https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth-science...arth-study
EXCERPT: Without the Moon, there would be no life on Earth, French scientists claim. The gravitational push-pull of the Moon on iron deep inside Earth keeps it hot and molten. And a liquid core is needed to generate a magnetic field, which forms a protective shield against blasts of particles from the Sun. Denis Andrault from Blaise Pascal University in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and colleagues propose the Earth's heated interior should have dropped by about 3,000 ºC over the past four billion years or so, but has instead remained almost constant – all because of the Moon....
(Apr 5, 2016 08:41 PM)C C Wrote: [ -> ]https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth-science...arth-study
EXCERPT: Without the Moon, there would be no life on Earth, French scientists claim. The gravitational push-pull of the Moon on iron deep inside Earth keeps it hot and molten. And a liquid core is needed to generate a magnetic field, which forms a protective shield against blasts of particles from the Sun. Denis Andrault from Blaise Pascal University in Clermont-Ferrand, France, and colleagues propose the Earth's heated interior should have dropped by about 3,000 ºC over the past four billion years or so, but has instead remained almost constant – all because of the Moon....
This theory has actually been tossed around for many decades, and while it can't be absolutely proved, the theory does have merit. As mentioned in the excerpt, the moon's gravity does in fact cause a localized compression of the matter in the earth's core that generates heat and keeps the core hot and malleable -- think of the moon's gravity as having the same effect as hands kneading dough. Jupiter has the same affect on Io, but to much larger extent. Lest not forget that the moon's gravity is also responsible for the Earth's tides, which has a substantial impact on the direction life has taken. Other theories indicate that early in the Earth's history the moon's gravity also took the brunt of many large meteors that would have otherwise impacted the Earth, again impacting life.
Besides aiding in the perpetuation of the Earth's magnetic field, the excess subterranean heat generated from the moon's gravity is responsible for surface and sub-oceanic volcanic activity, which played (and continues to play) a large role in life on Earth. Before we (meaning humans) set down the path of destroying our atmosphere (don't get me started), volcanic activity played a large role in creating the necessary greenhouse gases that kept Earth warm and deflected life-threatening UV radiation.
While we'll never know the net impact of an Earth without a moon, we can say that at the very least, that life would be VERY different without the moon.
-JL
Environmental Scientist & proprietor of
http://FoundFootageCritic.com