We have all heard of the saying “dig your way to China” and as a child probably attempted to in the backyard with a plastic shovel, but has anyone actually sat down with a calculator & protractor to consider whether this feat is actually plausible?
Let’s just say someone did grab a clip board and a pen, and was brave enough to attempt the never before attempted, would they actually be able to do this? Would they be burnt alive from the earth’s core heat, or would gravity see them forever in a yo-yo loop from one side of the earth to the other? Or even worse, would you have to prepare yourself to out-run the legendary mole people?
Today the SexyMandarin team have decided to hypothesize this myth in a theoretical-only How to Series blog entry.
WARNING – DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME.
Source: heartofthematterseminars.wordpress.com/
WHERE TO START DIGGING – GEOGRAPHY:
We all know the finishing point of this adventure being China, but where would the best starting point geographically be? As with all great plans, a map of the world and a good sense of direction will be required.
For all of our US students, unfortunately you may need to do some travelling before attempting to debunk this theory. For argument’s sake if you did decide to dig your way through to the opposite side of the world from any of the North American states, you would find yourself in the middle of the Indian Ocean!
To prepare yourself for this adventurous feat, you will need to travel and set up camp in Argentina.
WHAT ARE YOU DIGGING THROUGH? – BASIC GEOLOGY:
Before attempting to dig your way through the earth, it is important to do your homework and understand the basics of the planet’s geology; from crust to core.
Source: www.daviddarling.info
Remember before we mentioned that you may need a calculator? Now is the time to crunch the numbers to know exactly what you are in for. The earth’s radius when adding together the crust, mantle, outer core and inner core is approximately 13,220 miles (or for our metric fans – 21,275.528kms!) This task will take you more time than the weekend to do…
Though the centre of the earth is pretty hot, the good news is that the earth’s core is not molten. This means that your shovel won’t melt in your hands (and fingers crossed, neither should you!) A giant drilling machine would probably be best – to save you both time and energy for the adventure.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
When preparing to enter your man-made tunnel, a high level of organisation will be required to pull off this operation (you will also need to pack your survival kit with things other than a sandwich). You will need:
An oxygen tank – this may come in handy to combat any breathing difficulties you may experience whilst travelling at high speeds. It may also come in handy if you are prone to travel sickness.
A spare pair of underwear – Due to gravitational pull, you will be travelling at some intensely high speeds… just saying, you may need these once you land in China.
An action/ water-proof video camera with head strap – Trust me, you do not want to miss any of this adventure (this would also make a great YouTube clip to upload afterwards!) Plus you can sell your heroic tale to the media following your adventure!
A friend in China AND a friend in Argentina to man BOTH sides of the hole – Make sure you have someone in China you can rely on to be standing next to the hole ready to catch you / grab your hands once arriving, and someone in Argentina to stand by the hole as a “just in case Plan B”. Thanks to Sir Isaac Newton, we know the laws of science that apply to gravity which state: “what goes up, must come down”… In other words, the center of the earth may want to pull you back to Argentina! So if your friend is unable to grab you at the China arrival point, your friend in Argentina will be able to rescue you from becoming a gravitational yo-yo! Both of your friends should probably start weight training exercises weeks before in preparation to ensure the upper body strength to catch you at a high speed.
A smart phone – Before jumping, ensure that ALL involved within the operation have smart phones, and are contacted PRIOR to the jump. Good communication is key to both survival! If your friend in China accidentally DOESN’T catch you, they can call your Argentinian friend and alert them to Plan B coming into immediate effect.
Wear a waterproof suit that is also heat and flame retardant – The waterproof suit could come handy for a couple of reasons. First of all, just in case you didn’t dig in a straight line and have ended up in the ocean! Secondly, this will make you more aerodynamic and cut down wind drag when travelling at high speeds. And thirdly, while the inner core of the earth is solid, the outer core is made mostly of liquid. So things may get a little wet during the trip…
If you do not have a waterproof suit, another option would be to invest in a race car driver’s outfit. Not only are these outfits light weight and flame retardant, but you will look stylish at the same time (think Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder…)
SPF 100, some good quality sunglasses and a pair of oven-mits – The temperature at the center of the earth is approximately 6000 C (about the same as the surface of the sun!) You may become a little hot down there, so travel safe. Try not to touch anything that looks hot (NB: If you are wearing the race car driver outfit, this should come with standard racing gloves. So feel free to omit the oven-mits.)
HOLE IS READY, BAG IS PACKED… TIME TO JUMP IN!
Source: shantan.wordpress.com
So you’re suited up, backpack loaded, video camera strapped to your head, have been practicing SexyMandarin all week, and your hole is now completed for the adventure of a lifetime to China. Time to dive in…
As this feat has never been performed, we can only speculate that this will be what probably occurs during your trip. As you fall into the hole, the gravitational pull created by the center of the earth will cause you to gain momentum at great speeds. At the core of the earth you will experience zero gravity, scorching temperatures, and will reach maximum speed of your journey (relax – you are travelling so fast, there is no way the “mole people” could catch you, even if they tried really hard!).
As you pass the core of the earth, you will start to make your way to your destination – China! Your speed will start to decrease due to gravity wanting to pull you back to the core. Hang on tight, you’re nearly there!
Then finally – You arrive! You’re friend in China that you organised prior to the jump is ready to catch you, with a big welcome banner in the background, balloons flying into the air and the locals rejoicing with excitement.
Source: www.123rf.com/
AFTER THE JUMP:
Call your friend in Argentina and tell him it worked.
Sell your video footage to the media and your heroic story to the press.
What are your thoughts on the above story? Do you have differing opinions of theories? Leave your comments below.
(ONCE AGAIN – WARNING: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME)
Study Up ^_^