Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1905 — THE EARTH’S MOTION. [ARTICLE]

THE EARTH’S MOTION.

Why We Do Not Feel the World’s Rapid Flight Through Space. We have no direct sensation of the earth's motion because of its absolute smoothness and freedom from all jar or vibration, and, as everything— land, sea and air—is carried along at the same rate as ourselves, there is nothing to afford us any evidence that we are moving at all until we make reference to something altogether detached from the earth—as sun, moon or stars—and even then, until reasoning and mathematical calculation are brought to bear, it is these bodies and not ourselves which seem to move. Gliding in a boat down a smooth river it is often impossible to perceive that we are moving except by reference to objects on the banks, and even then it is difficult to resist the impression that they are in motion while tve are at rest Tha mere detail of speed does not affect the question, and, although the earth is rushing trough space at the rate of eighteen miles a second, the motion, infinitely smoother than that of a boat on placid water, is absolutely Imperceptible.