Moon moving away from Earth

[Lakitu]

Hello :o)

A TV programme I watched told us that the moon is moving away from us at a rate of 3 inches or 3 centimeters (I can't remember which, sorry) per year.

Will the moon eventually be too far away from Earth to have any effect and if that does happen, I assume our oceans will become no more than a ripple, so what would that mean for life on Earth, if any?

Thanks

[wildwood]

As to what effect it will have even if we still have one third of the tidal movements.....
it will have a great impact on the small plankton that supports just about all ocean life. Thousands of shellfish species around the world rely on ocean currents created by tidal movements to bring up/in the food they filter from the oceans. Hundreds of birds species rely on the shellfish and worms exposed on tidal flats. Many sea creatures (fish and mammal) live mainly on crustaceans that get their food from the tidal effects, so yes, the change will be great as it changes a large food chain.
Luckily, as dundurn pointed out, evolution will be able to cope with the gradual chance.

[Lakitu]

Thank you wildwood :o)

[Lakitu]

LOL, I guess they will! :o)

[mibn2cweus]

Having been made aware that the Moon�s mean orbital distance from the Earth happens to be changing steadily over time, it is no small consolation to know that it is, at any rate, (for the time being at least) currently moving in the right direction