Fact that is more well known than I realised, but I still like it.
If the Sun was to disappear, we would still feel it's heat, and see it's light for 8 minutes afterwards. However, more oddly, the Earth would continue to orbit it for the same time period too.
( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:44, 3 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

What about The Mirror?

(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:45, Reply)

the light thing is known by everyone
the orbit one is odd though. do you have a source?
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:46, Reply)

He does. Chilli - it came with his munchy box.

( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:47, Reply)

It's in the new Brian Cox book, does that count?

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:47, Reply)

yeah, he's a scientist
more or less
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:49, Reply)

Sounds reasonable assuming that gravity is limited by the speed of light the same as everything else.

(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:54, Reply)

Oh hello you I met your friend last night, I think she liked me.
I certainly liked her.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:58, Reply)

Yes I have just found a text from her, she said you're lovely.

(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 14:07, Reply)

for some reason I feel like it should either be instant, or take longer
I have no reason for that
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:58, Reply)

but gravity doesn't travel, does it?
also there's some weird shit about gravity and why it's so weak. Something about links with other universes...potentially anyway
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 14:02, Reply)

Brane theory, yes.
I don't know if we have a good enough model of gravity to know if it needs to travel.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 14:08, Reply)

Wouldn't it just get gradually cooler?

(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:47, Reply)

I don't think so, it'd simply go from hot to cold.

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:51, Reply)

Hmmm,
I can't see that happening. If the sun turned off, there would be a gradual twilight. But I'm not a scientist.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:53, Reply)

It would get instantly dark.
The temperature would feel like it had dropped a big chunk instantly, like going from bright sunshine to shade, and then the rest of the heat would radiate away down to a baseline supported by decaying thorium in the earth's crust and the fuck-off amount of molten rock and metal inside the planet.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:56, Reply)

How long would it be before we all died?

(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:58, Reply)

Not a clue.
People would be able to survive though, we have the technology. I remember reading a short story when I was a kid about people having to go out and fill buckets with frozen oxygen off the ground to replenish their air supply.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 14:03, Reply)

we'd only survive if we had
warning, though, surely
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 14:04, Reply)

I would have thought those with access to self-contained nuclear-powered bunkers would last a while,
even with minimal warning.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 14:06, Reply)

Andy Mcnab would survive it.
He'd slot the bastard.
(Bear Pookie The Frankly Challenged. Halloween is coming to town., Wed 20 Apr 2011, 14:07, Reply)

so pack a jumper
just in case
( Citizen Cavy Admires your passion for conformity, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:58, Reply)

Bollocks.
The atmosphere, earth's surface and seas hold a fuckload of heat energy. Unless you mean, like, sunlight on your face, in which case yes.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 13:54, Reply)

Yes, that's what I mean, sorry.

( Agnostic Antichrist Baltimora, Wed 20 Apr 2011, 14:19, Reply)