What If Earth Were the Size of A Schoolroom Globe? 

What was your biggest takeaway from this Explainer?

Chuck is getting so good at this.

" You Neil'd It" - Should Be OnA Shirt 👕

Neil does a great job making physics/astronomy fun

I just looked on Google Earth, Chuck really did nail it, the American Museum of Natural History is EXACTLY 1 mile from the middle of the Hudson River.

My biggest takeaway is... give these guys a bigger studio and space for guests!

My favorite one. If you consider the distance to Alpha Centauri.. and convert it down and make it 200 miles. The distance a human being has traveled, to the moon, ends up equaling 3 inches. Out of a 200 mile journey, we have gone 3 inches. This one really makes you want to fight to save this planet rather than sit back and assume we will be able to move to another planet.

The scale at which you can sort of begin to grasp the size of the universe - if you make the Sun a golf ball, the known universe fits inside the Oort cloud. The Milky Way fits easily within Mercury's orbit around the Sun. Local galactic group fits within Saturn's orbit. Etc.

I wish Neil would have asked them to guess the distance of the nearest star, that would have totally blown their minds

now i wish this episode was longer and not only would we talk distances, but we would also talk sizes. like for example how large would the sun be compared to the schoolroom globe. we know that a million earths could fit in the sun but i wonder how that translates to scale, like the sun at the scale of a schoolroom globe would be like... a 4 story building 5 blocks away? im just coming up with numbers i didn't do any maths.

YOUR STARTALK SHOULD BE PLAYED/SHOWN IN EVERY ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOL AROUND THE WORLD SO PEOPLE WILL BE AWARE OF HOW FRAGILE OUR PLANET IS. THANK YOU FOR SHARING🙏🙏🙏🙏

It’s so cool to seeing you guys in the same room (non zoom episodes).

Bill nye did it first! Anyone else remember the bill nye science guy segment where he scaled down the solar system and then biked across the country to illustrate the vast distances between our planets? It's one of my absolute favorite science lessons and I'll never forget it.

My favorite explanation for how close "space" is is: If you live in Seattle, you're closer to space than you are to Portland or Vancouver. If you live in New York, you're closer to space than to Boston or DC. If you live in Atlanta, Raleigh, NC, San Antonio, TX, Sacramento, CA, you you're closer to space than you are to the ocean. (Never mind Denver!)

I flew in Concorde twice in the 1980s. From 60,000 ft altitude, the sky above is a very dark purple colour. Not quite as dark as night time, but not far off.

I can listen to neil for an hour ➕️ easily

3:33 that moment of realization was just excellent

Flat earthers listen up

Another thing to consider is that the International Space Station is closer to the surface of the Earth than Los Angeles is to San Francisco by just under 100 miles. Take a line from LA to SF, stand it upright into the sky and the ISS is much closer than an afternoon drive from LA to the Golden Gate Bridge.

Clarification. The distance between Earth and Mars varies depending where in their respective orbits they are. The maximum is more than twice the distance between the Earth and the Sun. The number given here is the minimum, which is the best time to travel between them. The distance between the Earth and the Sun at the scale used would be over 2 miles. And the Earth Mars max would be over 5 miles.

These are always so fun and informative in such a short dialogue, great for breaks to ease the body and energize the mind. Thanks for all you do at star talk for our nation.

The handful of nanogenarian moon walkers to ISS staff: Yeah sure kids, of course you are in 'space'

6:50 Antarctica: Hey how about me??

I love scaled Solar System models. There is one in Melbourne, Australia scaled down 1 to 1 billion. So, in the St Kilda beach promenade, the Solar system spans for 5.9 km (3.67 miles) from the Sun to (yes) Pluto. And it even has the Proxima Centauri star 40,000 km away in the same direction.

The production quality of these audio and video materials has significantly improved, and they now look amazing. The colour grading exudes a warm, soothing vibe that evokes nostalgic feelings of my teenage years in school.

Love to open youtube and first video i see is this starting my day off good

See ! This video I understood all the way through, finally. Thank you guys.

Always fun times with you guys, thanks!

I’d be ecstatic to get a globe that doesn’t have the USSR on it in my classroom. I love comparing sizes of continents and countries on maps to actual size and discussing the ethnic/socio influences on said sizes compared to other in my class…it is a great cross curricular lesson. Math, Science, Social Studies, Visual Arts, and Language Arts can easily be included in a unit on the Earth and Atmosphere, maps, etc. (When I could get the other middle grade teachers onboard). For instance, discussions of Africa’s actual size compared to it on most current maps and globes due to colonialism’s influence pairs well with “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebee for Literature. As does the different atmospheric layers and sizes and distances in Earth Science. Add to that, space junk, ozone layer, etc. (My dad was an environmentalist so he would come in and speak). Correction: Well *would* have. I’m a once and MAYBE future teacher here. Burnt out…going back would greatly depend on the school and educational philosophy…I hate we separate “subjects” so much. That isn’t how life works. I used to show this podcast/COSMOS in my class until a holy roller nut job parent-the reasons I quit in general-complained. (They were the main reason I left the profession, not the kids).

You guys are so much fun to hear ❤

Wow! I really enjoy this show a lot, and I did not realize until I heard Chuck mention that you're on the Upper West Side on Manhattan. I am too! Knowing you wonderful people are so close makes home a better place. Sincerely! Thanks for everything you guys do.

Great way to dispel perceptions. Fun too.

More videos like this with metaphors and analogies! Such an interesting topic

I thoroughly enjoyed this.

really interesting vid, thanks

Best explanation of the earths "smoothness to scale" I've heard ---> If the earth were the size of a billiard ball it would be smoother than a billiard ball.

It was awesome seeing Neil speak today at the Kean graduation ceremony at the Prudential Center!! My brother got his Bachelor's!

Those scale comparisons were very interesting and informative Neil, well done! 👍👍🌎🌎

I learn something every time, Neil.

It was interesting and fun to watch. Thank you

Here's the good news, if we all keep watching StarTalk we'll be as good as Chuck 😃

Not Earth shattering but definitely mind numbing. One of my fave episodes!

Here in Australia we're glad you didn't mention New Zealand being in the Southern Hemisphere. Because, well, you know, New Zealand.

Imagine if the moon was really as close as Gary though, that would be craaaaaaazyyyyy!!!😮😮😮

Loved this episode ❤

THANK YOU

Thanks for coming out to Cleveland!!

I did the math for a school globe with diameter 50 cm and 1 foot (30 cm): Mt Everest would rise 0,3 mm above surface on a 50 cm globe and 0,2 mm on a 30 cm globe which is the thickness of 3 resp. 2 sheets of copy paper. So Mt Everest would be like a pinpoint which you definitely could feel.

Another great episode...!!! 👍🏽

Thanks for this explainer, was essentially an answer to my Patreon question 😊

Love to see the three of you together!

Now that's an eye opener

Good lesson🙏🙏🙏

Very informative, and entertaining.

Love it❤. Thank you.

super fun episode

Happy to see Gary around you guys! This team is great and I wish everyone interested in science watch you guys at least once. Thank you @Startalk

More please I love it. My dream would be to meet both of u. A ten minutes conversation and a picture to prove it happened lol my life would be complete. I'll do anything

Loved this!

Thank you Neil for Startalk my fellow stargazer ✨💫☄️✌️

Loved the visual

i’m not gon lie i used to mess with you neil but why you beefin with terrence howard bro a literal genius.

Chuck is a scientist! Impressive intuition

i like this new intro at 0:05

Question. How crowded is the asteroid belt really?

You need to do the relative distances of the sun and the other planets from Earth. Maybe even the nearest star. That is truly mind blowing

Brilliant!

I remember when Bill Nye did this experiment and he at least bicycled all the way to mars. Great way of depicting it.

People call the police the thin blue line when, in all reality, the true thin blue line is the atmosphere that makes life possible.

like this message is Chuck is awesome

This is good stuff

Love when Chuck is on the show he cracks me up 😂

Even if Earth were the size of a school globe, everything like the solar system would still be stupendously far away. Even the nearest stars are stupendously far at that scale. I still love it

Free The Penguins: A revolutionary story of the rise of the penguin proletariat to form a (very) global south state capable of tackling the imperialist zoos in the north and aiding the captives with the resources for victory and safe passage home. PG13

Interesting!!!

NEIL DROPPIN’ KNOWLEDGE!!!

I love 💖 Star talk❤.

I love that they're all back in the office again, in the same room. I know they had to do the whole Zoom call thing for the Pandemic, but it lasted for a long time after that, so it's nice to see this format back for Startalk.

I love this

Neil and Chuck for 2024!

I remember this example you did with people on stage , great way to understand how small our planet

Gary must be really into science to contribute so much to StarTalk. He just fits comfortably into the show. Why does Neil have Christmas lights behind him? Old recording?

Very 👍 good!

This was fun

Chuck Neiled it!

iam so curious about whats outthere. iam so interested in science, but all the math that you are talking about, i really do not understand. But still, i love how you talk and explain about things, very informative. thank you 😊 love from the philippines ♥️

Chuck is so funny! 😂

This somewhat reminds me of the old film I saw in high school, 'Powers of Ten," made in 1977. Nine minutes long, give perspective on immense distances. Available on RU-vid.

My mind is seriously blown 🤯

Nice

If you live in New England, you can get a good idea of the scale of the Solar System by visiting the scale model that has the sun at the University of Maine in Presque Isle. Earth is 1 mile south on US 1, and Kuiper Belt dwarf planet Eris is 95 miles south at the intersection of Us 1 & Maine Rte. 6.

I can't wait until you guys get into the Good Stuff 🛸👽

Love it💪❤

Hold on wait how did Chuck randomly get that close? He’s about 10 feet away. He said one day away. Neil corrected him and said no about three days which would be about 30 feet correct?

Well, that was fun!

Hey, I recently watched Terrence Tao's cosmic distance ladder lecture. If zi remember correctly the distance to the Moon ranges between 57 or 63 Earth radii.

What is the actual depth of a fingerprint groove? My math suggests that mount everest should be about one fifth of a millimeter on a school room globe, which I think I would feel... however subtlely

I remember reading that if the earth were shrunk to the size of a marble, it would be closer to a perfect sphere than anything man has yet been able to produce.

"I'm going to say they didn't even get off the ground." 😂😂😂

We need a better science fiction Universe, and I need Neil, Chuck, and Gary to help me: First: what event do we want to witness, or do we not surround a milestone achievement and just make it a plot of the human condition? Examples of Events are: First Space Baby, First Birth on Mars, Both of those above would be outlawed for health reasons until technology can simulate Earth's Gravity. First Mining Expedition to an asteroid, First Space Island Asteroid Ferry, First Contact with Aliens, First Mining Expedition to another solar system, Or is it mundane, like fixing an relay and transponder satellite of outer solar array? Second: what is the Genre, it is a Horror, a Romance, and Action Adventure? Third: Do we start before leaving Earth, or begin already in space. Fourth: How do we tell a Story, and still make it an Instruction Manual and Science Text Book for the Future, the science fiction is not cool: if we do not include cool science, in fact we will tell a Science Fact Story instead, because the only part that is fiction: will be the story: all the setting and technology would be proscribed as possible. Don't worry: I have many greater truths to share to fill in what comes into question. I would have given the options like Faster than Light Travel, or Time Travel, but I do not want to explain how large your ships bubble of relativity of gravitational interaction is: to explain we would need to be larger than a Type X civilization to achieve such. Now: the Question of time comes into play. How far into the Future is our Science going to be extrapolated into? The Event selected will denote the time, as are we yet a Type I and planetary Civilization, or do we jump ahead of all those event, and tell a story from our Type II, or Type III: because each has their elegance, but the higher you get: the more science must be described to truly understand the setting. An Advanced Type II might be putting a dysonsphere around a black hole to use it for communication or dissecting the Cosmic body for information, or we might be an middle type II and dealing with the Survival Instinct of our A.i. now refusing to enter dangerous situations with its mechanisms. I need a direction: as at the Moment, I have to many to pick from. And the idea of using a Black Hole to find the History of the Light of the sun reflected of the Earth and stored within it: and this opens up an entire window to tell the greater past, so we can watch history unfold, from the compacted and stored witness of history, from the perspective of a black hole.