Cumaean???

Jeff Wilson · 16 Dec 2007, 00:39 · from 2007-December.txt.gz

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From: jwilson at io.com (Jeff Wilson)
Date: Sat, 15 Dec 2007 18:39:19 -0600
Subject: (urth) Cumaean???
In-Reply-To: <005e01c066bf$3b313080$6d01a8c0@Brian>
References: <4E82554550FE5149AD4B30A4FEA22492BFB7C4 at xchange.briercrest.ca><1197651438.5684.25.camel@todd-desktop><BAY106-W34FB3C9388BC95D059EC6E85670 at phx.gbl><1f7617370712141200k209903avf0a5867929f8f0eb at mail.gmail.com><BAY106-W19951C3647E4C60084715C85670 at phx.gbl><5062EA0B-55EE-4BE1-A3BE-D099A9A3AB6A at gmail.com>	<20071215172849.CE0B8FEA0 at che.dreamhost.com>
	<005e01c066bf$3b313080$6d01a8c0@Brian>
Message-ID: <476473B7.3020600 at io.com>

carr law wrote:
> Just to weigh in here on the age issue, Sev comments that the core of the 
> Urth has cooled (this is on a reflection about the new sun and a volcanic 
> metaphor)  Any idea where that would put us time wise?

Current (and 1980) physics says the radioactive elements within the 
earth will keep its core and mantle molten for billions of years, until 
the sun becomes a red giant and engulfs it. During the 19th century 
before nuclear physics, it was "shown" that the sun would exhaust its 
chemical fuel in a few thousand centuries, leaving the earth to 
eventually cool and freeze solid.  This sort of thing leads me to think 
the Guild's curriculum seems to include plenty of outdated science, so 
that we need not take Severian's word on such matters without a grain of 
salt.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
< http://www.io.com/~jwilson >

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