CHAPTER 1 WE’RE SIZING UP SOME OF THE BIGGEST HEAVIEST TALLEST AND MOST MASSIVE THINGS IN THE WORLD Get ready to meet the mind-blowing marvels that run extra large from huge animals to colossal coasters to supersize aircraft to a pool that seems to stretch as far as the eye can see Here are the giants of Earth and beyond 8
BIGGEST 9
THE TALLEST THING ON EARTH THE TALLEST THING ON EARTH MAUNA LOA Think the tallest mountain on Earth is Everest Surprise It’s Mauna Loa an active volcano in Hawaii U S A Now before you demand a re-measure here’s the scoop At 56,000 feet 17,170 m from its peak to its base which is depressed 26,200 feet 7,990 m below the ocean floor Mauna Loa is almost twice as tall as Mt Everest’s 29,035 feet 8,850 m So why doesn’t it look like it Because only a quarter of Mauna Loa is above water Although Everest’s summit is the highest above sea level Mauna Loa takes the prize from top to bottom To further bruise Everest’s ego Mauna Loa’s neighbor Mauna Kea also towers From the ocean floor to its summit Mauna Kea stands 32,000 feet 9,750 m 10
MAUNA LOA IS SO MASSIVE THAT IT ACTUALLY SUNK THE OCEAN FLOOR 26,000 FEET 8,000 M IN THE SHAPE OF AN INVERTED CONE VOLCANO TYPE SHIELD VOLCANO HEIGHT BASE TO SUMMIT 56,000 FEET 17,170 M HEIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL 13,680 FEET 4,170 M ABOVE-WATER SURFACE AREA HALF OF THE ISLAND OF HAWAII ERUPTIONS SINCE 1843 33 LAST ERUPTION 1984 NAME’S MEANING LONG MOUNTAIN BIGGEST 11
