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What would happen if the Earth stopped spinning for one minute?

10.06.2025 01:50

What would happen if the Earth stopped spinning for one minute?

If it stops by magic, does all the energy from Earth’s angular momentum also disappear by magic, or is it released as heat?

If only the atmosphere keeps going, Earth’s surface is blasted with winds moving at hundreds of miles per hour. Most people die.

If the oceans keep going, Earth’s surface is scoured clean by tsunamis moving at hundreds of miles per hour. Nearly everyone dies.

Can they start feeding only one meal to prisoners on death row or those doing a life sentence? Because only then will it be real punishment. If they want extra food they can work or pay from their own pocket.

Does the rocky planet alone stop spinning?

Does the solid Earth + the oceans stop spinning?

Does the whole planet (from core to atmosphere) stop spinning?

How will Israelis respond to someone claiming that anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism, in the same way as anti-feminism not being misogyny and opposing same-sex marriage not being homophobia?

Does it stop due to a massive collision, or does it stop by magic?

The answer depends entirely on how you interpret the question, which is why you see so many completely different responses.

If Earth’s rotation is stopped by a collision, everyone dies. The planet is destroyed.

What were the first few days, weeks, months and then years like after finding out about your spouses infidelity? How did your feelings, and yours & their approach to the situation change in the immediate aftermath compared to later down the line?

If the whole Earth stops by magic, with the angular momentum just vanishing and then reappearing, then the result is very minor. Every clock on Earth would need to be recalibrated against our satellites (unless they magically got paused as well). Siderial, solar, and atomic time would all be out of sync. Other than that, everybody would want to know: What the heck just happened? How did Earth magically stop and start again? But everybody is just fine.

If Earth’s rotation is stopped and all the angular momentum is released as heat, everyone dies.

Bottom line: Depending on the underlying intent of the question, the answer could be anything from the destruction of the planet and every living thing, to a minor inconvenience that requires resetting our clocks.

What is the most craziest dream you ever had?

“What would happen if the Earth stopped spinning for one minute?”