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Paul Fuller <pgf### [at] optusnet comau> wrote:
> An alien race with sufficiently advanced technology could in theory at
> least construct and maintain any domicile that they wish and could do so
> for whatever reason they want. Think force fields to form the hollow
> structure, fusion power for a micro star, gravity manipulation etc.
> Actually, scratch the gravity. Imagine the living space of not just the
> surface but the entire volume.
We know that the Earth's crust is several kilometers thick (I think it
was something like 5 km thick at the *thinnest* point, so in average it's
much thicker than that), and we know that underneath the crust there's a
significant amount of molten rock (which, among other things, causes
continental drift, and of course volcanos).
In order for the Earth to be hollow there would have to be an inner
surface strong enough to stop this rocky shell from collapsing under
its own gravity. This rocky shell is really, really heavy. We know
approximately how much solid rock there is in the crust alone (not to
talk about the magma below it), and we know Earth's gravity, so can
can calculate how much force this rocky shell would be exerting on
the inner surface of the hollow Earth.
Granted, I haven't done the calculations, but I wouldn't be surprised
if the required strength would surpass even the strongest known materials
by several orders of magnitude.
Another alternative is that the alien technology is keeping Earth's curst
in place by using some unknown form of energy which is a) capable of doing
that, b) strong enough, c) undetectable by our technology.
Additionally the alien technology would have to simulate how earthquake
waves traverse through the Earth, to give us a false picture of the
different layers inside.
Seems like a whole lot of trouble and a whole lot of unknown physics
and technology. If aliens are experimenting on us, wouldn't it be much
simpler to just use an old-fashioned solid planet?-)
--
- Warp
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