5 Weird Facts About Earth

1. Earth Is Radioactive

Earth generates up to 40 terawatts of heat, half of which comes from radioactive decay in its core. Scientists measured particles called antineutrinos that streamed up from Earth’s core and found that half of Earth’s heat is generated through the radioactive decay of certain elements.

2. Seas Could Rise 2.5 Feet (76 cm) By 2100

We are on track for a two-foot sea level rise by the end of the century. The consequences of a one- to two-foot rise in sea level could be severe threats to low-lying island nations, the loss of narrow, shallow beaches, and the extinction of marine ecosystems.

3. The Planet Is 10K Times Older Than Humans

Planet Earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. People has been around for at most 450,000 years, that is 1/10,000 the age of the planet. And then, more recently, we spread across the entire globe in 1/100,000 of the planet’s age.

4. Who “Named” the Earth? We Don’t Know…

Unlike other planets, no real historical data on the person (or group) who named our planet “Earth” can be found. Earth is the only planet not named after a Greek or Roman god, and its name derives from Old English and High Germanic.

5. Earth Is Massive Heat Engine

Earth is a massive heat engine. Heat from the Sun is absorbed where it is warm (low latitudes and the surface) and heat is radiated as infrared where it is cold (higher latitudes and the atmosphere).  The heat engine’s work is converted into the kinetic energy of winds and storms.