what are the chances that the chilean 8.8 earthquake actually did knock the earth off it's axis?

It more than likely did shift it slightly, but they estimate that it was no more than three inches. I don’t think we’re ever going to notice that or the 1.26 millisecond change in the length of a day.

Every major earthquake affects our axis. This time, I’ve heard the number “3 inches” quoted, and shortening our day by a microsecond or so. When the Haiti earthquake went off, it had also knocked us around, but by much less. However, in 24, the Sumatra quake was powerful enough to knock us around 4-5 inches, which had the opposite effect of Chile — it lengthened our day by a microsecond or two. Earth isn’t perfect, and that’s why you’ll hear geologists and other types refer to Earth’s “wobble.” Just like a child’s top toy (you know, the spinning thing) that you can tap with your finger — it’ll knock around a little bit, and you flick it a second time and it will return to normal, etc. It’s just what happens, and it’s absolutely natural.

I saw a person today terrified that our days were going to get shorter and shorter until there were no days. That physically can’t happen. A little shake and wobble here and there is totally normal.

I don’t know if you’re worrying about it, or are just interested, but just to cover everything — honestly, don’t worry about it, it’s totally normal.

Source(s): Experienced geologist

From what I had read from a news story on Yahoo news today, a NASA scientist made a claim that this earthquake and the 9.1 earthquake from 24 both caused a slight shift in the earth’s axis and shaved milliseconds off the earth’s rotation time.

Every earthquake alters the position of the axis by just a small amount. I saw a post earlier which gave the actual measurement which was infinitesimal.

Think of a spinning top. The slightest disturbance changes its motion.

In reality it has no detrimental effect except in the minds of the scaremongers.

1%

It did change the axis minutely and knocked about a millionth of a second of our day length. No wonder I feel tired this morning. I’ve been cheated of 1 millionth of a second of sleep.

It’s possible. I’m sure there have been other major earthquakes, even within recent history, that have also had an effect. We just didn’t have the ability to measure it.

There are extremely ancient stories of cataclysmic earthquakes, and references to even more dramatic polar shifts.

It is possible, but it was only by 3 inches so we will probably never notice the change.

It did, but only by 3 inches!!

It is shortened our day by a few milliseconds!!

Meh.

My dvd player will still be flashing 12: regardless..

51

pretty good chances