If the moon suddenly spun off into space how would this affect us on earth?

[Hocum]

I wanted to ask what life would be like without the moon but was told once that life wouldn't have started without the moons existence so have modified my question.

[sandyRoe]

There would be no tides.

[carolegif]

I think it would affect the earth's axis and we would all fly off into space! Plus we would need extra street lighting!!!

[boxtops]

The sea would fall off.

[Hocum]

Is that the extent of the moons importance to us? I thought it was more more significant to life here and at the very least acted as a shield against meteors?

[flump1]

Hey Hocum, what a great question ! I can't offer you any answers, I shall keep watch for those who do . ( I often wonder about things like this ! )

[boxtops]

No, it's not a shield, how could it be? meteors can come at us from any side - the moon can't hop about and get in the way of them.

[boxtops]

Lunar cycles affect a great deal of our lives (women's monthly cycles, for a start).

[boxtops]

^^ and plant growing - many farmers still believe in auspicious planting times for the success of their crops.

[jake-the-peg]

- many farmers still believe in auspicious planting times for the success of their crops

Presumably the same ones that do weather forecasting by whether or not their cows are lying down!

As for womens cycles I find this hard to believe

a) because of the variability

b) because other mammals don't show the same periodicity and that would imply some sort of special relationship between humans and the moon on a biological level.

Sometimes there is such a thing as a coincidence

[rowanwitch]

I believe the gravitational pull affects the was the earth spins and the anngle odf the spin it is possible the earth couls either wobble affecting seasons making greater parts od the globe uninhabitable or over time move nearer too or futher from the sun.... not sure ~I've seen so many prof cox progs I get muddled

[wendilla]

If the moon suddenly vanished, since the moon is the creator of tides, all the oceans would come rushing to the side of the earth pointing to the sun. We would have the exact same size of tides occurring at the same time each day. Life would be much different and have to be different because we'd be covered in water for like half a day. Scientists believe the moon is currently getting inches and inches away from the earth each year. I watched a program about it on the discovery channel and this is how I know this. Oh, and we would all die.

That's correct but, if the moon were getting inches and inches away from the earth each year, it would rule out Newton's first law, an object in motion will stay in motion and an object at rest will stay at rest unless acted on by an unbalanced force, because of inertia and gravity the moon doesn't crash into the earth due to the moon's inertia it stays revolving around the earth. Due to the mass of of the earth it has enough gravity to pull the moon toward it. The theory of something that crashed into earth the size of mars and the moon formed, scientist have found reasons to reject this and other theories.

[FredPuli43]

And if the menstrual cycle was influenced by the moon, all women would, presumably, menstruate at the same time. Now, there's a thought.

[rowanwitch]

put a group together and they do but its to do with pheromones not the moon

[RATTER15]

When would the Werewolves and vampires come out?

[MarkRae]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...-environment-12311119

[Old_Geezer]

We'd have no more lunatics. Maybe some solatics ?

[boxtops]

JTP, at one time I worked in a place with 78 other women - it was surprising to us how many of us did appear to menstruate at the same time, by small cyclical adjustments - as you say, it may have been coincidence but it was conspicuous.

[RATTER15]

Bitches will often to come into season at the same time if housed together, they set one another off.

No difference!

[Old_Geezer]

Pheromones causing/allowing synchronisation. Unsure what the evolutionary advantge is though. Maybe if makes things easier if all give birth to the next generation at the same time.

[rowanwitch]

Means the menfolk really dread one week in four though