World Jump Day

Is this real?
www.worldjumpday.org
Apparently, if a lot of people across the western part of the world jump at once, the earth will go into new orbit, thus preventing global warming by a long shot. Does anybody else know about this? Anybody here Register yet?

I havent looked at the webpage, but I wonder if anybody thought about the world being a closed system. ALL the forces balance each other. The only thing that could change the orbit is a force from OUTSIDE this world.

Mags, I can tell you right now that that wont work. The orbit of the earth is set in place by infinitly more powerful forces than the combined weight of 600 million people (and I doubt that website will even get close to that many registered).

Yeah, but I am sure they will somehow get onto the news or something and I am sure there are tons of people who are willing to save this world so that our great grandchildren and maybe, our great great grandchildren can enjoy the beauties of this earth before it goes to waste. If I have the time to jump, I probably will. I mean, since its in 2006, there is plenty of time to perform some publicity stunts telling people to jump on this day. And to save this world? I wouldnt miss it. And no I havent registered yet...

I have a question. To say that the laws of physics are broken for this impossible task, how do they know how far the earth will move? To far could make thing worse and not enough could be just a giant waste of 600 million peoples' times. I just want to know if they have this answered or not. I didn't see anything about that.

How will this prevent global warming? That's what I'd really like to know.

Personally, I think it's total b.s.

If instead, they all take a deep breath at the same time and blow, they could navigate the planet like a jet. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

It won't work because there's no net change in direction or velocity of the people after they jump. Think of satellites for an analogy. Unless they fire their thrusters they can't change their orbit. The thrusters only work because the expended gases are accelerated away from the satellite, resulting in an equal force in the opposite direction which pushes the satellite. Now if these people could reach escape velocity when they jump that would work, but the effect would be minute. 600 million people weigh perhaps 40 million tons. That's the mass of a 250 or so meter diameter stone asteroid. Far larger chunks of rock have hit the planet at velocities well in excess of escape velocity without measureably affecting the orbit. This all sounds to me more like a publicity stunt. Nothing wrong with it, just nothing will be accomplished either.

The earthquake that caused the boxing day tsunami caused the earth to wobble about 1 degree on its axis. I don't think it affected the actual orbit of the planet, all those people jumping wouldn't even register on a richter scale i doubt.

On a lighter note..... What if they go too far and we get shot into the sun? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

You know those stories about someone plummeting to their death (usually some dumb criminal) that end with ...the earth's orbit was not effected by the impact ?

Think it's related?

I thought this thread was about skydiving..

the actual topic is far sillier.

Anyone want to buy some nice oceanfront property I have in Kansas?

If you put instant coffee into a microwave can you really go back in time?