[adamg (OP)]

Here are some interesting queries for all you science buffs. Lets see if any one can get all 3 questions correct. I will reveal the answers in 18 hours. Bonus points will be awarded for those who can answer False questions and give the real answer.

1. The longest living animal on earth is the Giant Tortoise: True or False?

2. The December 26, 2004 Mega Thrust Earthquake that generate the Great Indian Ocean Tsunamai was estimated to have released the equivalent of 50 gigatons (5,000 Megatons or 3,000 Hirishimas) of TNT. True of False?

3. The Earth is the densest planet in our Solar System. True or False?




Adam Andrew Galas

[adamg (OP)]

I apologize for the typo, 50 gigatons is 50,000 megatons, not 5,000. This typo is not meant as a trick question.

Adam Andrew Galas

[gecko]

1- false. i think certain whales live longer.
2-?
3-false

[Roy P]

quote:Originally posted by adamg
1. The longest living animal on earth is the Giant Tortoise: True or False?

2. The December 26, 2004 Mega Thrust Earthquake that generate the Great Indian Ocean Tsunamai was estimated to have released the equivalent of 50 gigatons (5,000 Megatons or 3,000 Hirishimas) of TNT. True of False?

3. The Earth is the densest planet in our Solar System. True or False?

1) Correct
2) Incorrect
3) Correct

__________________________________________________________
Roy P

[adamg (OP)]

Here are the answers.

1. False, Tube Worms that live near thermal vents have been found to live up to 250 years.

2. False, the actual estimate of energy released was 100 Gigatons, or 6,000 Hiroshimas.

3. True, Earth is the densenst planet.

Congrats to Roy P for gettting 2/3 questions correct.

Adam Andrew Galas

[adamg (OP)]

I apologize for the typo, 50 gigatons is 50,000 megatons, not 5,000. This typo is not meant as a trick question.

Adam Andrew Galas

[gecko]

1- false. i think certain whales live longer.
2-?
3-false

[Roy P]

quote:Originally posted by adamg
1. The longest living animal on earth is the Giant Tortoise: True or False?

2. The December 26, 2004 Mega Thrust Earthquake that generate the Great Indian Ocean Tsunamai was estimated to have released the equivalent of 50 gigatons (5,000 Megatons or 3,000 Hirishimas) of TNT. True of False?

3. The Earth is the densest planet in our Solar System. True or False?

1) Correct
2) Incorrect
3) Correct

__________________________________________________________
Roy P

[adamg (OP)]

Here are the answers.

1. False, Tube Worms that live near thermal vents have been found to live up to 250 years.

2. False, the actual estimate of energy released was 100 Gigatons, or 6,000 Hiroshimas.

3. True, Earth is the densenst planet.

Congrats to Roy P for gettting 2/3 questions correct.

Adam Andrew Galas

[syhprum]

Is the earth the densest planet I always thought tha Mercury was.

[Kryptid]

Is the earth the densest planet I always thought tha Mercury was.

Mercury: 5.427 g/cc
Earth: 5.514 g/cc

[alancalverd]

Except that the Hiroshima bomb yield was 15 kilotons, not megatons, so 3000 Little Boys would yield 45MT, not 50,000 MT.

The interesting fact is that the "effective yield", i.e. the actual damage done by an airburst, is roughly the square root of the explosive energy. So 100MT hydrogen bombs were scientifically interesting but of no military value, and it's doubtful whether there is any military value in an explosion greater than 1 MT.

[Janus]

Is the earth the densest planet I always thought tha Mercury was.

While the Earth is denser, Mercury is surpisingly dense for it size.   With rocky bodies, density and size tend to go together.   Venus is just a bit small in radius than the Earth, and  has a somewhat lesser density at 5.24 g/cm^3,  Mars at  a little over 1/2 an Earth radius, has a density of 3.93 g/cm^3, and the Moon, at a bit more than 1/4 an Earth radius has one of 3.34 g/cm^3.
Mercury, on the other hand, larger than the Moon, but smaller than Mars has a density greater than Venus.

As an additional side note, this gives the  smaller Mercury a slightly greater surface gravity than Mars.

[Halc]

They found a nematode worm that was dated to about 41000 years old, but it spent most of that time in hibernation.
Some sponges aged over 10kYO have been found.

Any amoeba is arguably over 10mYO (millions of years).
I think the question needed to limit the list to animals which are born/hatched/seeded.

Many plants (which are not animals) can live far longer than 250 years.
Be interesting to post candidates for ancient plants.
I know there are trees nearly 5kYO, and a 13kYO huckleberry bush, but that's peanuts to some things. There's a quaking aspen clonal colony that is about 80kYO.