5 ms·

The correct answer is obvious — to stabilize the Earth's rotation — but there are a few implementation details to work out.

• kibwen 4y ago
  If we simply detonate the moon it would cease affecting the Earth's rotation, thus solving the problem.
  • Mountain_Skies 4y ago
    You've created the plot for 'Space: 2099'. Don't let Hollywood steal your idea.
  • Akronymus 4y ago
    Wouldn't work afaict. You'd have to get rid of the mass, not just explode it.
    • 4str0n0mer 4y ago
      If you would detonate the moon, break it up into small pieces and smear them out over its orbit, tidal friction would cease. Tidal friction is a major component of the earth's rotation's slowdown.
      • throw0101a 4y ago
        > If you would detonate the moon, break it up into small pieces […] Close to the plot of a recent Stephenson sci-fi novel: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seveneves https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seveneves
        • mark-r 4y ago
          I hated the fact that you had to get 9/10 through the book to find out how it derived its name. The number 7 appears right at the start, but it's a misdirection.
          • macintux 4y ago
            I got about halfway through before I started skimming. Interminable.
    • JadeNB 4y ago
      > Wouldn't work afaict. You'd have to get rid of the mass, not just explode it. I'm sure kibwen had in mind a Hollywood explosion, whereby a detonated object ceases to exist, rather than turning into many smaller objects.
    • ARandomerDude 4y ago
      “Sir, are you suggesting that we blow up the moon?”
      • jsymolon 4y ago
        Nope, just explosive rapid deconstruction.
  • masklinn 4y ago
    But wouldn't the rotational speed of the earth become more erratic?
    • kibwen 4y ago
      Indeed, but all life would be extinguished by the ensuing orbital bombardment, thus solving the problem.
• KyleBerezin 4y ago
  It would certainly be easier than fixing all of the software
• smegger001 4y ago
  Freeman Dyson figured out how to do that along time ago, he was more interested in speeding up rotation to disassemble a planet but the same method can be applied to set the rotation to a given speed. just build a planetary motor. encircle the earth with ferromagnetic coils, then fire asteroids (similarly banded) at the earth in a series of near misses the magnetic drag steals or imparts angular momentum depending on the direction of the asteroid relative to the earth.