Planet Earth may have 'tilted' to keep its balance, say scientists

Imagine a shift in the Earth so profound that it could force our entire planet to spin on its side after a few million years, tilting it so far that Alaska would sit at the equator. Princeton scientists have now provided the first compelling evidence that this kind of major shift may have happened in our world's distant past.

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[edit on 2006/8/27 by Hellmutt]

Great find.

I wonder what people are going to think about this planet's history now? I haven't heard of this balancing before, but it makes total sense. Looks like Mars is in on this as well. I know I read that there was fresh water in the Arctic before, and this would be a very good reason why that happened.

that's interesting

and the ongoing research which the geologists & scientists et al will undertake

plus, all the research expeditions to gather data to fine tune add-on theory(s)
will do much to keep the science & academic communities in the 'black'
(positive cash flow)

however...i feel that the 23.5 degree tilt of the planet was way back when the Mars sized object hit the early earth & spun-off the debris that makes up the moon.

The scientists can make a case for your item you posted, but that theory is like a flea jumping on an elephant's back...imho

thanks.

If you have an understanding of precession and gyroscopic theory, the earths tilt and its continued wandering around a 21-25 degree tilt can be explained by the movement of the earths upper crust over time. As the continental plates drift and ice ages formed heavier areas on the planet the earths tilt changed/s. The tilt would have been formed as earth evolved from a molten hot planet to a cool outer crust that it is today. Even the fact that the earths magnetic field flips 180 degrees has some effect on the tilt of the planet.

The tilt makes the planet one of the most stable gryoscopic platforms as a complete cycle of the earths wandering around its tilt axis takes around 25,000 years. This indicates a very stable platform, more stable than some of the best gryoscopes built by man.

[edit on 27-8-2006 by dagebow]