Tag Archives: thought experiment

The world’s best 7,900-mile shortcut

That's a big hole.
Photo by Rajeev Nair.

From where you currently stand, the farthest you can travel on Earth is about 7,900 miles (12,700 kilometers) straight down. What’s more, were it not for some pesky geophysical realities such as crushing pressure, scorching heat and differential rotation spoiling your fun, you could get there in less than 45 minutes. All you need is a modest tunnel … right?

What would happen if I drilled a tunnel through the center of the Earth and jumped into it?