Why did people jump from the twin towers if they had a chance of surviving?
My answer will not be popular and many will disagree but here goes. (Beware: long answer because I worked in NYC at the time and have spent a…
What is the largest covered area that can be built without using central columns?
The size is almost unlimited even with current technology. I’ll give you three large if not the largest covered structures. New Century Global Center (NCGC) in Chengdu, China,…
Could the human body survive 10 seconds on the moon without a space suit?
Yes. You would not even suffer any permanent damage, if you are rescued after these ten seconds. The problem with vacuum, like on the moon, is, that water…
If a plane ran out of fuel at 35,000 feet doing 550 mph, how far could a pilot coast the plane?
We have a real-word example of such a problem. In 1983, Air Canada Flight 143, known now as the Gimli Glider, ran out of fuel at 41,000 feet. During…
What is the most breathtaking predator in nature?
The Yaguarondi , native to South America. It is a purely diurnal animal , unlike almost all felines. It is slightly larger than a domestic cat, often called the “otter cat” due to its…
Has the Earth ever had more than one moon in history?
Around 4.5 billion years ago, when the Solar System was brand new, Earth shared its orbit with another planet. This planet, Theia, was about the size of Mars….
How deep underground can you build and why does building underground have a limit?
In short, pressure, exactly as happens at the bottom of the sea, is so large when you go kilometres deep that rock explodes without warning. Temperatures raise without…
Why doesn’t the UK have fire hydrants?
Of course the UK has fire hydrants. They’re in hatches in the road, where they’re not going to be hit by cars or peed on by dogs. This…
If you went back in time 1 billion years and picked up a rock and simply moved it a couple meters and put it back down, would the world today be much different?
The world would be unrecognizable. I was first brought to this by a single answer, but there are a lot of answers that fail to recognize just how…
What is the strangest place on Earth?
If you’re European and go grocery shopping, you’ll notice that around half of the fruits and vegetables available at any supermarket are from Spain. No shocker here, as…