The Earth is so far the only known planet where complex life exists, humans have not found signs of life on any nearby planet. Perhaps the daily routine of existence has created an effect of undervalue towards our home, however, we must not lose sight of the fact that the Earth offers us endless riches that are impossible to quantify. To highlight the fascinating nature of our biological bubble, we tell you 9 amazing facts about planet Earth.
Curious facts about planet Earth
It is not round
The Earth is usually represented as a perfect orb, as examples we have computer simulations or globes. However, the Earth is not completely round, but rather has a flattened shape at the poles. If we had to pigeonhole its shape into a geometric figure then we would not say that it is a sphere, but rather a geoid.
This is due to the centrifugal force produced by rotational motion and gravitational interaction. The force produces a flattening at the poles and a widening at the equatorial line, as a consequence we have a geoid Earth that is not perfectly round.
Gravity does not work the same in all regions of the Earth
Now that we understand that the Earth is not uniformly round, we can understand that the incidence of the gravitational field does not act the same everywhere. Furthermore, the Earth’s surface is not homogeneous either, so the planet’s mass is not uniformly distributed. Together these factors cause variations in the value of the gravitational field.
liquid cover
Currently, liquid covers 70% of the Earth, we have heard it as a mantra: Three quarters of the planet are covered by water. However, this was not always the case and the proportion was much larger billions of years ago. According to recent research, when life began to emerge on the planet, the Earth was completely covered by water.
The mantle has more water than the surface
Like everything in nature, water is also part of a balance; water could not exist and simply disappear as if nothing had happened. So what happened? What happened is that the Earth’s mantle absorbed large amounts of the liquid, as if it were a giant sponge. Thus only the oceans that we know today remained. Which means that the Earth’s mantle has more water than the surface contains.
There is a planet living inside
One of the little-known facts about the planet is that in the depths of the Earth there are a couple of phenomena known as large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVP). In simple words, they are anomalous globes belonging to the lowest mantle, the one that borders the outer core. Researchers believe these core anomalies once belonged to the inner core of another planet called Theia that collided with Earth. As a consequence of the impact and the difference in densities, the Earth’s core absorbed the core of Theia that now lives in the depths of our planet.
Active tectonic plates
Like all terrestrial or rocky things, the Earth has tectonic plates. However, it is the only planet known to have activity in these. It could be said that our planet is alive, thanks to the movement of the tectonic plates we have rocky and mountainous formations on the surface. In addition to being responsible for volcanic activity.
The plate cycle also plays an important part in regulating the Earth’s temperature through the permanent renewal of the ocean floor. They not only generate earthquakes, but they keep the Earth alive.
It is a huge magnet
The composition of the Earth is much more complex than we understand, it is made up of different layers that each play a crucial role. In the center we have the person responsible for making our planet behave like a magnet of great immensity.
It is in the liquid outer core, where the magnetic field is generated that keeps us safe from the. It is composed of nickel and iron molten at high temperatures that behave like a liquid, rotate and flow like water. Thanks to this natural phenomenon, the Earth acts like a huge magnet and has magnetic poles.
The magnetic poles do not coincide with the geographical poles
And regarding magnetic poles, it should be noted that they are sometimes confused with geographic poles, but they are not the same. We know that the Earth has an angle of inclination on the ecliptic of 23°, an imaginary line crosses the center of the planet, cutting at the geographical north and south poles. In the north we have the Ocean and in the south we have Antarctica and they never vary.
The magnetic poles, on the contrary, change location depending on the movements of the Earth’s outer core that generate variations in the magnetic field. Throughout geological history, the magnetic poles have varied their position so much that they have even been known to have completely reversed.
What is the largest living structure?
The largest living structure on Earth is the Great Barrier Reef, measuring 2,000 kilometers in length. It is so large that it can even be observed from outer space through satellite photographs.
The Great Barrier Reef is made up of different species and is of utmost importance for the survival of the marine ecosystem where it is located. In 1981 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.