Spinning Cores

dfield2000 · 24-10-2003, 4:04 PM

I'm fully prepared to suspend disbelief when watching a film - I love sci-fi and I'll buy into most hokum involving aliens / whatever, but in 'The Core', apparently the earths 'inner core' has stopped spinning and is in need of restarting. What the *!&* is all that about about ! Since when did any planet in any galaxy ever have a spinning core ?? Just seems a really stupid thing to base a film on.

Miyazaki · 24-10-2003, 4:58 PM

The earth's core does indeed spin. This is what creates the earths magnetic field, without which we would be bits of intergalactic toast, as the earths magnetic field deflects large amounts of solar radiation which is the cause of the northern and southern lights otherwise known as the aurora borealis.

ted26 · 24-10-2003, 5:45 PM

I cant believe you didnt know that dfield2000

Joking aside though does the earths core really spin?

24-10-2003, 7:13 PM

Well according to my A-Level physics teacher it does

but that was sometime ago

However, the core is an amazingly stupid film it really does take stupidity to whole new levels of stupid

It also claims that 1 is a prime number which is crap

Confucius · 24-10-2003, 7:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bobbles
It also claims that 1 is a prime number which is crap

I'm hoping someone will take issue with that statement so I can post an amusing quote that I've just found!

ted26 · 24-10-2003, 9:18 PM

http://www.reelcriticism.com/reviews...w_thecore.html

read the second paragraph in the review section

this suggests that the earths core does spin but not in the way that the film portrays

Anyone who wants to help is welcome

24-10-2003, 10:42 PM

Beyond my powers, I'm afraid.

However, I do remember hearing something (on Discovery?) about the Earth's magnetic field being created by the spinning of the molten core, & saying that there is or was a theory (apparently supported to a degree by Einstein) that the Earth's magnetic field may flip over - catastophically.

Whether that's because the core starts spinning the wrong way (like the water in the Simpsons trip to Australia?) I don't know.

It's just one of the ways the world may end, along with asteroids from outer space, nuclear war, plagues etc. I suppose the Core has at least been first with this apocalypse tie in.

**Zone** · 25-10-2003, 7:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Iam
there is or was a theory (apparently supported to a degree by Einstein) that the Earth's magnetic field may flip over - catastophically.

Not a theory but a fact, the earths magnetic field has fipped many times throughout its history

25-10-2003, 8:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zone
Not a theory but a fact, the earths magnetic field has fipped many times throughout its history

Prove it

dfield2000 · 25-10-2003, 9:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zone
Not a theory but a fact, the earths magnetic field has fipped many times throughout its history

yeah - I saw something on that also - it can be proved by looking at the magnetic 'signiture' of rocks on the sea bed which have formed over history and been effected by opposite poles as the magnetic field is flipped.

Still not convinced about the spinning core thing though.

**Zone** · 25-10-2003, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Iam
Prove it

Quote:

Originally posted by dfield2000
Still not convinced about the spinning core thing though.

Well it does

The very centre (core) is solid iron about the size of the moon and turns once in a hundred years or so, then comes an outer liquid core rich in iron about the size of Mars and then further layers leading to the rock mantel and here endeth the lesson

ted26 · 25-10-2003, 10:17 AM

Some info here for all you boffins

http://www.seismo.unr.edu/ftp/pub/lo.../interior.html

25-10-2003, 5:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Confucius
I'm hoping someone will take issue with that statement so I can post an amusing quote that I've just found!

go on what is it?

dfield2000 · 25-10-2003, 6:05 PM

..an amusing quote on the validity of 1 being a prime number !

This is going to be ball bouncingly funny.

Confucius · 25-10-2003, 8:54 PM

Nah, needs a good argument to set it up.

dfield2000 · 25-10-2003, 11:22 PM

Ok....

1 can not by divided by 1 as this would not constitute a division, therefore it is not a prime number.

And anyone who says different is a big girls blouse.

26-10-2003, 11:27 AM

a prime number has exactly 2 factors 1 and itself.

1 only has 1 factor therefore not prime

If 1 was prime an awful lot of higher order number theory proofs would be buggered

1 is a prime wannaby

Miyazaki · 26-10-2003, 2:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bobbles
1 is a prime wannaby

only on this forum coiuld you go from talking about a silly premise of a sci-fi action film to a discussion on the number "1" as a prime number

26-10-2003, 6:14 PM

it is not a discussion, it isn't. Full stop.

ted26 · 26-10-2003, 6:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Confucius
I'm hoping someone will take issue with that statement so I can post an amusing quote that I've just found!

still waiting

24-10-2003, 7:13 PM	#4
bobbles Guest Posts: n/a	Well according to my A-Level physics teacher it does but that was sometime ago However, the core is an amazingly stupid film it really does take stupidity to whole new levels of stupid It also claims that 1 is a prime number which is crap
	Quote

24-10-2003, 10:42 PM	#7
Iam Guest Posts: n/a	Beyond my powers, I'm afraid. However, I do remember hearing something (on Discovery?) about the Earth's magnetic field being created by the spinning of the molten core, & saying that there is or was a theory (apparently supported to a degree by Einstein) that the Earth's magnetic field may flip over - catastophically. Whether that's because the core starts spinning the wrong way (like the water in the Simpsons trip to Australia?) I don't know. It's just one of the ways the world may end, along with asteroids from outer space, nuclear war, plagues etc. I suppose the Core has at least been first with this apocalypse tie in.
	Quote

26-10-2003, 11:27 AM	#17
bobbles Guest Posts: n/a	a prime number has exactly 2 factors 1 and itself. 1 only has 1 factor therefore not prime If 1 was prime an awful lot of higher order number theory proofs would be buggered 1 is a prime wannaby
	Quote

26-10-2003, 6:14 PM	#19
bobbles Guest Posts: n/a	it is not a discussion, it isn't. Full stop.
	Quote