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Science Facts That Will Shock and Surprise You

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by Tom Currie

Coriolis Forces Don’t Determine Which Way Water Drains

The rotation of the Earth may be responsible for which way hurricanes and currents turn, but rest assured that it is not responsible for anything going on in your toilet. The Coriolis forces that act on Earth are actually much weaker than most people think, and the reason they affect things as big as ocean currents and weather systems is because that force is spread out over a wide area and a long period of time. Don’t throw out that Simpsons DVD just yet, though—the jury’s still out as to whether or not the immensely powerful Coriolis forces on Jupiter (which is 1400 times larger and spins 25 times faster than Earth) would affect a toilet somehow placed in the gas giant’s roiling, chaotic atmosphere. Sadly there are no feasible Jovian toilet expedition plans at this time, but plumbers everywhere are living in hope.

Photo Credit: Flickr