Re: Hypothesis Involving Planetoid Impacts

"George" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>...
> "Professor Gauss" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Christof Kuhn [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > >Professor Gauss wrote:
> > >> Not being a geologist, I am new to this group, but have a hypothesis
>  and I
>  was
> > >> wondering if it has been discussed yet by geologists, either here or
> > >elsewhere.
> > >
> > >On subjects like this, you'll find plenty of discussions here, some of
> > >them more serious and some less, but most of them in a quite emotional
> > >way, so expect the worst, then you may be positively surprised :-)
> > >
> > >>  Here is the hypothesis:
> > >>
> > >> 1) The early earth was smaller than it is now.  It had a crust floating
>  on
>  top
> > >> of a mantle which covered the entire earth.  The crust formed following
>  an
> > >> extended period of chemical reactions at the earth's surface.  A
>  possible
> > >> example of such a reaction is the hydration of minerals caused by the
> > >> absorption of water from the atmosphere.
> > >>
> > >A similar theory is used by the so-called Earth Expansionists.
> > >
> > >Many scientists think that the continental crust formed by magma
> > >differentiation on top of the mantle (which is not molten, just to be
> > >sure...).
> >
> > You state that the mantle is solid, and (later) that the only liquid
>  portion of
> > the earth's interior is the outer core.  I thought that the mantle was
>  liquid
> > and thus supports continental drift.
> 
> No.  The mantle is a solid that behaves as a plastic due to heat and
> pressure.  Hence it flows, albeit slowly.
> 
> > BTW, thank you for your kind reply.  And I did enjoy at least one flame,
>  from
> > George, who agreed with me that I am not a geologist.  Although it is OK
>  to
> > know that I am not wrong about everything, nothing worthwhile was
>  contributed
> > by his reply.  Thanks again.
> 
> Sorry about that.  Bad hair day.  I hope I did better with the above
> response.

Why don['t you try him with that funny idea that the Earth is expanding?

(Viscous by the way; not plastic) ('George', your hair's really a mess).