Why don't we feel it when the Earth orbits? — Nathan of Wentzville, MO

Dear Nathan,

We do not feel the Earth orbiting the Sun, or spinning on its axis, because you and I are on the Earth. It is like being in a car. You may feel gravity pushing against you as the car goes faster, or pulling you as it slows down. You may feel the bumps and the hills. But if you were going a steady speed, and there were no bumps, you would not sense any motion. That is how it is on Earth. God created our planet to move steadily without any stops, starts, or bumps, so we don't feel like we’re moving. Of course, in a car we can see cows and buildings out the window as we drive by. This gives us a visual sense of motion. But if you look at a distant object, like a mountain, it may not appear to change for a long time. It is the same here on Earth. We can see the Sun, Moon, and stars, but they do not give us a sense of motion because they are so far away. We notice them change, but only after hours, days, and months. It is time, not gravity, that we experience as the Earth hurtles through space.