• Question: What would happen if the Earth gradually stopped turning and eventually became still?

    Asked by lucymcf to Damien, Rachael, Simon, Suzi, Tim on 20 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Damien Hall

      Damien Hall answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      Hi lucymcf!

      I think the first thing to say is that this isn’t going to happen any time soon, if ever
      🙂

      I reckon the main thing you’d want to know first was whether the Earth was still orbiting the Sun or not when it stopped turning itself. If it was still orbiting the Sun, then, when it stopped turning, one side would be permanently towards the Sun and the other side would be permanently away from it. I think that would make it too hot for life on the one side, and too cold for life on the other side, though maybe life would still be possible in between, at the edge of the shadow.

      If the Earth somehow became free of the Sun’s gravity and drifted away, so that it wasn’t orbiting that either, then eventually it would get too cold for life (as the outer planets of the Solar System are, as far as we know).

      Not a very optimistic answer – sorry!

    • Photo: Suzi Gage

      Suzi Gage answered on 20 Jun 2011:

      Would we all fall off the world??? 🙂

      I don’t know what would happen, but the seasons would stop, and as Damien says there would be permanent day on half the earth, and permanent night on the other. The ‘night’ side would eventually get far too cold, and the ‘day’ side too hot, it wouldn’t be good!

      Thanks for the question @lucymcf

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