Circumferemce Of Planet Earth . .

[snowblizz]

Terry Pratchett fan Snowblizz?

Haha, not yet! But I'm planning on being.

I've heard a lot about it over the years but never really picked any of the books up. And just last week I happened to catch a filmatisation (sic?) of some of his work(s). I can't say which books it concerned but I realised the man's a genius and that I really need to read these. I was laughing so hard.

 

[JamesW]

The TV programs he did are total rubbish compared to the books.

Colour of Magic and Light Fantastic are his first 2, they will get you in touch with most of the main characters.

My favourite one is Thief of Time. Never laughed so much reading a book..

 

[SuperFerret]

My brother was the one that got me into them, I used to hear him howling with laughter in the early hours because he'd start reading one before going to sleep and be inable to put it down!

I have to say my favorite so far was colour of magic, but I do have plans to read more when I get chance!

 

[Sandeep Warrier]

Anyway everyone knows the world is held up by four elephants riding a turtle. So I don't see what this supposed "shape" has to do with anything.

There is actually a Hindu creation myth where the Earth is held up by 4 elephants who stand on the back of a tortoise; and this entire setup is enclosed within a giant snake (not literally within it, but the snake goes around so as to form a circle).

 

[Expiry]

Hello Friends,

I've been trying for some time to completely understand how Eratosthenes was able to successfully measure the circumference of Planet Earth. I've read his method several times but a complete understanding remains a tad beyond my reach.

In the simplest terms, can anyone explain how he was able to determine what portion of a circle a segement of planet earth represents? Thank You!

http://www.juliantrubin.com/bigten/eratosthenes.html

I think if you had a tape measure that was big enough to physically measure the circumference of the earth, the result would be completely different to any answer that has been produced through a 'succesful' theory.

I also suspect that if you measured the circumference of the earth on 100 different days, you would get 100 different answers.

I therefore summise that you could apply any theory to measure the circumference of the earth and as long as you make a few assumptions and use enough long words to make it sound like you know what you're talking about, no-one's going to argue too much.

 

[Evagrius Ponticus]

So then Sandeep - are you of the opinion that the Big Bang is an eternally reoccurring phenomenon? It collapses on itself, then expands, then collapses again, and then repeats to infinity? I have heard this theory . .

 

[Michael M]

Umm, just jumping in here....
The earth is an Oblate Spheroid, or, Pear shaped but not as extreme...
Now you know when things go wrong....they go "Pear Shaped"

 

[diddi]

just jumping in as well... to the water. hows your place going now the floods gone down.

 

[Sandeep Warrier]

So then Sandeep - are you of the opinion that the Big Bang is an eternally reoccurring phenomenon? It collapses on itself, then expands, then collapses again, and then repeats to infinity? I have heard this theory . .

Yup. I firmly believe in this (call it a gut feeling).

 

[Michael M]

Hey Diddi
Yeah,everything's good. Harvest started again on Tuesday.
Wheat gone from $200 / tonne to $10 / tonne feed wheat, but I imagine you all know that down your way.
Hope you all came out OK too.....Have a safe and merry......ugh, I hate saying that !!