Would it feel different if the world started rotating the other way- and no, we wouldn't go back in time!?

Question

Also- apart from Superman of course- what could make the earth spin the other way?

Answer 1

Our weather would change significantly as our earth's rotational axis is tilted. It would be especially terrible during the change from one direction to another.

A minor collision by huge fast-moving meteors or comets may cause the spin to change.

Answer 2

The magnetic field doesn't make us spin one way or the other, when the poles switch we will still move the same way.

If it rotated exactly the opposite direction very little would change. The sun would rise in the West and set in the East but seasons and overall weather patters would not change. Some short-term migratory animals might become confused if it turns out that the rely on the direction of the sun.

Since sunsets are more colorful than sunrise and would be over new scenery some pictures of the same place at sunrise and sunset would look quite different and people who perfer certain types of views might move. I would also have been forced to take early morning naps rather than afternoon naps in the sun in my old room- which would be devistating.

An impact from a large meteor would be the most likely cause of a reversal of spin (not likely to be exactly opposite), substantial volcanic activity can slow the Earth so perhaps enough perfectly placed activity and tsunamis could reverse it. That's even less likely to get it just opposite though.

And of course in either even the few humans, if any that survived would probably not give a **** about this because they would be dealing with the fumes, debris, and impending ice age... all that jazz.

Answer 3

If the earth spun the other way we would die from cosmic radiation. The electromagnetic field around the earth that deflects solar wind and radiation is from a gyromagnet, the earth's core spinning counter to the earth's rotation. If we span the other way we would be in synch with the core and our magnetic field would dissapate, and we would have a lot of radiation rain down on us.

Discounting that and if our core also switched there'd be little difference rather than solar position, stars and such would reamin mcuh the same since our path around the sun would continue the same. I know of nothing that could get us spinning counter to the current direction except perhaps a collision or huge body coming by to pull us around, but such a thing may disrupt our orbit too drastically to maintain habitable conditions.

Answer 4

If the world came to an abrupt stop and turned the other way we'd be dead. If it had always turned the other way there would be no difference. Perhaps a large comet or another planet colliding with earth could cause it to spin in a different direction. It is believed that Uranus has an odd rotation because of this.

Answer 5

No, time would not go backwards and I don't think it would necessarily feel different so long as it was at the same speed.The seasons would be opposite and the sun would rise in the west and set in the east. Toilets will spin opposite too. It would probably affect our magnetic field and also new strain going in the opposite direction within our crust would surely cause tons of volcanic activity and earthquakes.

What could make the earth spin the other way???? Ummm, repeated glancing blows from giant asteroids is all I can think of...If the earth stayed in one piece that is.

Interesting question.

Answer 6

Firstly the direction of the Earth's rotation effects our weather, tides and everything to do with the atmosphere. If we spun the other way then everything would change direction (eg trade winds etc) but apart from that and the Sun rising in the west I don't think we would notice. Nothing could change the Earth's direction without destroying it. Imagine stopping a car doing 60mph and pushing backwards at 60mph without damaging it then imagine something that weighs trillions of tons doing about 6,000mph

Answer 7

If the sun suddenly lost its gravitational pull against earth, I guess, the Earth would lost its pattern and may start rotating the other way around.

Answer 8

The sun would simply rise in the west and set in the east, and that would be weird enough!~ Also, our weather patterns and electromagnetic fields would be a tad bit influenced as well...
At any rate, it would take an impact of cataclysmic proportions to get the rotation reversed, so we wouldn't be here.

Answer 9

We will not go back in time... In fact, we'll end up dead. Disasters will rise as there is too much change as the Earth rotates reversely. Sun will rise from the west to the east. Actually, we will die because it will create a distubance in the Earth's core.

Answer 10

According to the law of conservation of angular momentum, it will continue to spin.

If another planet struck the earth with enough mass and enough speed, it could reverse the spin, but we would not be alive to talk about it.