Scientists reveal why world's highest mountains are at the equator

steven johnson

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Thu Aug-13-09 11:05 PM
Original message

Scientists reveal why world's highest mountains are at the equator

It's just physics and climatology that make peaks higher around the equator.

Scientists have solved the mystery of why the world's highest mountains sit near the equator - colder climates are better at eroding peaks than had previously been realised.

In general, mountains only rise to around 1,500m above their snow lines, so it is the altitude of these lines � which depends on climate and latitude � which ultimately decides their height.

Scientists reveal why world's highest mountains are at the equator

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BlueJazz

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Thu Aug-13-09 11:29 PM
Response to Original message

1. I believe they are wrong. Mountains are taller at the Equator because...

..of centrifical force.
In fact, the size of mountains is very limited.
I suspect the Earth had much larger mountains in the past...but the really big ones flew off into space.

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thereismore

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Fri Aug-14-09 12:35 AM
Response to Reply #1

2. Nonsense. Gravity beats centrifugal force at the Earth's surface. Everywhere. nt

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BlueJazz

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Fri Aug-14-09 06:16 AM
Response to Reply #2

3. I see another one of my lousy jokes falls flat. :(

:) :)

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Aragorn

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Fri Aug-14-09 06:28 AM
Response to Reply #3

4. but not the second one

I get it - intentional or not.

Hey - centrifugal. And the first part of your joke may be correct, as theorized about Mars etc. But who knows?

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Ready4Change

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Fri Aug-14-09 02:23 PM
Response to Reply #1

7. You, good sir (or madam), are WRONG!

Tall mountains used to be evenly spread around the globe, but centrifugal forces as the Earth spun has cause them to SLIDE to the equator!

(And yes, I got it. And Yes, I've read and got the second one, even it it was unintentional. Well played, gentle person, well played.)

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eppur_se_muova

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Sat Aug-15-09 05:35 PM
Response to Reply #7

10. So ... you've read Hal Clement's "Mission of Gravity"? nt

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Ready4Change

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Sun Aug-16-09 11:01 AM
Response to Reply #10

11. That one's escaped me.

I've heard of it, but not managed to fit it into my reading.

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caraher

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Fri Aug-14-09 06:45 AM
Response to Original message

5. Another factor (geometry)...

More of Earth is near the equator than the poles!

The interesting finding is the part about the snow lines... but even without that I'd expect more (of almost anything except ice and snow) to be found nearer the equator than the poles).

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pokerfan

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Sat Aug-15-09 01:03 PM
Response to Reply #5

9. True

71% of the Earth is closer to the equator than either pole.

cos(π/4) = 0.7071

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Arctic Dave

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Fri Aug-14-09 12:36 PM
Response to Original message

6. What about Mt. McKinley(Denali) in Alaska.

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Posteritatis

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Sat Aug-15-09 12:28 PM
Response to Reply #6

8. Individual cases in a sample this large are mostly just outliers. (nt)

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