Episode 111 – Robert H. Barlow Triple Feature...

[T. Kelly Lee]

I'm no expert, but it might be useful to consider how Mars no longer has flowing water on the surface, though many believe it once had lakes and oceans.  The change didn't occur because of overheating, of course, but because of a change in atmospheric pressures.  Not that HPL would have known that!

But Martian water is trapped at the poles in the form of polar ice.  If the earth suddenly dried up for this reason, we could still get at the water.  In fact, we wouldn't even need to move to get it.  We could just mine it and de-salinate it and pipe it to the spots needed. 

I'm not sure if we understood what the Martian poles were at the time of this writing, though. 

[Bob Lovecraft]

Well, if the planet was getting closer to the sun, that might well have consequences no one has ever thought of, simply because no one has ever experienced it. Personally I think that water may well dry up and be lost to space. Venus is an example of a runaway greenhouse effect, but look at Mercury, it has no atmosphere at all. Of course it is much closer to the sun, but that may not be the only factor to consider. As such, I think the idea of a parched Earth is every bit as valid now as it was then. Also consider that whole "heat death of the universe" idea back then and you may have the inspiration for some of this tale, though I know the whole "heat death" thing doesn't work like that.

Bob

[T. Kelly Lee]

Well, if the planet was getting closer to the sun, that might well have consequences no one has ever thought of, simply because no one has ever experienced it. Personally I think that water may well dry up and be lost to space. Venus is an example of a runaway greenhouse effect, but look at Mercury, it has no atmosphere at all. Of course it is much closer to the sun, but that may not be the only factor to consider. As such, I think the idea of a parched Earth is every bit as valid now as it was then. Also consider that whole "heat death of the universe" idea back then and you may have the inspiration for some of this tale, though I know the whole "heat death" thing doesn't work like that.

Bob

I think that's right.  Earth is not a closed system.  If my memory serves, I believe that water vapor can be lost to space in periods of extreme heat. 

[Genus Unknown]

In the face of that kind of heat, wouldn't humanity (and everything else) be dead long before the oceans dried up?

Better question: why am I analyzing the scientific accuracy of this?

[T. Kelly Lee]

In the face of that kind of heat, wouldn't humanity (and everything else) be dead long before the oceans dried up?

Better question: why am I analyzing the scientific accuracy of this?

Hell, Lovecraft would have.  Have you seem some of his damn letters?  Nothing we can ever say or do here compares.

[Bob Lovecraft]

Have you seem some of his damn letters?

No, we haven't. You bought them all, you bastard!

Bob