Moon question

On Sat, 23 Aug 2003 18:33:01 -0400 (EDT), (Shirley)
wrote:

From my 13 y/o grandson:
What would happen to earth if there was no moon? Thank you.

Well most probably the marine life as we know it would not exist.
I have just read some recent research that shows that a lot of sealif
use the tides as their body clocks, for spawning etc, especially the
grunnion, which lay their eggs after the spring tide.
the same research has also suggested that tidal ebb and flow is
natures way of filtering the ocean.

with no moon there would be no tidal ebb and flow.
This would also drastically effect the weather patterns as we know
them.

No Moon would also affect lots of other life on this planet, for
example Moths and Gnats, whilst we think they are a nuisance, they do
eat other pests, and balance nature out.

Looking at a Lot of recent research into this, I am firmly of the
belief that if there was never a moon, then there would never have
been life on earth.
Looking for astro bits and pieces?
http://members.ebay.co.uk/aboutme/orpheus1959

wrote in
:

On 25 Aug 2003 17:23:14 +1200, Llanzlan Klazmon The 15th
wrote:

wrote in
:

On Sat, 23 Aug 2003 18:33:01 -0400 (EDT), (Shirley)
wrote:

From my 13 y/o grandson:
What would happen to earth if there was no moon? Thank you.

Well most probably the marine life as we know it would not exist.

Unlikely.
Disagree totally see
http://www.science.plymouth.ac.uk/de...malta/Eco5.htm
http://www.saintbrendan.com/cdnmar01/sexonbeach.html
http://www.saintbrendan.com/cdnapril00/divplan4.html
http://www.nps.gov/olym/edtide.htm
http://www.vancouverisland.com/Wildl...vents/thechang
ingtides.html These are just a few that i have read, taken as a whole
the picture painted is one where the Moon is Criticial to the worlds
ocean ecosystems.

That is only because life around the seashore has adapted to a certain
degree of tide. If the tides were suddenly reduced to solar tides only,
it would indeed have a big effect in the short term but organisms would
adapt pretty quickly. Even in lakes where the tide is insignificant,
there is plenty of viable ecosystems.


If nothing else at a very simplistic level, the tides caused by the
moon have a very simple function, they oxygenate the water.

Actually waves do that, not tides.



Also check out the recent research done in the Bay of Fundy which I
believe has the largest tidal difference in the world.
Look at the role of clams and molusces in filtering the oceans
pollutants.

Agreed. Also the "flushing out" action of tides would be somewhat reduced
without the moon.


However that said whilst we disagree on this, in a way it is a moot
point, we have the moon. and anything else is just speculation.

Yes. It will be interesting to compare if we do ever find earth like
planets that don't have a large moon.


But as with everyone in nature its a very fine balance, change one
thing, and everything else changes.

Taken as a whole, and with current knowledge, Life on earth only
exists within a very small spectrum, and if you change just one part
of that, then No life would exist.

This I disagree with. Life is actually much more resilient than you
think. Life has invaded virtually every part of the earths surface, from
hot springs to deserts to frozen wastes, the deepest parts of the oceans,
even in rocks deep underground.



Looking for astro bits and pieces?
http://members.ebay.co.uk/aboutme/orpheus1959

"Shirley" wrote in message
...

From my 13 y/o grandson:
What would happen to earth if there was no moon? Thank you.

'Lo Shirley --

A good read that even i could understand is...

_The Tragedy of the Moon_
by Isaac Asimov

ISBN: 0-385-07221-X
Library of Congress CCN: 73-79641

One thing Asimov does is speculate on what would have
happened if it had been Venus instead of Earth that got
the large Moon as a satellite. Really good stuff!

happy days and...
starry starry nights!

--
A Universe of Beauty
Our Hubble often shows,
Let's not forget our duty
To pitch the way it Glows!

Paine Ellsworth

Point your grandson to this..
http://curious.astro.cornell.edu/que...php?number=104


"Painius" wrote in message
...
"Shirley" wrote in message
...

From my 13 y/o grandson:
What would happen to earth if there was no moon? Thank you.

'Lo Shirley --

A good read that even i could understand is...

_The Tragedy of the Moon_
by Isaac Asimov

ISBN: 0-385-07221-X
Library of Congress CCN: 73-79641

One thing Asimov does is speculate on what would have
happened if it had been Venus instead of Earth that got
the large Moon as a satellite. Really good stuff!

happy days and...
starry starry nights!

--
A Universe of Beauty
Our Hubble often shows,
Let's not forget our duty
To pitch the way it Glows!

Paine Ellsworth