From Popular Science: The moon is more than just a pretty face to gaze upon at night. It helps direct our ocean currents and tides, the movement of Earth’s atmosphere and climate, and even the tilt of our planet’s axis.
So what would happen to Earth, and us, if it promptly disappeared without notice? Would we survive it? Sadly, probably not.
Right away, we would notice that “nighttime” would be significantly darker. The moon’s surface reflects the sun’s light, brightening our night sky. Without that indirect glow, any areas that don’t have access to artificial light, like country roads or wooded campsites, would become far riskier to travel through at night. Read more...