Gravity and the earth … and the Sun.

Some exciting science at www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12911806?print=true … GOCE, the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer, is onboard a satellite launched in 2009 and moves around the earth from pole to pole at an altitude of 255km. It is able to map the very small differences in pull exerted by the mass of the planet from one region to the next – from mountains to ocean trenches. It can calculate gravity at any given point that it observes. The European Space Agency dreamt up the project and the more date is produced the less noise and greater clarity there is – so it is a process that will take several years. Some surprising discoveries have been made, concerning gravity. It is also able to show how the oceans move and redistribute heat from the Sun around the world – note, heat from the Sun, not C02. In addition, it is also providing information about earthquakes.