![](/i/fill.gif) |
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
>> OK, now that really *is* counter-intuitive. On a map, it looks like the
>> coast of Africa and America would "fit together" if you moved a few
>> tectonic plates around. But this diagram shows that America is many
>> times smaller than Africa, so this would be quite impossible.
>
>> This is puzzling, since I thought that Africa *was* connected to America
>> in the fairly recent geological past...
>
> Uh, which "America" are you talking about? The continent named "America"
> or the country named "United States of America" (often shortended as just
> "America")?
>
> That image has the USA compared to Africa, not the whole American
> continent.
Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American
continent anyway... (But then, what do *I* know about geography?
Apparently very little!)
--
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] dev null> wrote:
> Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American
> continent anyway...
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!
Exactly how small do you think Canada is?
--
- Warp
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] dev null> wrote in message
news:486e6976$1@news.povray.org...
> This is puzzling, since I thought that Africa *was* connected to America
> in the fairly recent geological past...
>
To the South American continent, yes.
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] dev null> wrote in message
news:486e614d$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> > Actually, if you look at the climate of the places on the equator, it's
more
> > like tropical forest. Hot and humid all year round. The deserts tend to
be a
> > little further away.
>
> Really? How counterintuitive...
Has to do with weather patterns. At the equator, the air is rising (because
of the heat). Hot air rising cools, forms clouds and causes rain.
About 15 degrees further north/south, the air is decending (find a good
climatology website/book for the reasons). Decending air warms up and does
not allow water to condence and fall. Hence, deserts
Very, very simplistic explaination.
Same reason why, if you watch a weather report, low pressure cells (rising
air) are associated with wet weather and high pressure cells (decending air)
are associated with dry weather
> > The Sahara lies mostly between the 15 degrees N and 30 degrees N
latitudes.
> > The Namib desert lies mostly around the 20-28 degrees S latitudes
>
> See, now I didn't even know the Namib was *in* Africa. (But then, until
> yesterday I didn't know where the Gobi was either...)
Um, yup, the Namib desert is mostly in a country called Namibia.
> Mmm, OK. Africa is clearly significantly larger than I thought. ;-)
>
OK. when is your birthday and can you email me a shipping address for you?
I'm buying you a good atlas for your birthday/christmas
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
Darren New wrote:
> Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>> Mmm, OK. Africa is clearly significantly larger than I thought. ;-)
>
> http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2006/11/20/35-the-size-of-africa/
>
It's interesting looking at some of the comments there...
People complain that the US is put in w/o Alaska or Hawaii, but the
that's only for the picture, people! The number given for the area of
the US includes ALL 50 states.
...Chambers
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American
> continent anyway...
That's exactly the point. Look at a *globe*, not a map that's distorted
by being flattened. Canada is somewhat larger than the USA
geographically speaking. Africa is bigger than north america, but so is
south america. (Note it's south america and africa that were stuck
together, not north america and south america. Of course, Noah's flood
actually washed all the animals across the south atlantic from Africa to
South America, which is the *real* reason they're the same after only
4000 years.)
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
Gail Shaw wrote:
> I'm buying you a good atlas for your birthday/christmas
I'll buy him a globe. :-)
--
Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
Helpful housekeeping hints:
Check your feather pillows for holes
before putting them in the washing machine.
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
Warp wrote:
>
> Exactly how small do you think Canada is?
>
Canada? Ohh, that's that little thing east of Alaska.
[Canadians: I'm joking of course ...]
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
Warp <war### [at] tag povray org> wrote:
> Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] dev null> wrote:
> > Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American
> > continent anyway...
>
> Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!
>
> Exactly how small do you think Canada is?
>
> --
> - Warp
Hahahahahah!!!
-Rob
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] dev null> wrote:
> >> OK, now that really *is* counter-intuitive. On a map, it looks like the
> >> coast of Africa and America would "fit together" if you moved a few
> >> tectonic plates around. But this diagram shows that America is many
> >> times smaller than Africa, so this would be quite impossible.
> >
> >> This is puzzling, since I thought that Africa *was* connected to America
> >> in the fairly recent geological past...
> >
> > Uh, which "America" are you talking about? The continent named "America"
> > or the country named "United States of America" (often shortended as just
> > "America")?
> >
> > That image has the USA compared to Africa, not the whole American
> > continent.
>
> Last I checked, "the USA" makes up about 90% of the North American
> continent anyway... (But then, what do *I* know about geography?
> Apparently very little!)
>
> --
> http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
> http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*
Yes, apparently very little. As for the USA being 90% of North America, Canada
is actually larger than the USA. In fact, my Canadian World-of-Warcraft
guildmates have informed me that Canada is the second largest country in the
world, larger even than China, beat out by Russia. And don't forget about our
Mexican cousins living to the south of the USA (and yes, still in North
America).
-Rob (Florida, USA, where it's really hot right now)
Post a reply to this message
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
|
![](/i/fill.gif) |
| ![](/i/fill.gif) |