Richard Haberacker, age 12, of Allentown, pa., for his question:

Is it true that the world is getting heavier?

The weight of the world includes the heavy central core, the massive layers of rocks above it, the seas and continents and all objects upon the surface and even the blanket of air around it. The weight of all these items does not change. The earth can gain weight only if objects land here from space.

We have not, of course, been invaded or bombarded by visitors from other worlds. Nevertheless, our g1obe is bombarded day and night by space traveling meteors. Most of these small fragments burn to ashes before they strike, but ashes from burned meteors make the earth heavier, and a number of sizable meteorites land on earth every day. It is estimated that they are adding countless tons to the weight of the world.