You Are The Center of The Universe (Literally)

You Are The Center of The Universe (Literally)

The Fantastical Journey from the Impossibly Small to the Incomprehensibly Large

As you sit here reading this, it may be hard to fathom just how incredibly vast and complex the universe truly is. From the smallest subatomic particles to the largest celestial bodies, the scales of existence can be mind-boggling to comprehend. Yet, remarkably, you – a single human being – occupy a central position in this grand cosmic hierarchy.

Let’s embark on a fantastical journey together, exploring the extremes of scale that surround us, and discover how you truly are the center of the universe, both literally and figuratively.

The Scales of Existence

To begin, consider the relative size of common objects around you. A typical three-story building stands about 10 meters tall – six times bigger than the average human. In the opposite direction, a cute squirrel is around 27 centimeters small – six times smaller than you. This simple comparison illustrates an important principle: the building is just as big relative to you as you are to the squirrel. You occupy the middle ground.

This concept of being “in the middle” extends far beyond our immediate surroundings. Consider the following examples:

• An Airbus A320 airliner is 37 meters long, while the tiny Rufous hummingbird is only 7 centimeters – both are 23 times bigger or smaller than you, respectively. Yet both species are capable of impressive feats of long-distance flight.
• The Dinoponera ant, the largest in the world, is about 55 times smaller than a human. Their small colonies of around 100 individuals ruthlessly compete for status, building nests up to 1.2 meters deep.
• The mosquito, one of the deadliest and most annoying insects, is 235 times smaller than a person, while the Empire State Building is about that much larger.

As we continue to explore the scales of existence, the comparisons become increasingly mind-bending. Grains of sand, just 3 millimeters in size, are 550 times smaller than you, yet they can be used to construct the tallest skyscrapers, like the 828-meter Burj Khalifa, which is 500 times larger than a human.

More: The Giant Space Flower That Could Help Us Find Another Earth

The City and the Body

Zooming out even further, we find more intriguing parallels between the macro and micro worlds. A medium-sized city like Lisbon, Portugal, is about 6,000 times larger than a person, yet it is permeated by a network of highways, roads, and alleys – much like the network of blood vessels running through your own body. In fact, your small arteries are about 6,000 times smaller than you, mirroring the scale of the city.

The similarities don’t stop there. Just as a small alley is to a city what an arteriole (0.1 millimeters wide) is to you, your tiniest capillaries are akin to the pipes bringing water to homes within Lisbon. The parallels between the human body and a living, thriving city are truly remarkable.

Delving even deeper, we find that a typical skin cell, measuring around 30 micrometers in diameter, is 100,000 times smaller than you. Your red blood cells, at just 7 micrometers, are as small to you as you are to the entire Tokyo Metropolitan Area, the largest urban region in the world.

The Scales of Life

Stepping back, we can see that you are not just a single entity, but a complex system teeming with life. Within your body, you host a staggering 100 billion bacteria, each one a mere 0.3 micrometers across – more than ten times the number of humans on Earth. These microscopic organisms, such as Corynebacterium, live on your skin and in your eyes, playing crucial roles in your health and well-being.

At the same time, your body is but a small part of a much larger system – our planet Earth, which is approximately 7.7 million times bigger than you. This blue-green marble, 12,700 kilometers in diameter, is home to a vast diversity of life, from towering redwood trees to the smallest single-celled organisms.

The Cosmic Scales

Expanding our perspective even further, we begin to encounter scales that truly push the limits of human comprehension. The planet Neptune, four times wider than Earth, is a cold, blue gas giant spanning 49,500 kilometers. And the largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter, is a titanic abyss 140,000 kilometers in diameter – a world so vast that you could drop Earth into it and it would simply vanish.

Yet, even these colossal celestial bodies pale in comparison to the true titans of the cosmos. The supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy, Sagittarius A*, is a staggering 14.5 billion times bigger than you. And the observable universe itself, a sphere 93 billion light-years in diameter, is close to a billion billion billion times larger than a single human.

The Smallest of the Small

Just as the universe expands to unimaginable scales, it also contracts to the infinitesimal. At the subatomic level, a single proton, the fundamental building block of matter, is almost exactly 1 quadrillion (1,000,000,000,000,000) times smaller than you. If a proton were as big as a human, a hydrogen atom would tower over twelve Mount Everests.

Delving even deeper, we enter the strange and mysterious realm of quarks – the fundamental constituents of protons and neutrons. These elusive particles, a quintillion (1,000,000,000,000,000,000) times smaller than you, exist in a constant state of flux, popping into existence and annihilating each other in an endless, invisible dance.

The Paradox of Scale

As we grapple with these mind-bending scales, it becomes clear that you truly are the center of the universe, occupying a unique position between the infinitely large and the infinitely small. You are simultaneously a vast, complex system teeming with life and a tiny speck in the grand cosmic tapestry.

This paradox of scale can be both humbling and empowering. On one hand, it can make you feel insignificant, dwarfed by the sheer vastness of the universe. But on the other, it underscores the incredible complexity and interconnectedness of all things, with you as a vital part of the grand cosmic order.

Making Informed Decisions

So, how does one navigate this bewildering landscape of scales? When faced with important decisions, it’s crucial to have access to reliable, well-researched information to guide us.

This is where organizations like GiveWell come into play. GiveWell is an independent, non-profit research organization dedicated to finding and recommending the most effective and impactful charitable giving opportunities. They have spent over 15 years rigorously analyzing and evaluating a wide range of charitable organizations, with the goal of helping donors make informed decisions about high-impact giving.

By leveraging GiveWell’s extensive research and recommendations, you can ensure that your charitable donations have the greatest possible impact, potentially saving lives and improving the well-being of millions around the world. In fact, over 100,000 donors have used GiveWell to direct more than $1 billion in donations, with the potential to save over 150,000 lives and improve the lives of millions more.

If you’re a first-time donor, you can even have your donation matched up to $100 when you visit GiveWell.org and enter the code “KURZGESAGT” at checkout. This is a fantastic opportunity to maximize the impact of your charitable giving and make a real difference in the world.

Conclusion

As we’ve explored the fantastical journey from the impossibly small to the incomprehensibly large, one thing has become abundantly clear: you, the reader, are the center of the universe. Your position, both literally and figuratively, is a testament to the incredible complexity and interconnectedness of all things, from the tiniest subatomic particles to the grandest celestial bodies.

This realization can be both humbling and empowering, reminding us of our place in the grand cosmic order while also underscoring our ability to make a meaningful impact, even in the face of such overwhelming scales. By making informed decisions, such as through the guidance of organizations like GiveWell, we can harness our central position to drive positive change and improve the lives of countless others.

So, as you continue on your own personal journey, remember that you are the center of the universe – a complex, interconnected being with the power to shape the world around you. Embrace this knowledge, and use it to make a difference, one step at a time.