Scientists say that the planet Mercury has been actively shrinking over the billions of years that it’s orbited the Sun, a process that’s leaving cracked-up wrinkles behind like an old apple.
At just one-third the size of Earth, it’s already the smallest planet in our solar system — it’s larger than Pluto, but Pluto is no longer classified as a planet — in a title it’s bound to hold on to as its continues to diminish in physical size.
Now, as detailed in a new paper by a team of scientists from the German Aerospace Center’s (DLR) Institute of Space Research, the oddball planet’s shrivelling could be occurring at an even faster-than-expected rate, losing up to 14.5 miles of total diameter since it formed billions of years ago. That’s anywhere from ten to 30 percent more than previously thought.
https://futurism.com/future-society/mercury-shrunken-drastically-faster
Sky event?
Capitol Police were seen gathering at McConnell’s home on Monday, and he emerged from the property that had elevated measures to vote in the 5:30 vote series just before 6:00 PM on Monday. Minutes later he was on the Senate floor casting his ballot, and huddling with colleagues while in a wheelchair.
https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16130135/mitch-mcconnell-missing-senate-90-days.html
Drat. Body double?
If the mercury is shrinking, it must be getting colder. Just like a thermometer.