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back to article Don't stare: SHRUNKEN Mercury lost 7km, but only 'cos it's COOLING

The planet Mercury has shrunk by up to 7km in radius over the past four billion years – much more than boffins had previously thought. A long collection of ridges and scarps on the planet Mercury, stretching over 540km. The colours correspond to elevation - yellow-green is high and blue is low. Ridges and scarps on Mercury, …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Joke

    I give it one week

    For the "Mercury Diet" to become popular.

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    1. Steve Knox
      Reply Icon

      Re: I give it one week

      Meh.. 7km in 4 billion years = ~ 1.75cm per 10,000 years. A little too slow for most dieters, methinks.

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      1. David Pollard
        Reply Icon

        Re: I give it one week

        When diets have an annual turnover in the US of $58 billion it's important that no one comes up with one which does work.

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  2. Michael H.F. Wilkinson Silver badge
    Coat

    I thought it looked a bit small through my scope

    Sorry, time to go home, it appears. Mine is the one with "Turn Left at Orion" in the pocket

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    1. PhilBuk
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      Re: I thought it looked a bit small through my scope

      You've got very big pockets.

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  3. Neil Barnes Silver badge

    Cooling?

    Are they sure it's just not slowly evaporating?

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    1. Martin Budden Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Joke

      Re: Cooling?

      We keep finding Martian meteorites down here: clearly that's where the missing 7km has gone!

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    2. Bartlomiej Kochan
      Reply Icon
      Mushroom

      Re: Cooling?

      We homegrown boffins concurr.

      Sun is cooking the planet off.

      Down to a raisin size one day ?

      Maybe also pressurize it to giant diamond.

      Could the planet escape sun's gravity when it looses enough mass ?

      Will it crush into other planets on the way ?

      Love to speculate 1st thing in the morning.

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  4. Steven Jones

    Extending the methodology

    Using the same basis of estimating how much the planet has shrunk by the extent and size of wrinkles, my head has got an awful lot smaller since my youth.

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    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
      Reply Icon
      Devil

      Re: Extending the methodology

      It also leads to some interesting speculations on the original size of the average male scrotum.

      Oh dear. I really shouldn't have typed that, but I just couldn't stop myself. Is that a space-hopper in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me...

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      1. The last doughnut
        Reply Icon

        Re: Extending the methodology

        You should ask your mum. She knows this sort of thing.

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  5. Scott Broukell

    *Warning*

    May contain nuts!

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  6. LaeMing
    Coat

    I knew...

    ...there would be a raisin.

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  7. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge

    They picked a bad day to announce it. #BICEP2

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