Hollow Earth facts for kids
The Hollow Earth is an old idea that says our planet, Earth, is either completely empty inside or has a huge space within it. Imagine Earth like a giant, hollow ball!
This idea first became popular in the late 1600s. Over time, scientists tried to prove or disprove it. Today, we know from science that Earth is not hollow. It has layers, like an onion, with a solid inner core and a liquid outer core.
Even though it's not scientifically true, the idea of a Hollow Earth is still very popular in folklore (old stories) and in adventure fiction books and movies.
Contents
Early Ideas and Scientific Checks
The famous astronomer Edmond Halley (who discovered Halley's Comet) suggested in the late 1600s that Earth might have several shells, one inside the other, like Russian nesting dolls. He even thought there might be life on the inner surfaces!
Later, in the 1700s, scientists like Pierre Bouguer and Charles Hutton did experiments to check this idea. Charles Hutton's Schiehallion experiment around 1774 measured how much a mountain's gravity pulled on a pendulum. His results showed that Earth must be mostly solid, not hollow.
Popular Beliefs in the 1800s
Even after scientists showed the Earth wasn't hollow, some people still believed it. In the mid-1800s, people like John Cleves Symmes Jr. and Jeremiah N. Reynolds strongly supported the idea. Symmes even suggested that there were large openings at the North and South Poles leading to the inner world!
However, by this time, the Hollow Earth concept was seen as a pseudoscience. This means it was treated like a science, but it didn't follow real scientific methods or evidence.
Hollow Earth in Stories
While scientists proved the Earth isn't hollow, the idea never really went away. It became a popular theme in stories and movies, especially in a type of adventure fiction called "subterranean fiction."
Many famous books use the Hollow Earth as their main idea:
- Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne: This classic novel takes readers on an amazing trip deep inside the Earth.
- At the Earth's Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs: This book explores a hidden world inside Earth with strange creatures and ancient civilizations.
These stories let writers imagine exciting adventures in a secret world beneath our feet, even if it's just make-believe!
Images for kids
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A chapel and bell tower on Station Island. According to old myths, a cave here was an entrance to a place of purgatory inside the Earth. The cave has been closed since 1632.
See also
In Spanish: Creencia en la Tierra hueca para niños
