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1500 questions
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votes
4 answers

Hudson Bay Has Low Gravity?

Is there lower gravity at the Hudson Bay? How does this happen? And where exactly is this because I might want to go.
Flavor
12
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2 answers

What are the ramifications to life on Earth when the Earth's magnetic poles switch?

This question is related to this question about the cause of the Earth's magnetic field switching polarity. My question is: How does this switch in the polarity of the magnetic field affect life on Earth? Will it have detrimental effects to living…
Chris Mueller
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What causes these mound-like ground formations?

Whilst riding on Mam Tor in Castleton, England I came across this scene (not my photo) and I would like to know what causes the formations which I have ringed in red. They look like piles of earth have been deposited a long time ago, but clearly…
user124425
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Why is the diurnal temperature range on the Cascade volcanoes so small?

Ski-mountaineering in the Pacific Northwest I am frustrated that the snow pack isn't refreezing at night. There is about a 20F difference between the day and night temperatures in Seattle. Looking at forecasts for Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker, the…
DavidG25
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1 answer

How to tell the difference between real rain and fake rain (cloud seeding)?

I live in a city where the pollution is bad, so bad that sometimes we get 'fake' rain (from cloud seeding). This may last for an extended period. There have been times before when it has “rained” and it might as well have been raining. This seems to…
Mou某
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What is the fastest the Earth has ever spun?

How fast can the Earth rotate and support life? In prehistoric times, dinosaurs were so massive that archeologists wonder how they were not crushed under their own weight. Could a faster spinning Earth allow larger animals to exist? Could the…
Muze
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12
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Water on Mars and Earth

If water on Earth came from meteorites, why doesn't Mars have substantial water? What made it more highly probable on Earth than on Mars?
Porcupine
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Why are many fossils found in deserts?

Why are deserts famous for fossils? Is it a coincidence? Some examples: Giant Catfish Fossil Found in Egyptian Desert Chile's stunning fossil whale graveyard explained Giant Dinosaur Fossil Found in Sahara Desert
Porcupine
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Is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge a ridge or a trench?

I am confused after reading conflicting text from different sources. For example, I read that divergent oceanic plates form ridges. National Geographic calls Mid-Atlantic Ridge a valley! On the other hand, Wikipedia states this: The Mid-Atlantic…
Porcupine
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Relationship between natural disaster and global warming, in the media

Sorry in advance if this is too broad a question. Feel free to let me know if it is off-topic. I don't know more than the next person around about climate change, but I am really not a climato-skeptic myself. Yet, I feel uneasy about the way the…
Martin Van der Linden
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How deep was the Vredefort Crater when it happened?

The Vredefort Crater is one of the biggest known impact craters on earth. How deep would it have been, relative to the original ground height, immediately after the dust settled, and before any erosion kicked in? Is there a general relationship…
naught101
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Where does the Amazon River really begin?

Where is the true source of the River Amazon? Searching Wikipedia, it suggests the River Apurímac has traditionally been considered the source. However, Google says it is the River Mantaro. In other places it is suggested it is the Nevado Mismi. So…
guest
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Do hurricanes cool the earth?

I noticed that temperature drops in the surrounding area of a hurricane. Is the heat converted into kinetic energy? Could the shape of the hurricanes reflect sunlight? Do they create more lightning in an area that would normally have lower levels…
Muze
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How do Rossby Waves in the ocean form?

So on land, I believe that one factor in their formation is due to inhomogeneities in surface heating between land and ocean (and also inhomogeneities in surface heating due to terrain effects like the Rocky Mountains). But what about in the ocean,…
InquilineKea
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Does the elliptical orbit of the Earth have effect on Earth's climate?

I know the Earth is nearest to Sun during the summers of the southern hemisphere. Does the orbit affect the climate actually? For example, would there be any difference if the Earth had a perfectly circular orbit? If so, what is the effect of it?…
Gstestso
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