Every year on Earth Day, we take a moment to appreciate the only home we’ve ever known. It is easy to get caught up in everyday life and forget just how incredible this planet really is.
Every year on Earth Day, we take a moment to appreciate the only home we’ve ever known. It is easy to get caught up in everyday life and forget just how incredible this planet really is.
From wild natural phenomena to mind blowing science, here are 10 fun facts about Earth that might just change how you see the world around you.
1. Earth is not a perfect sphere
Earth is slightly flattened at the poles and bulges at the equator. Scientists call this shape an oblate spheroid, caused by the planet’s rotation.
2. About 70 percent of Earth is covered in water
That sounds like a lot, but only about 3 percent of that water is fresh. Most of it is locked away in glaciers and ice caps.
3. Earth’s core is hotter than the Sun’s surface
The inner core can reach temperatures of over 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hotter than the surface of the Sun.
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Earth’s tectonic plates are always shifting, even if we do not feel it. This movement causes earthquakes, volcanoes, and even the formation of mountains.
5. A full day is not exactly 24 hours
Earth actually takes 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds to complete one full rotation. We round it up for convenience.
6. Earth has a powerful magnetic field
This invisible shield protects us from harmful solar radiation. Without it, life on Earth would not exist the way it does today.
7. The tallest mountain depends on how you measure it
Mount Everest is the highest above sea level, but Mauna Kea is actually taller when measured from its base on the ocean floor.
8. Earth is the only planet not named after a god
Unlike planets like Mars or Jupiter, Earth’s name comes from Old English and Germanic words meaning ground or soil.
9. Gravity is not the same everywhere
Because of variations in Earth’s shape and mass, gravity is slightly stronger in some places than others.
10. Earth has one Moon and it plays a major role
The Moon helps stabilize Earth’s rotation and controls ocean tides. Without it, life on this planet would look very different.
Earth is more than just where we live.
It is a complex and constantly evolving planet that makes life possible in ways we are still discovering.
This Earth Day, take a moment to step outside and appreciate everything this planet provides
