Crashing Ships on Earth: The Reality and Impact

When considering the potential impact of a series of ships crashing onto Earth, one might understandably imagine a catastrophic event on par with a massive asteroid strike. However, the reality would likely be much less devastating, especially given the circumstances in which these ships would engage their gravitational influence.

The Nature of Impact

When ships start from a stationary position relatively close to the ground, they are actually more likely to experience a gradual loss of lift due to gravity. This means they might not be moving at such high speeds by the time they impact the Earth, due to the constant deceleration. Additionally, the aerodynamic shape of these ships would cause significant air resistance, further hampering their ability to accelerate.

Considering the Earth's crust, it is important to note that even though the surface would experience a significant local impact, the planet's overall resilience would prevent a planet-wide disaster. The force would be absorbed by the Earth's vast structure, preventing global-scale devastation. While there would likely be seismic activity akin to a local earthquake, Earth's very strong and dense composition ensures that such disturbances are localized and do not spread across the entire planet.

Seismic and Environmental Effects

The shockwaves from the crash could be detected by seismographs from a significant distance, and the seismic disturbances would be confined to the immediate area of impact. Additionally, the crash would displace a considerable amount of dust and debris into the atmosphere, which may lead to temporary global cooling effects as the dust settles and clears. However, this effect would be far from the catastrophic "dinosaur killer" level of damage that might be imagined.

Crater Formation and Hazardous Elements

The impact could create a crater, but the primary hazard would come from the power cores of the ships. In scenarios where ships powered by antimatter, as seen in the Abramsverse Star Trek films, the aftermath could indeed be apocalyptic. However, the ships in question are not necessarily equipped with such dangerous fuel sources, suggesting the local effect might be more akin to a large but contained explosion.

Regardless, the sequal of the mentioned film Independence Day indicated that the city, specifically Washington D.C., was untouched while in the first film, it was clearly destroyed. This suggests that the scale of destruction might depend on the type of power source used and the overall design of the ships.

Size and Speed Considerations

Even with the presence of multiple ships, their size and relative insignificance compared to the Earth's mass mean that their impact would be proportionate. Each ship, despite being massive, would still be miniscule compared to the Earth's voluminous mass. This makes the idea of widespread havoc less feasible unless the ships are equipped with extremely hazardous technology.

In summary, while the immediate vicinity of a crashing ship would experience significant effects, the global impact would be relatively minor. The key factors are the initial velocity, the material of the ships, and the environmental and structural strength of the Earth. If the ships are not equipped with highly hazardous technology, the overall damage would likely be contained to a localized area.