91download.com supports a wide range of platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Dailymotion, Reddit, Bilibili, Douyin, Xiaohongshu and Zhihu, etc. Click the download button below to parse and download the current video
Have you ever wondered just how vast and smooth our planet truly is? Mitchell's creation, a smaller version of myself, got me thinking about this during a recent meet-and-greet after Brain Candy Live. Let's dive into a world where the familiar becomes fascinating, and the ordinary, extraordinary.
Everest, the towering giant, stands at a mere 8.848 km high—a mere bump on the surface of our planet. When we visualize Earth as a whole, Everest's significance diminishes against the planet's massive diameter. It's like a tiny speck on a vast canvas. But why do we perceive it as so grand? Maps and globes often exaggerate our planet's topography, leading to a misconception about its actual smoothness.
Take a cross-section of the United States, for instance. On a scale where the vertical axis spans 10,000 ft and the horizontal axis represents nearly 14 million ft, the Earth's actual smoothness becomes apparent. If our planet were a 1 ft diameter globe, Everest would be a minuscule bump, barely noticeable. This perspective shift challenges our preconceived notions about the world we live on.
Earth's surface is not just smooth; it's fractal. Every mountain, every valley, contributes to the big rugged shapes we see. Mathematicians have even assigned a fractal dimension to Earth's surface: 2.3. This means that from the scale of a human hair to that of a mountain, the number of atoms on Earth's surface is not a fixed number but changes significantly.
From a distance, Kansas might seem flatter than a pancake, but it's not the flattest state. Delaware, Minnesota, Louisiana, North Dakota, and Illinois all rank higher on the flatness scale. Florida, often called "flatter than a pancake," is scientifically proven to be smoother. However, if a pancake were the size of Kansas, its peaks would be 10 km high— taller than Everest itself.
Earth's oceans might cover a significant portion of our planet, but their depth is negligible when compared to the total size of the Earth. If our planet were a classroom globe, all of its water would only fill about 14 mL—a mere drop in the ocean. This perspective helps us understand the relative size of our planet and the vastness of the universe.
The Earth's curvature plays a significant role in our perception of the horizon. Depending on your height, the horizon can vary, but generally, it's about 5 km away. This curvature creates a visual cage, limiting our view, but it also allows for fascinating optical illusions, where things beyond the horizon can peek into view.
From the International Space Station, only 3% of Earth's surface is visible at any one time. The further away you are from the Earth, the smaller it appears, but more area becomes visible. However, this area takes up less of your field of view. From the Moon, 49% of Earth's surface is visible, but the planet itself is only about 2° across—small enough to be blocked by an outstretched thumb.
Our Sun, a massive star, would appear as a single point from just 1/1000 of a light-year away. Most stars in the night sky are further away than this, yet we can see them because they are brighter and bigger. This perspective shift challenges our place in the universe and our significance in the grand scheme of things.
In conclusion, Earth's smoothness and vastness are concepts that can challenge our perceptions and lead us to a deeper understanding of our place in the cosmos. As we explore these ideas, we are reminded of the beauty and complexity of our planet, and the endless possibilities that lie beyond.
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook