From Fark.com: Gravity is stronger in New Zealand than anywhere else on Earth

Link found on Fark.com under the heading, "Gravity is stronger in New Zealand than anywhere else on Earth"

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydispl...ection=general


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Heaviest scenery on Earth

05.10.2002

It doesn't matter how hard you've dieted, how much lettuce you've eaten, your weight's up in Fiordland.

Scientists have found that gravity is stronger in the southwest of the South Island than almost anywhere else on Earth.

That means people weigh more there than elsewhere.

The difference is too small to be picked up by the bathroom scales.

But it is a sign that the area - known for its scenic wonders - is in for some heavy geological activity within the next few million years.

A study published in the American journal Science says Fiordland is one of the newest places in the world where Earth's plates are grinding together, creating a new zone of earthquakes and volcanoes similar to the Taupo volcanic zone.

This leaves heavy rocks from the planet's core relatively close to the surface, causing higher gravity.

The study says gravity between Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound in southwest Fiordland is 150 units above average.

"It's one of the strongest positive gravity anomalies on the planet, over land," said one of the study authors, Professor Peter Kamp of Waikato University.