(urth) Cumaean???

[Jeff Wilson]

carr law wrote:
> Just to weigh in here on the age issue, Sev comments that the core of the 
> Urth has cooled (this is on a reflection about the new sun and a volcanic 
> metaphor)  Any idea where that would put us time wise?

Current (and 1980) physics says the radioactive elements within the 
earth will keep its core and mantle molten for billions of years, until 
the sun becomes a red giant and engulfs it. During the 19th century 
before nuclear physics, it was "shown" that the sun would exhaust its 
chemical fuel in a few thousand centuries, leaving the earth to 
eventually cool and freeze solid.  This sort of thing leads me to think 
the Guild's curriculum seems to include plenty of outdated science, so 
that we need not take Severian's word on such matters without a grain of 
salt.

-- 
Jeff Wilson - jwilson at io.com
< http://www.io.com/~jwilson >