Mitocôndrias e quasares by António Costa: The Earth that deforms: where earthquakes meet gravityPhoto by Falkenpost on Pexels
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Mitocôndrias e quasares by António Costa: The Earth that deforms: where earthquakes meet gravity

Jornal O Interior6 September 2026 at 12:00

The article explores the question of whether the Earth is a perfect sphere, beginning by acknowledging that, seen from space, it may appear as an ideal sphere, but that reality is more complex and irregular. The discussion focuses on how the planet is not geometrically perfect.

The text explains that there are three main factors contributing to this irregularity: Earth's rotation, surface relief, and the uneven distribution of materials inside the planet. These combined elements cause gravity to vary from place to place, rather than being uniform across Earth's surface.

The article mentions the concept of the geoid as the model that represents these differences in the Earth's shape. This model allows us to visualize and understand how gravity is not constant at all points on the planet, revealing an Earth with significant variations in its gravitational structure.

The full title, which mentions "where earthquakes meet gravity," suggests that the article will later address the relationship between Earth's deformation, seismic phenomena, and gravitational variations, although the available text ends before developing this specific topic.

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