full weigh
thousands of tons, you realize how 'empty' normal matter is at the subatomic
level -- there's a lot of empty space between the protons, neutrons and electrons
in our body.
So, my theory is that while it would happen fast, it would be no more destructive
than slowly pushing a long, very thin needle through your body. You might feel it, but
the surrounding tissue would close up pretty quickly.
Think of a high pressure water jet cutting a steel plate -- the adjacent material
isn't disrupted much.
And, because your body and the rest of the 'normal' matter that makes up the
earth is so porous/light/empty there really wouldn't be enough to absorb much
energy/create much heat from this tiny thing passing through your body.
So, have a Molson and blame your headache on that damn nugget that just zipped
through your head.