World 38714 226186782 2008-07-17T06:14:53Z VengeancePrime 7338550 [[WP:VAND|restore]] {{Otheruses}} {{Earth Labelled Map|width=487|float=right}} The '''World''' is a proper noun for the planet '''[[Earth]]''' envisioned from an [[anthropocentric]] or [[human]] [[worldview]], as a place inhabited by [[human beings]]. It is often used to signify the sum of human [[experience]] and [[history]], or the '[[human condition]]' in general.<ref>'This is the excellent foppery of the world...' -- [[Shakespeare]], ''[[King Lear]]'', I.ii</ref> The [[world population]] is over 6.80 billion people.<ref> Updated March, 2008: [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/xx.html CIA's The World Factbook] (see also [[The World Factbook]])</ref> In a [[metaphysics|metaphysical]] context, ''World'' may refer to everything that constitutes [[reality]] and the [[Universe]]: see [[World (philosophy)]]. ==Etymology== In [[English language|English]], ''[[:wikt:world|world]]'' may be parsed as rooted in a compound of the obsolete words ''[[were]],'' "man", and ''eld,'' "age"; thus, its etymology may be semantically rendered as "age or life of man".<ref> [http://www.bartleby.com/61/roots/IE588.html ''American Heritage Dictionary'' ]</ref> ==Usage== [[Image:Whole world - land and oceans 12000.jpg|thumb|333px|right|The World in [[Equirectangular projection|plate carrée projection]]]] 'World' distinguishes the entire [[planet]] or [[population]] from any particular [[country]] or [[region]]: ''world affairs'' are those which pertain not just to one place but to the whole world, and ''[[world history]]'' is a field of [[history]] which examines events from a [[global]] (rather than a national or a regional) [[perspective]]. ''Earth'', on the other hand, refers to the planet as a physical entity, and distinguishes it from other planets and physical objects. <nowiki>'</nowiki>''World''<nowiki>'</nowiki> can also be used attributively, as an [[adjective]], to mean 'global', 'relating to the whole world', forming usages such as [[World community]]. See [[World (adjective)]]. By [[extension]], a <nowiki>'</nowiki>''world''<nowiki>'</nowiki> may refer to any planet or [[heavenly body]], especially when it is thought of as inhabited. <nowiki>'</nowiki>''World''<nowiki>'</nowiki>, when qualified, can also refer to a particular domain of [[human]] [[experience]]. * The ''world of work'' describes paid work and the pursuit of a [[career]], in all its social aspects, to distinguish it from home life and [[academia|academic]] study. * The ''fashion world'' describes the environment of the designers, [[fashion house]]s and [[consumer]]s that make up the [[fashion industry]]. * The ''[[New World]]'' is a part of the world discovered or colonized by [[Europe]]ans later than other parts; it usually refers to the [[Americas|American]] continents or to [[Australia]]. [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] and [[Native Australians]] tend to dislike this usage. For them America and Australia are not new. Their ancestors have lived there since [[time immemorial]]. The ''[[Old World]]'' refers, by contrast, to the continents of [[Europe]], [[Asia]] and north [[Africa]]. ==Earth== [[Image:800px-World Nasa.JPG|thumb|333px|right|The World in [[Peters_projection|Gall-Peters projection]]]] {{Main|Earth}} Earth is the only place in the [[universe]] where [[life]] is known to exist. Scientific evidence indicates that the planet formed [[Age of the Earth|4.54 billion years]] ago,<ref name="age_earth">{{cite book | first=G.B. | last=Dalrymple | year=1991 | title=The Age of the Earth | publisher=Stanford University Press | location=California | id=ISBN 0-8047-1569-6 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Newman | first=William L. | date=[[July 9]], [[2007]] | url=http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/geotime/age.html | title=Age of the Earth | publisher=Publications Services, USGS | accessdate=2007-09-20 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last=Dalrymple | first=G. Brent | title=The age of the Earth in the twentieth century: a problem (mostly) solved | journal=Geological Society, London, Special Publications | year=2001 | volume=190 | pages=205–221 | url=http://sp.lyellcollection.org/cgi/content/abstract/190/1/205 | accessdate=2007-09-20 | doi=10.1144/GSL.SP.2001.190.01.14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Stassen | first=Chris | date=[[September 10]], [[2005]] | url=http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-age-of-earth.html | title=The Age of the Earth | publisher=The TalkOrigins Archive | accessdate=2007-09-20 }}</ref> and life appeared on its surface within a billion years. Since then, Earth's [[biosphere]] has significantly altered [[Earth's atmosphere|the atmosphere]] and other [[abiotic]] conditions on the planet, enabling the proliferation of [[aerobic organisms]] as well as the formation of the [[ozone layer]] which, together with Earth's [[magnetic field]], blocks harmful radiation, permitting life on land.<ref>{{cite book | first=Roy M. | last=Harrison | coauthors=Hester, Ronald E. | year=2002 | title=Causes and Environmental Implications of Increased UV-B Radiation | publisher=Royal Society of Chemistry | id=ISBN 0854042652 }}</ref> Earth's [[Crust (geology)|outer surface]] is divided into several rigid segments, or [[tectonic plate]]s, that gradually migrate across the surface over periods of [[Geologic time scale|many millions of years]]. About 71% of the surface is covered with [[seawater|salt-water]] [[ocean]]s, the remainder consisting of [[continent]]s and [[island]]s; liquid [[water]], necessary for all known life, is not known to exist on any other planet's surface.<ref>Other planets in the solar system are either too hot or too cold to support liquid water. However, it is confirmed to have existed on the surface of Mars in the past, and may still appear today. See: <cite>{{cite news | author=Msnbc | title=Rover reveals Mars was once wet enough for life | publisher=NASA | date=[[March 2]], [[2007]] | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4202901/ | accessdate=2007-08-28 }}</cite><cite>{{cite news | author=Staff | title=Simulations Show Liquid Water Could Exist on Mars | publisher=University of Arkansas | date=[[November 7]], [[2005]] | url=http://dailyheadlines.uark.edu/5717.htm | accessdate=2007-08-08 }}</cite></ref><ref>As of 2007, water vapor has been detected in the atmosphere of only one extrasolar planet, and it is a gas giant. See: {{cite journal | last=G. Tinetti et al. | title=Water vapour in the atmosphere of a transiting extrasolar planet | journal=Nature | date=July, 2007 | volume=448 | pages=169–171 | doi= 10.1038/nature06002}}</ref> Earth's interior remains active, with a thick layer of relatively solid [[Mantle (geology)|mantle]], a liquid outer core that generates a magnetic field, and a solid iron [[inner core]]. The earth consists of seven continents listed as follows: North America, South America, Antarctica, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia; the largest of which is Asia. There are several other methods of determining the continents. Earth is impacted upon by other objects in [[outer space]], including the [[Sun]] and the [[Moon]]. At present, Earth orbits the Sun once for every roughly 365.26 times it rotates about its axis. This length of time is a [[sidereal year]], which is equal to 365.26 [[solar day]]s.<ref>The number of solar days is one less than the number of [[sidereal day]]s because the orbital motion of the Earth about the Sun results in one additional revolution of the planet about its axis.</ref> The Earth's axis of rotation is [[axial tilt|tilted]] 23.4° away from the [[perpendicular]] to its [[Orbital plane (astronomy)|orbital plane]],<ref>Ahrens, ''Global Earth Physics: A Handbook of Physical Constants'', p. 8.</ref> producing seasonal variations on the planet's surface with a period of one [[tropical year]] (365.24 solar days). Earth's only known [[natural satellite]], the Moon, which began orbiting it about 4.53 billion years ago, provides ocean [[tide]]s, stabilizes the axial tilt and gradually slows the planet's rotation. A [[comet]]ary bombardment during the early history of the planet played a role in the formation of the oceans.<ref name="comet">{{cite journal | author=Morbidelli, A.; Chambers, J.; Lunine, J. I.; Petit, J. M.; Robert, F.; Valsecchi, G. B.; Cyr, K. E. | title=Source regions and time scales for the delivery of water to Earth | journal=Meteoritics & Planetary Science | year=2000 | volume=35 | issue=6 | pages=1309–1320 | url=http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2000M&PS...35.1309M | accessdate=2007-03-06 }}</ref> Later, [[asteroid]] impacts caused significant changes to the surface environment. ==Life== {{Main|Life}} A diverse array of living organisms can be found in the [[biosphere]] on Earth. Properties common to these organisms—[[plant]]s, [[animal]]s, [[fungus|fungi]], [[protist]]s, [[archaea]] and [[bacteria]]—are a [[Carbon-based life|carbon]]- and [[Water#Effects on life|water]]-based [[Cell (biology)|cellular]] form with complex [[organization]] and heritable [[gene]]tic information. They undergo [[metabolism]], possess a capacity to grow, respond to [[stimuli]], [[reproduce]] and, possibly, through [[natural selection]], adapt to their environment in successive generations. ==Humanity== {{See|Human|World population}} Humans, or human beings, are [[bipedalism|bipedal]] [[primate]]s belonging to the [[mammal]]ian species ''Homo sapiens''. Compared to other species, humans have a [[encephalization|highly developed]] brain capable of abstract reasoning, [[language]], and [[introspection]]. This mental capability, combined with an erect body carriage that frees their upper limbs for manipulating objects, has allowed humans to make far greater use of [[tool]]s than any other species. [[DNA]] evidence indicates that modern humans originated in [[Africa]] about 200,000&nbsp;years ago.<ref>[http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/ha/sap.htm The Smithsonian Institution, Human Origins Program]</ref> Humans now inhabit every continent and [[low Earth orbit]], with a total population of over 6.7 billion as of March 2008.<ref name="popclock">{{cite web |url=http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/popclockworld.html |title=World POPClock Projection |accessdate=2007-06-14 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division/International Programs Center}}</ref> Like most primates, humans are social by nature. However, humans are particularly adept at utilizing systems of communication for self-expression, the exchange of ideas, and organization. Humans create complex [[social structure]]s composed of many cooperating and competing groups, from [[family|families]] to [[nation]]s. [[Social interaction]]s between humans have established an extremely wide variety of traditions, rituals, ethics, values, [[norm (sociology)|social norms]], and [[law]]s which form the basis of human society. Humans have a marked appreciation for beauty and aesthetics which, combined with the human desire for self-expression, has led to cultural innovations such as [[art]], [[literature]] and [[music]]. Humans are noted for their desire to understand and influence the world around them, seeking to explain and manipulate natural phenomena through [[science]], [[philosophy]], [[mythology]] and [[religion]]. This natural curiosity has led to the development of advanced tools and skills; humans are the only extant species known to build fires, cook their food, clothe themselves, and use numerous other [[technology|technologies]]. ==Development== {{Main|World development}} A summary of world development: *universe is continuing its [[metric expansion of space|metric expansion]] *our galaxy is [[Andromeda-Milky Way collision|approaching its neighbor]] *the Sun is [[Solar luminosity|shining brighter and brighter]] *the Earth's surface is [[global warming|getting hotter]] *Species are [[Holocene extinction event#Ongoing Holocene Extinction|becoming fewer]] *Humans are [[Population growth|increasing in number]] *Their life expectancy, literacy, education, standard of living, and [[Economic development|GDP per capita]] are increasing *[[Technology development|technology]] and [[Sociocultural evolution|socioculture]] are also developing * Global business are also increasing. ==See also== * [[Earth]] * [[Planet]] * [[World map]] * [[Globe]] * [[Universe]] * [[Humanity]] ==External links== *{{CIA World Factbook link|xx|World}} ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Universe]] [[Category:World| ]] [[ar:عالَم]] [[arc:ܥܠܡܐ (ܐܪܥܐ)]] [[ay:Pacha]] [[zh-min-nan:Sè-kài]] [[ca:Món]] [[ceb:Kalibotan]] [[cs:Svět]] [[de:Welt]] [[dv:ދުނިޔެ]] [[es:Mundo]] [[eo:Mondo]] [[eu:Mundu]] [[fa:جهان]] [[fr:Monde (univers)]] [[ko:세계]] [[hr:Svijet]] [[io:Mondo]] [[ia:Mundo]] [[it:Mondo]] [[kk:Дүние жүзі]] [[ku:Cîhan]] [[lv:Pasaule]] [[ja:世界]] [[nn:Verd]] [[km:ពិភពលោក]] [[uz:Dunyo]] [[pl:Świat]] [[pt:Mundo]] [[qu:Kay pacha]] [[sq:Bota]] [[ss:Úmhlâba]] [[sk:Svet]] [[sl:Svet]] [[sv:Värld]] [[tl:Mundo]] [[vi:Thế giới]] [[tg:Ҷаҳон]] [[uk:Світ]] [[ur:دنیا]] [[vo:Vol]] [[wo:Àdduna]] [[yi:וועלט]] [[bat-smg:Sviets]] [[zh:世界]]