The Mohorovičić Discontinuity

Its name sounds like an episode of The Big Bang Theory. It’s a real thing. It’s a very real thing, though no one talks about it any more.

The Mohorovičić discontinuity (usually called the Moho) is named after Croation scientist Andrija Mohorovičić who discovered it in 1909. During the 1960s we planned a trip to the Moho. We spent several years and millions of dollars trying to get to the Mojo. But we failed. Then we decided that a trip to the Moon was easier and more photogenic. And perhaps for the planet, a whole lot safer. Who can say for certain what would have happened to our planet if humans had succeeded in getting to the Mojo? Nothing good, probably.

Oh, we’ll try again. Even now in some laboratory there is probably a scientist making plans to go to the Mojo. He’ll need funding from the government, of course, and the budget is tight, so we may be safe. Unless – he puts together a coalition of mad scientists to convince Big-Money Corporations that money can be made by going to the Mojo. If that happens, our planet could be screwed.

Reading over this post, I can’t help feeling like there is an important part of the story I’ve left out. Oh well. Hitting the Publish button, now.