The Moon is a satellite of the Earth and something like a bodyguard, protecting our planet from asteroids and meteors. Thanks to the Moon, there is a regular change of tides on Earth, and the tilt of the planet’s rotation axis is maintained. Now imagine how life on Earth will change if something suddenly happens to the Moon.
15. Seasons will be unpredictable
The Moon helps the planet maintain its axis of rotation at one, its usual angle of 22-24 degrees. If the Moon suddenly disappears, this angle will fluctuate very strongly, that is, the planet will begin to “sausage” - and, accordingly, climate and seasonality changes will begin. The clear change of seasons will be a thing of the past, the weather will behave unpredictably, replacing weeks of rain with months of drought, and then covering everything with snow.
14. Vast areas will quickly become uninhabitable
Without the Moon in the sky, the tilt of the Earth's axis will change quite quickly, which will lead to huge changes on our planet in a very short time. And this could make much of the earth's surface unsuitable for life and agriculture. The growth of uninhabited wastelands on Earth can occur quickly, within a few years. And the ice caps at the poles will melt much faster than now, which will raise the level of the world's oceans and ultimately lead to a cooling of the planet. That is, after the stage of heating and melting of ice is completed, the next ice age will begin. The transition to it will be quite long and gradual, but on the outer surface of the Earth these changes will affect quickly enough and will be obvious.
13. More powerful hurricanes will appear
Without the Moon, the Earth's rotation speed will change. The Moon slows it down, taking part of the Earth's rotational energy for its own orbit. In the absence of the Moon, our planet will begin to spin much faster, but even if it didn't, the sudden loss of Earth's gravitational force would likely lead to major climate changes. For example, the strongest hurricanes and storms that simply sweep away everything in their path.
12. Volcanoes become active
If the Moon disappears, we will gradually see volcanoes awakening - one after another, somewhere within a couple of years. After all, sharp fluctuations in the inclination of the Earth’s rotation axis and changes in the rotation speed will cause strong tremors of the planet, followed by all sorts of geological disasters. Tectonic plates will begin to shift, causing earthquakes. And volcanic activity in this case is inevitable.
11. Loss to space exploration
The Moon is one of the important objects of space research, and if it disappears, then astronautics will lose a lot. There is nothing to say here: you can get to the Moon in four days. The journey to the other cosmic body closest to us takes at least a month. The Moon is very important for the development of science and its loss would be irreparable.
10. There will be no more tides
It may seem that the regularity of the ebb and flow of tides is not particularly important for life on Earth, but this is not so. In fact, it is critical to maintaining ecosystems in balance and controlling and stabilizing ocean temperatures by connecting warm and cold currents.
9. Let's imagine that the Moon exploded...
How can the Moon suddenly disappear? Suppose it exploded (this is the first and most obvious thing you can imagine). And we remain like this on Earth - not only without protection from meteors, but also pieces of the exploded Moon are falling on us... The speed of 8 km/sec is quite high, and if small fragments burn up in the atmosphere, then larger ones will reach the Earth and will cause her considerable damage.
8. Giant Tidal Waves
Normally, the Moon's gravitational pull causes a bubble of water to "swell" around the Earth's middle. Without the Moon, the bubble will burst and you can imagine where the water will go. This will create tidal waves of incredible proportions that will hit the coasts.
7. The Earth's rotation speed will increase
The Moon slows down the rotation of the Earth, and without the Moon, a day on our planet would last only 6 hours. If the Moon disappears, then nothing will take away some of the energy from the Earth and the Earth's rotation will accelerate. The change will occur gradually, but quite quickly - within a few years the calendar will completely change.
6. No more protection from asteroids
Without the protection of the Moon's bodyguard, the Earth will be open and vulnerable. It’s not for nothing that our satellite is covered in crater holes, and each one was formed as a result of a collision with some celestial body. And if there is no Moon, then the next such collision is much more likely to occur with the Earth.
5. The tilt of the Earth's rotation axis will change
The tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation plays an extremely important role in how life on our planet is organized, and the Moon is one of the key components on which this tilt depends. Without the Moon, the axial tilt could change from 24.5 degrees to 45 degrees, and if this happens, then the poles will no longer be covered with snow. The melting of the poles will completely change the appearance of the planet. Forest areas will become deserts, and very quickly. All the ice melting at the north and south poles will lead to a sharp increase in CO2 in the air, and this, in turn, will lead to even more drastic climate changes... In general, we are all finished.
4. Agricultural calendars can be thrown away
It may sound stupid, but many people involved in agriculture still check the phases of the moon - when to plant what, when to fertilize, when to harvest, etc. Especially small farmers who are simply accustomed to doing this. If the Moon disappeared, what would they, poor people, do? Farms will have to be closed. Besides, there won’t be much sense in them anyway when everything starts to collapse and fall into disrepair.
3. We will see a truly starry sky
Well, at least something good, finally! Those who love to look at or photograph the night sky will have the chance to see the bright stars without induced moonlight, in their original form. They will, of course, have little time, given the fact that without the Moon, very soon there may simply be no lovers of looking at the night sky left on Earth.
2. The werewolves will have nothing to howl about!
Werewolves are popular mythical creatures from legends and horror stories, and the Moon is necessary for their existence. It turns out that these characters will die out as unnecessary - they simply will not have any power left.
1. Garbage wars
Poverty and misery are terrible. But wait until the moon disappears! Then you will see what real poverty and misery are. As a result of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, destructive tidal waves, and the destruction of fertile lands, a huge number of poor and hungry people will appear who will walk and look for food everywhere. And you can imagine what happens when one group of people collides with another in search of resources. The war begins. But in this case, these will be wars over garbage waste, and very cruel ones - as always, when people have nothing left to lose.
This is the apocalyptic picture that emerges. Luna, please stay where you are!
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We are so accustomed to the Moon that we don’t even think about how much our lives depend on this faithful satellite of the Earth. Let's imagine that the Moon suddenly disappeared. Suddenly some kind of cosmic collapse occurred, or aliens blew it up, simply because they can (and apparently are not very different from humanity). What will happen to our planet without the Moon? Nothing good, namely: Of course, the main task of “protecting” the Earth from asteroids is taken on by 2 giants - Saturn and Jupiter. But the Moon also takes impacts from many asteroids, thereby partially protecting our planet from celestial bombardment. Without the Moon, more celestial rocks would fall to Earth. Thanks to lunar gravity, our planet has ebbs and flows. And although we still have the Sun, the tidal forces generated by the Moon are almost double those generated by the Sun. With the disappearance of the Moon, the tides would also disappear. This would have a devastating effect on marine life, and would ultimately lead to the mass extinction of species.1. Asteroid threat
2. The tides would stop completely
3. The Earth may have a “nervous breakdown”
Due to the loss of lunar gravity that Earth has become accustomed to over the past 4.5 billion years, the planet's core might feel some awkward change. Because of this, a lot of very, very bad things can happen, such as
You can often hear that the Earth owes its habitability to its satellite, whose gravity holds the axis of our rotation, and that, in turn, ensures the stability of the Earth's climate. Therefore, if the Earth loses the Moon, then everything will go wrong and life on the planet will disappear. But is this really so? Astronomer Jack Lissauer thinks not.
You probably remember that the most ingenious villainous plan of the main character of the cartoon “Despicable Me” was to steal the natural satellite of our planet, that is, the Moon. And after he managed to do this, the complete end of the world came on Earth - the climate deteriorated, the mountains moved, in a word, everything went wrong. This is probably why Gru decided to urgently return the Moon to its place - the villain realized that this celestial body hangs above our heads not only as a decoration of the night sky.
However, all this, as we understand, is purely the imagination of the cartoon’s authors. But do they have any real basis? Of course, it is unlikely that in the next thousand years any of the earth’s inhabitants will be able to repeat such a abduction of the Moon in reality, but our satellite can leave the Earth in some other way - for example, leaving its orbit after being hit by a large celestial body. And then what will happen to our planet, as well as those who live on it?
According to scientists’ calculations, nothing good can be expected after the Moon “departs” for distant lands - without the gravitational influence of the satellite, the Earth’s rotation axis would not shift in the range of 22.0-24.6° (which is observed now and generally throughout the history of our planet ), and would fluctuate from 0 to 85°. It turns out that our planet would simply fall on its side from time to time! Well, if this happens, then, you understand, the polar night and polar day would become the norm not only for the poles, but for all regions of the Earth in general, which would undoubtedly affect the climate. As a result, if the axis deviated to 0°, the northern regions would be uninhabitable due to the cold, and the equator would be forever overheated and, accordingly, also lifeless.
However, how close is the picture painted by such a model to what could happen in reality if the Moon leaves the vicinity of the Earth? Having asked this question, astronomer Jack Lissauer from the NASA Research Center in Ames (USA), who, by the way, at one time discovered the first two satellites of the planet Uranus, decided to build his own model of this hypothetical catastrophe. Moreover, the lifetime of the Earth without its satellite in this model was determined to be 4 billion years - that is, as long as life exists on our planet. And what do you think, no catastrophic scenarios ever arose in this model - over all four billion years, the tilt of the earth’s axis did not exceed 40 degrees and did not fall below 10 degrees.
“If the Earth did not have a Moon, the tilt of its axis of rotation - and thus the climate - would vary much more than it does now, this is true. But nothing as bad as previous models showed us would happen. Even if we take such a small geologically measured period as the time required for the development of complex life, then even during this period the changes could be, say, ten degrees in both directions, but no more. And this would not lead to sudden climatic changes that could threaten the existence of primitive living organisms,” Dr. Jack Lissauer comments on the research results.
By the way, the scientist notes, if the Earth, deprived of a satellite, had in addition a retrograde rotation (that is, the Sun would rise for earthlings in the west), which should sometimes be found among rocky exoplanets of other systems, the fluctuations in the tilt axis would be even less. This is explained by the fact that in this case the rotation of the planet around its axis would go in the direction opposite to the one in which it travels around the star. Thus, says Dr. Lissauer, Earth-like exoplanets that lack natural satellites should not immediately be automatically classified as lifeless - especially if they have a retrograde rotation.
However, the scientist adds, long-term climate fluctuations associated with stronger fluctuations of the earth’s axis in the absence of the Moon would indeed take place, but they cannot in any way be called catastrophic. In the end, we must not forget that even a strong axis tilt (leading to the “spreading” of the polar night and day) simultaneously with a cooling effect due to an increase in albedo (surface reflectivity) in the unlit hemisphere, which would ensure the formation of a large amount of ice during the polar night, would increase the efficiency of the planet's absorption of sunlight. And this should give a heating effect - at least that’s what many models say.
Almost every person at least once in his life thought about what would happen if the Moon disappeared and how it affected earthly life. Scientists have not yet proven even half of what is considered true by the people. But on some points everyone agrees unanimously. Most of all, the Earth's satellite affects its inhabitants at the time of the full moon.
Full moon
Many have heard that most children are born during the period when the moon is full. In addition, according to some data, it is at this time that most crimes are committed than usual. But no serious research or statistics have been conducted on this matter. Although they still tried to calculate the influence of the satellite on these factors. For example, from 1985 to 1990, statistics on the birth of babies were compiled in France. According to the results, it turns out that during the full moon the increase in babies is only 0.14 percent, and this is very little to prove any theories.
Also, the question about fertility, when the Americans asked themselves in heaven. The count was conducted in North Carolina from 1997 to 2001. But the results were about the same as in France.
Ebbs and flows
It was possible to scientifically confirm the influence of the satellite only in relation to the tides and ebbs of water on Earth. The level of the ocean and other bodies of water directly depends on the location of the Sun and Moon. This is due to the fact that the gravity of celestial bodies acts on moisture, raising it. But if in the ocean this is noticeable with the naked eye, then in small lakes the tides are not so noticeable.
Owls and full moon
Scientists have been able to record that depending on the phase of the moon, some animals begin to behave in a special way. For example, owls hunt more actively during the full moon. There is a hypothesis that this is due to the level of light.
The Moon as such does not glow itself, it only reflects the light of the Sun, and a weak light appears on the Earth. It is quite enough to see the area better. Therefore, scientists believe that the light of the moon gives owls an advantage in hunting.
Earth Stabilization
There is also a hypothesis about what influence the Moon has on the Earth. It says that thanks to our satellite, the planet is more stable. Considering the size of the planet, this satellite is quite large. The diameter of the Earth is 12,742 kilometers, and that of the Moon is 3,474 kilometers. Scientists believe that this is a cosmic rarity, because besides Earth, only Pluto has such a satellite. And, in their opinion, it is thanks to the Moon that our planet has such an axis of inclination and has seasons.
Some scientists, answering the question of what will happen if the Moon disappears, say that in a couple of million years the rotation of the planet will change. Because of this, the climate may also change, it will become less favorable for the development of life. It is believed that the Moon also influenced the number of hours in the earth's day. For example, 400 million years ago the Earth rotated every 22 hours.
Would there be life without the Moon?
Scientists do not say anything definite about whether our Earth would exist as it does now if it did not have a satellite. They adhere to the theory that our planet is unique. That is, many circumstances led to the emergence of life on Earth. Just water or the atmosphere is not enough for its origin.
On our planet, all this happened simultaneously, including a stable climate and stabilization of the axis tilt with the help of a satellite. That is, scientists cannot determine whether life would exist without the Moon or not. And it is unknown whether we overestimate the tides or, conversely, do not understand their large-scale impact on the well-being of the Earth.
Appearance of the Moon
According to scientists, as soon as a person visited the Moon, the mystery of its origin should have been immediately solved. But in reality it turned out quite the opposite. Scientists still cannot give an exact answer to the question of how exactly our satellite appeared. Moreover, there are now as many as five theories of its origin.
The most plausible of them is a collision. Approximately 4.4 billion years ago, the Earth experienced a collision with another cosmic body. They named him Theia. And when this planet, which was theoretically close to the Earth, gained enough weight, they collided. This entailed practically turning the Earth inside out, and from there a piece of plasma separated and gradually turned into the Moon. And it was thanks to the satellite that the water that appeared on Earth slowly spread across the planet. Therefore, in this case, the answer to the question of what will happen if the Moon disappears is quite negative. This theory suggests that the Earth would experience drought and would not be as fertile and viable as it is now.
Russian and American theories
Modern Russian science is more inclined to another theory, that the Moon is particles of a dust cloud that the young Earth did not attract to itself. Since the composition of the satellite is very similar to that of Earth, this theory has not yet been refuted.
But according to Darwin's son George, the Moon is a broken piece of the Earth due to its rapid rotation in the old days. It came off near the equator, where the Pacific Ocean is now located. But the fact is that when the Moon appeared, the pool had not yet formed, and the rotation of the Earth was slower than necessary for the detachment of matter. Therefore, this hypothesis was refuted.
There are two more theories about the appearance of the Moon. The first suggests that it was a separate planet, but over time the Earth pulled it towards itself. But this does not explain the similarity of the composition of the Moon with the Earth's mantle. But the second theory explains this, but is also unlikely. It appeared in the 1970s in America. Scientists have suggested that the Earth evaporated due to intense heating, and from substances thrown into space, the Moon was formed. But there is no evidence that our planet has ever warmed to such high temperatures.
Conclusion
None of the scientists can say exactly what will happen if the Moon disappears. Of course, it can be blown up, it can move away from the planet, and in general anything can happen. The only thing that is known for sure is that the climate on the planet will change, and living conditions may become worse. But before this happens, a lot of time must pass. Therefore, we are unlikely to know the answer to this question. So in general there is nothing to worry about, unless the military decides to test a bomb on our satellite.
Sgushchenkin, there hasn’t been such a collection of nonsense for a long time, starting with the title...
15. “The moon helps the planet maintain its axis of rotation at one, its usual angle of 22-24 degrees.”
What helps Mars maintain such an inclination? A brick in the shape of a skinny Phobos? What about the giant Saturn? His poor icicles? Why did Uranus turn on its side? Did the moon fly by?
14. “Without the Moon in the sky, the tilt of the Earth's axis will change quite quickly, which will lead to huge changes on our planet in a very short time.”
Will not change.
13. "Without the Moon, the Earth's rotation speed will change. The Moon slows it down, taking part of the Earth's rotation energy for its own orbit."
Will not change. The Moon slows down the Earth's rotation, creating a tidal hump on the planet, including in the crust. Without this tidal hump, the rotation will stabilize and the speed will not change. Almost. The sun also creates a tidal hump, only smaller. So the Earth will continue to slow down its rotation.
"abrupt disappearance of the Earth's gravitational force"
What, what?! Gravity on Earth can decrease only in three cases: if the Earth loses mass while maintaining its radius, or if the Earth is inflated in all directions while maintaining its mass.
12. “If the Moon disappears, we will gradually see volcanoes awakening - one after another, somewhere within a couple of years.”
If the Moon disappears, tidal deformations of the earth's crust will disappear and along with them lithospheric tectonics and volcanism will disappear.
11. “The Moon is very important for the development of science and its loss would be irreparable.”
The moon has already been studied far and wide. It has practically no scientific value, and no industrial value either.
10. "There will be no more tides"
They will. From the sun. But 3 times less than from the Moon.
9. "Let's imagine that the Moon exploded..."
Let's imagine that grandma suddenly has eggs. What will happen to grandfather's sexual orientation?
8. “The gravitational pull of the Moon causes a bubble of water to “swell” around the middle part of the Earth. Without the Moon, the bubble will burst and you can imagine where the water will go.”
I'm just shocked. Does anyone else know about a bubble of water around the middle of the Earth?
7. The Earth's rotation speed will increase
For those especially gifted who repeat this point a second time, the speed of the Earth’s rotation will not change.
6. "protects from asteroids... if there is no Moon, then the next such collision is much more likely to happen to the Earth."
On the contrary, it was the Earth that had just cleared everything possible from asteroids around its orbit. And in the process of “clearing” it served as an accelerator for asteroids, which hit the Moon with even greater speed and eagerness, experiencing a gravitational maneuver in the Earth’s gravitational field.
5. "The tilt of the Earth's rotation axis will change"
One more repetition? Will not change.
4. “still, many people involved in agriculture check the phases of the Moon - when to plant what, when to fertilize, when to harvest, etc. Especially small farmers who are simply accustomed to doing this. If the Moon disappeared - and what would they, the poor, will they do it? We'll have to close the farms"
Well, of course. It's easier to close a farm than to buy a calendar.
Maybe your periods will finally stop?
3. "Those who love to look at or photograph the night sky will have the chance to see the bright stars without induced moonlight, in their original form."
Well, yes, after all, just looking at the sky on a moonless night is not destiny for many... WHAT TO DO
2. "The werewolves won't have anything to howl about!"
Don't pour any more condensed milk!
1. “But in this case, these will be wars over garbage waste, and very cruel ones - as always, when people have nothing left to lose.”
