From the July 2007 issue

With the Moon gradually moving away from Earth, what will happen to people and objects when the Earth-Moon center of mass reaches Earth’s surface?

MICHAEL HANLEY, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT
By | Published: July 1, 2007 | Last updated on May 18, 2023

Nothing will happen. The barycenter, or the Earth-Moon system’s center of mass, is a mathematical construct used to help us understand the system as a whole.