4 ms·
However, North, South, East, and West are relative to the poles of the Earth. Something living in zero gravity would have to use some object as an anchor to det
by trealira 3y ago
However, North, South, East, and West are relative to the poles of the Earth. Something living in zero gravity would have to use some object as an anchor to determine the direction.
- Retric 3y agoYou’re also oriented based on objects. We don’t have an abstract compass pointing north 24/7 the way we can use our bodies to determine left and right or gravity to point down.
- trealira 3y agoRight, that's why we use compasses, which use the poles of the Earth to determine the direction. Something living in zero gravity doesn't have a planet, so they'd have to find something else to base the directions on. That's what I was trying to say before.
- withinboredom 3y agoNo, but they would have front and back, and people from the bridge would share which way was “up” and “down” and “left” and “right” based on the controls.
- anonymouskimmer 3y agoThe solar system has a north pole and a south pole based on the rotation of the Sun. Basically the only places in which there isn't something to orient against are in the depths of inter-galactic-cluster voids with nothing around. And if a being is stuck in one of those voids, orientation is way down the list of problems they have.
- trealira 3y agoThat's a good point. The sun of a solar system could possibly be what an alien society living in zero gravity bases their directions on.
- int_19h 3y agoFWIW there is some interesting variability among human cultures on that, as well. There are a few that actually use cardinal directions predominantly or exclusively instead of body-relative ones like "left" and "right".