How High Can We Build?

TL;DR

The Great Pyramids of Giza were once the tallest structures, but now buildings like the Burj Khalifa hold the record. However, a space elevator could potentially reach heights beyond Earth's atmosphere.

Transcript

Hey, Vsauce. Michael here. And when the pyramids of Giza were built, the tallest was 147 meters tall, making them the tallest things humans had ever built. And they remained that way for nearly 4,000 years. It wasn't even until the 1300's that we finally got around to making something taller, a cathedral in England. So, does that mean that the Grea... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥹 The Great Pyramids of Giza were the first tall structures in history and held the title for centuries.
• 🥺 The invention of TV and radio towers led to non-habitable structures exceeding the height of buildings.
• ⌚ The Burj Khalifa in Dubai is the current tallest structure, allowing people to watch the sunset from different levels due to the time difference.
• 👾 Building a space elevator using materials like carbon nanotubes could potentially reach heights beyond Earth's atmosphere.
• 🛰️ Space elevators could revolutionize space exploration by reducing the cost of sending materials into orbit significantly.
• 👾 Challenges in building space elevators include avoiding space debris and dealing with the fast travel speed of the far end of the cable.
• 👾 The first country to deploy a space elevator would have a significant cost advantage and potentially control space-related activities.

Questions & Answers

Q: What was the first structure taller than the Great Pyramids of Giza?

The Lincoln Cathedral in England was the first structure to surpass the height of the pyramids.

Q: What structure was the tallest for 40 years before being surpassed?

The Eiffel Tower held the record as the tallest structure for four decades before being surpassed.

Q: What is unique about the Empire State Building's height?

The Empire State Building was the first structure where falling from the top would lead to reaching terminal velocity, the maximum speed for a falling object.

Q: What is the current record holder for the tallest structure?

The Burj Khalifa in Dubai currently holds the record for the tallest structure humans have ever built.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Great Pyramids of Giza were the tallest structures for nearly 4,000 years until they were surpassed by the Lincoln Cathedral and subsequent churches.

• The Eiffel Tower, Chrysler Building, and Empire State Building also held the title of tallest structure before being surpassed.

• TV and radio towers became taller than habitable buildings, but now buildings like the Burj Khalifa in Dubai hold the record.