Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 The worlds largest meteorite crater - Two billion years ago a meteorite 10km in diameter hit the earth about 100km southwest of Johannesburg, creating an enormous impact crater. This area, near Vredefort in the Free State, is now known as the Vredefort Dome. It was voted South Africa's seventh World Heritage site at Unesco's 29th World Heritage Committee meeting in Durban in July 2005. The meteorite, larger than Table Mountain, caused a thousand-megaton blast of energy. The impact would have vaporised about 70 cubic kilometres of rock - and may have increased the earth's oxygen levels to a degree that made the development of multicellular life possible. The world has about 130 crater structures of possible impact origin. The Vredefort Dome is among the top three, and is the oldest and largest clearly visible meteorite impact site in the world. The original crater, now eroded away, was probably 250 to 300 kilometres in diameter. It was larger than the Sudbury impact structure in Canada, about 200km in diameter. At 2-billion years old, Vredefort is far older than the Chixculub structure in Mexico which, with an age of 65-million years, is the site of the impact that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 World's oldest mountain range? The Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa is estimated at 3.4-3.6 billion years old, and generally regarded as the world's oldest mountains. Their age is indisputedly older than anything in North America (the Appalachians / Blach Hills / Porcupines / Smokies etc) and only Western Australia lays a possible claim. Most geologists accept the Greenstone Belt as being the oldest range on Earth. Some people attempt to dispute the Belt's title by arguing that they are not especially tall mountains. This is a rather absurd attempt. Though they are not especially tall, they are roughly 1000 feet taller than anything in the UK (the Scottish Highlands), taller than the Adirondacks, and at over a mile in height they rise over 4000 feet from the surrounding lowlands. The usual official definition of a mountain ranges from 1000 feet (US) to 2000 feet (UK) - and by all of these this is indisputedly a substantial range. Not tall by world standards - but easily a mountain range. Fossils indicate Bacterial life older than 3 Billion years old in the Range, Gold formed ca 3 Billion years ago, and the range showcases a more complete picture of Earth's geological history than any other Mountain range (indeed many would argue any other region) on Earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Highest sand dunes in America? Alaska has a sand desert with dunes over 100 feet high. It is located along the flatlands of the Kobuk River in the northwestern part of the state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 The coldest place on earth - The site, known simply as Ridge A, is nearly 14,000 metres high and is located deep within the Antarctic Plateau. I wonder how that was measured? Mount Everest is 8848 metres tall and is thought to be the tallest land feature in the world.Just checked: Ridge A is 4000 metres high, not 44,000 metres. Info here: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/small-ridge-in-antarctica-the-calmest-spot-on-earth-20090904-fbh3.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 The wettest place on earth - Mawsynram, India with a yearly average rainfall of 12 meters. Cherrapunji, is only 16 kilometers away and is in competition with Mawsynram for the wettest place on Earth. Both are situated in North East India in Meghalaya State. Each town has held the record during the last decade; there's only a difference of 1000 millimeters between the two for each year that goes by. Both are located in the Khasi Hills; which is a contributing factor to their high rainfall. "Only" 1000mm of difference in rainfall? Doesn't the writer realize that 1000 millimetres is a metre? 39 inches of rain is more than a sprinkle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 You be correct!!! I believe that's a typo from the article and should have been ~4000 metres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Probably a typo on the rainfall as well. I suspect it's either 100mm, or the author was remarking that one place got 12 meters and the other place 11 meters but were only 10 miles away from each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted September 9, 2009 Moderators Share Posted September 9, 2009 Since your talking about trivial pursuit anything about weird dates...like today 09-09-09 ? It could be worse it could be 06-06-06 ! [6] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 The wettest place on earth I was gonna say Racheal Burns from 12th grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 The wettest place on earth I was gonna say Racheal Burns from 12th grade. Not according to..... Oh well, let's just leave that one alone and not slide down the slippery slope to a thread that's locked up tighter than..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Since your talking about trivial pursuit anything about weird dates...like today 09-09-09 ? It could be worse it could be 06-06-06 ! Well, I'm observing this day in remembrance of 1513 when James IV of Scotland is defeated and dies in the Battle of Flodden Field, ending Scotland's involvement in the War of the League of Cambrai. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 And lest we forget!!!! On the 9th of September, 9 (as in Year 9) Arminius' alliance of six Germanic tribes ambushes and annihilates three Roman legions of Publius Quinctilius Varus in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest. And a fine day it was!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted September 9, 2009 Moderators Share Posted September 9, 2009 How could we possibly forget those ! [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Adams Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 Wrong again! The coldest place on earth is my Ex's heart. It is thought by some that that's where Fridgedaire got it's cold for their refrigerators. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david.reed21 Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 06-06-06 has already passed with no great issues, however the Mayans predict the end of the world on 12-21-12. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Some other totally useless facts..... According to the Guide to Sleeping in Airports, the top 10 worst Airports in the world to catch some shut-eye in are: 1. Paris - Charles de Gaulle 2. Moscow - Sheremetyevo 3. New York - JFK 4. Los Angeles 5. Delhi 6. Chicago - O'Hare 7. Mumbai 8. Manila 9. Rome - Fiumicino 10. London - Heathrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Tourists visiting Iceland should know that tipping at a restaurant is considered an insult Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 and less we forget.... Tablecloths were originally meant to be served as towels with which dinner guests could wipe their hands and faces after eating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 The two-foot long bird called a Kea that lives in New Zealand likes to eat the strips of rubber around car windows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groomlakearea51 Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 A company in Taiwan makes dinnerware out of wheat, so you can eat your plate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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