Uploaded September 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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We like the think the Earth has a lot of texture: mountains, valleys, trenches, rock, grass, water. But is human touch sensitive enough to detect these features? Let's find out with some scale models.

00:00 Cold Open
00:48 Oblate Spheroids
01:42 Earth's Geoid
02:21 How Tall Are Mountains?
04:03 Failed Scale Models
05:04 Million to One Scale
07:52 Human Touch
09:40 Summary
10:07 Outro
10:43 Sponsor Message
11:50 Featured Comment

Nick Lucid - Host/Writer/Editor/Animator
Vanessa R Bradley - Thumbnail
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VIDEO ANNOTATIONS/CARDS

How many Earths fit in the Sun?
youtu.be/Ga0TKrylnXY

Solar System Model:
youtu.be/iGV4y2W2SOE
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RELATED YOUTUBE VIDEOS

Tom Scott on Mountains:
youtu.be/i8P5a1uqIMw

MinutePhysics on Sea Level:
youtu.be/q65O3qA0-n4
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OTHER SOURCES

imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/features/cosmic/earth_info.html
fai.org/news/statement-about-karman-line
oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/highestpoint.html
nature.com/articles/srep02617
earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/3666/earths-gravity-field
sensorsone.com/local-gravity-calculator
what-if.xkcd.com/46
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mountain_peaks_of_the_United_States
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LINKS TO COMMENTS

Featured:
youtube.com/watch?v=7weMCsff0xw&lc=UgxbgIqqv2_1nmczZjp4AaABAg

Oblate Spheroid:
youtube.com/watch?v=Ga0TKrylnXY&lc=UgxNm9qSPlS5qVGf1Nl4AaABAg
youtube.com/watch?v=Ga0TKrylnXY&lc=Ugxjhk0TAM25KjGUbIJ4AaABAg
youtube.com/watch?v=Ga0TKrylnXY&lc=UgwyQSf4wfkGsEFy2-V4AaABAg
youtube.com/watch?v=Ga0TKrylnXY&lc=UgzRWatHuY6KLHsfsUl4AaABAg

Geoid:
youtube.com/watch?v=Ga0TKrylnXY&lc=UgxIzfkhJOwgiW4fuB94AaABAg
youtube.com/watch?v=Ga0TKrylnXY&lc=UgxU71Q7DXfA9h-q3Rl4AaABAg
youtube.com/watch?v=Ga0TKrylnXY&lc=UgyWV-ZSTdll7D7899V4AaABAg
youtube.com/watch?v=Ga0TKrylnXY&lc=UgxWHSOJOvCdfiUqSuB4AaABAg
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IMAGE CREDITS

Denali:
nps.gov/media/photo/view.htm?id=83BBEC6C-1DD8-B71C-078F25859A8537C4

Geoid:
icgem.gfz-potsdam.de/vis3d/longtime

Mariana Trench:
oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/okeanos/explorations/ex1605/logs/may2/media/1605rovvent.html