Buckle up, we're going to take the orbit of this
rock and kick it into high gear.
Behold the moon breaking its planetary speed limit.
How would this event flood cities?
What would happen to the Earth's crust?
And why would the moon go rogue?
This is what if, and here's what would happen if
the moon orbited Earth faster.
The moon orbits around our blue marble of a planet
at a comfortable and reliable speed of 1 kilometer per
second.
And if that seems fast to you, well, hold on,
you haven't seen anything yet.
So how could this happen?
If the moon kept getting closer to Earth, the gravitational
pull from our planet would increase.
That would make the moon's orbit speed up tremendously.
That's the basis for Kepler's third law.
So if the moon kept creeping toward Earth, it would
orbit faster and faster.
And if that happened, how would this event freeze the
planet?
Every 27 days, the moon completes a trip around Earth.
Well, not anymore.
Get ready to see this celestial body more often.
And with the moon's increased visibility and speed, lunar eclipses
would be a regular sight.
But that lovely view in the sky wouldn't make up
for the hell on Earth below.
If the moon moved closer, the gravitational pull would RIP
into the Earth's crust.
This increased force would create earthquakes and increase volcanic eruptions
across the globe.
And don't think you could cool off by the ocean
to escape the heat.
Let me explain.
The Ocean's ebb and flow thanks to the moon's orbit,
the Earth's gravity, and the sun.
So as the moon inches closer, the ocean tides would
become much larger.
How large are we talking?
They would be 8 times higher than average.
Coastal cities would flood and some islands would become blanketed
underwater for most of the day.
Almost 700 million people living in low lying coastal areas
would be in constant danger if they weren't evacuated.
But what would happen if the moon started to move
even faster?
Well, remember Kepler's third law.
The moon would only orbit faster if it got closer.
Now, if it came within 18,470 kilometers, it would reach
what's called the Roche limit.
That's the point where the moon is so close to
Earth that the tidal forces between us would get strong
enough to tear this Gray rock apart.
Thankfully, this wouldn't be able to happen because as its
speed increased, our moon would be launched into the cosmos.
Yeah, that's because once our natural satellite reached 1.4 kilometers
per second, it would have enough momentum to escape Earth's
gravity as it fades from sights.
You might feel relieved at first.
After all, the Earth's rotation would slow down without the
moon, so days would become longer, and finally you'd see
an end to the constant earthquakes and devastating floods.
But in reality, this is where the real nightmare begins.
The tides would become smaller and weaker without the moon.
Any coastal ecosystems that weren't already destroyed by the massive
flooding would now be completely upended.
Without churning tides, animals that depend on food sources normally
floating in the ocean wouldn't get the nutrients they need
to live.
And without the moon's light, nocturnal predators would have difficulty
completing a successful hunt.
This could create a mass extinction event of creatures on
land.
And let's see.
And while life on Earth would be flipped on, its
ear was so with the planet Earth has a tilt
of about 23 1/2 degrees.
This angle of its orbit makes the seasons possible, but
it's the moon's gravity that stabilizes this tilt from going
any further.
So without it, the seasons could stop.
Weather patterns might hold in place until the end of
time, but if the tilt increased, it could cause extreme
weather conditions.
And once again, the Earth could be plunged into an
Ice Age.
Yeah, A faster lunar orbit could fast track all life
on Earth to extinction.
OK, so instead of losing the moon, what if we
crowded the sky with the moons of Jupiter?
Well, that's a story for another What if?