Kavin: At what speed is the Earth rotating?
Me (trying to act smart): One rotation every 24 hours.
Kavin: No, I mean, how fast am I going because of the Earth's rotation.
Me (asks Google Now): 1600 kph.
Kavin (to Nilay): If we need to go around the Earth in one day, we need to travel at 1,600 kph.
I knew kids in grade 11 science who could not make that correlation. There are those of us who see beauty in mathematics. To us, these things come obviously. We also celebrate when a seven year old gets it intrinsically. If you're one of us, raise a toast to Kavin tonight.
Me (trying to act smart): One rotation every 24 hours.
Kavin: No, I mean, how fast am I going because of the Earth's rotation.
Me (asks Google Now): 1600 kph.
Kavin (to Nilay): If we need to go around the Earth in one day, we need to travel at 1,600 kph.
I knew kids in grade 11 science who could not make that correlation. There are those of us who see beauty in mathematics. To us, these things come obviously. We also celebrate when a seven year old gets it intrinsically. If you're one of us, raise a toast to Kavin tonight.