3058: Tall Structures - Revision history

FaviFake: Undo revision 370996 by CalibansCreations (talk) - This is welcomed, but please make it clear this is a side-joke

2025-04-01T18:02:35Z

Undo revision 370996 by CalibansCreations (talk) - This is welcomed, but please make it clear this is a side-joke

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

2025-04-01T11:02:01Z

‎Explanation

CalibansCreations: /* Explanation */

2025-03-13T08:50:18Z

‎Explanation

FaviFake: Is this better?

2025-03-10T15:54:48Z

Is this better?

162.158.6.121: /* Explanation */

2025-03-09T20:25:25Z

‎Explanation

JimJJewett: /* Explanation */ how much yarn

2025-03-09T19:49:41Z

‎Explanation: how much yarn

FaviFake: Undo revision 368395 by TomtheBuilder (talk) - that message is supposed to be blanked (or replaced if we have specific issues)

2025-03-08T20:59:06Z

Undo revision 368395 by TomtheBuilder (talk) - that message is supposed to be blanked (or replaced if we have specific issues)

TomtheBuilder at 18:23, 8 March 2025

2025-03-08T18:23:08Z

FaviFake: /* Explanation */ The sentences "Created by a skydiving sweater. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!" make no sense.

2025-03-07T17:01:30Z

‎Explanation: The sentences "Created by a skydiving sweater. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!" make no sense.

Tromag at 14:11, 7 March 2025

2025-03-07T14:11:30Z

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 When comparing the {{w|List of tallest buildings and structures#History|tallest structures}} of various types, the question of definitions often becomes important. Some define the heights of buildings to their highest occupied floor, while others (including all permanent structures) may include merely-aesthetic spires or have arbitrary installations of antennae on top of the building (which may comprise a significant portion of the building's height). Potentially ''all'' of an uninhabited and sealed pyramid could be considered structure alone, with any of its internal voids left unusable, practically inaccessible and definitely beyond sight.
-There's also the question of whether structures need to be self-supporting to be counted, since structures such as antennae may be extremely tall but only stay up with the help of {{w|guy-wires}} [[2629: Or Whatever|or whatever]]. In this comic, [[Randall]] seems to take the broadest possible definition, apparently defining a "structure" as any artificial construct with continuous extent from the ground to its height. The comic then demonstrates how ludicrous such a broad definition becomes, by portraying a "random {{w|aerostat}}", tethered to the ground by a long cable, which is by far the tallest structure on the chart, significantly exceeding the height of the Burj Khalifa.
+There's also the question of whether structures need to be self-supporting to be counted, since structures such as antennae may be extremely tall but only stay up with the help of {{w|guy-wires}}. In this comic, [[Randall]] seems to take the broadest possible definition, apparently defining a "structure" as any artificial construct with continuous extent from the ground to its height. The comic then demonstrates how ludicrous such a broad definition becomes, by portraying a "random {{w|aerostat}}", tethered to the ground by a long cable, which is by far the tallest structure on the chart, significantly exceeding the height of the Burj Khalifa.
 An aerostat is a lighter-than-air aircraft that can be tethered to the ground. A {{w|kite balloon}} (or {{w|kytoon}}) is a variant of the aerostat where the balloon body includes a lifting-body or kite design for additional lift. It is more stable than a balloon in winds and tends to hold its position above the tether. This is the main joke of the comic, since as long as it is tethered to the ground and is higher than the Burj Khalifa, it could be considered the tallest man-made structure. Since aerostats (and similar tethered flying objects) are generally not counted as "structures", this points out that, without agreed-upon and restrictive definitions, the question of what's tallest quickly becomes meaningless. There is a {{w|Compliant tower|class of structures}}, typically seen in oil platforms, that are "medium supported" and that use buoyancy to stand 'tall' above their anchored deep-sea end in an otherwise freestanding manner; there are clear parallels to the concept of a tethered balloon, and {{w|Petronius (oil platform)|one such structure}} had indeed been touted by some as the "tallest free-standing structure" up until the Burj Khalifa physically surpassed it.

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 When comparing the {{w|List of tallest buildings and structures#History|tallest structures}} of various types, the question of definitions often becomes important. Some define the heights of buildings to their highest occupied floor, while others (including all permanent structures) may include merely-aesthetic spires or have arbitrary installations of antennae on top of the building (which may comprise a significant portion of the building's height). Potentially ''all'' of an uninhabited and sealed pyramid could be considered structure alone, with any of its internal voids left unusable, practically inaccessible and definitely beyond sight.
-There's also the question of whether structures need to be self-supporting to be counted, since structures such as antennae may be extremely tall but only stay up with the help of {{w|guy-wires}}. In this comic, [[Randall]] seems to take the broadest possible definition, apparently defining a "structure" as any artificial construct with continuous extent from the ground to its height. The comic then demonstrates how ludicrous such a broad definition becomes, by portraying a "random {{w|aerostat}}", tethered to the ground by a long cable, which is by far the tallest structure on the chart, significantly exceeding the height of the Burj Khalifa.
+There's also the question of whether structures need to be self-supporting to be counted, since structures such as antennae may be extremely tall but only stay up with the help of {{w|guy-wires}} [[2629: Or Whatever|or whatever]]. In this comic, [[Randall]] seems to take the broadest possible definition, apparently defining a "structure" as any artificial construct with continuous extent from the ground to its height. The comic then demonstrates how ludicrous such a broad definition becomes, by portraying a "random {{w|aerostat}}", tethered to the ground by a long cable, which is by far the tallest structure on the chart, significantly exceeding the height of the Burj Khalifa.
 An aerostat is a lighter-than-air aircraft that can be tethered to the ground. A {{w|kite balloon}} (or {{w|kytoon}}) is a variant of the aerostat where the balloon body includes a lifting-body or kite design for additional lift. It is more stable than a balloon in winds and tends to hold its position above the tether. This is the main joke of the comic, since as long as it is tethered to the ground and is higher than the Burj Khalifa, it could be considered the tallest man-made structure. Since aerostats (and similar tethered flying objects) are generally not counted as "structures", this points out that, without agreed-upon and restrictive definitions, the question of what's tallest quickly becomes meaningless. There is a {{w|Compliant tower|class of structures}}, typically seen in oil platforms, that are "medium supported" and that use buoyancy to stand 'tall' above their anchored deep-sea end in an otherwise freestanding manner; there are clear parallels to the concept of a tethered balloon, and {{w|Petronius (oil platform)|one such structure}} had indeed been touted by some as the "tallest free-standing structure" up until the Burj Khalifa physically surpassed it.

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:50, 13 March 2025
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	==Explanation==		==Explanation==
−	~~{{incomplete}}~~

	This is a comparison of various tall buildings and other structures, ranging from the largest {{w\|pyramid of Giza}} to the {{w\|Burj Khalifa}}, sorted by increasing height. It mimics common illustrations of successive tallest buildings/structures in the world through time, or the current 'top few' examples, but instead represents an idiosyncratic selection. The pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure in the ancient world, and the Burj Khalifa is broadly acknowledged as the tallest building in the world.		This is a comparison of various tall buildings and other structures, ranging from the largest {{w\|pyramid of Giza}} to the {{w\|Burj Khalifa}}, sorted by increasing height. It mimics common illustrations of successive tallest buildings/structures in the world through time, or the current 'top few' examples, but instead represents an idiosyncratic selection. The pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure in the ancient world, and the Burj Khalifa is broadly acknowledged as the tallest building in the world.

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 The comic doesn't accurately depict the world record for how high tethered aerostats can actually fly (4880&nbsp;meters, achieved on 23 September 2014, close to 6 times the height of Burj Khalifa), which would either dwarf the other buildings or make the comic very tall, but since it is just some random aerostat flying at that time that is shown, this may be at a much lower height.
-The title text takes this point even further, claiming that Randall once skydived out of an airplane wearing a knit sweater, which caught on the airplane door, and presumably unraveled as he descended. The implication being that the yarn unraveled without breaking during his entire descent. When he reached the ground, the long thread presumably extended from his body up to the plane (typically 2,400–4,300&nbsp;m, or 8,000–14,000&nbsp;feet, above the ground). For the tiny moment between when he hit the ground and when the thread snapped or came loose (since the plane would still be moving), this would "briefly" form a structure, under the broadest possible definition, and would therefore set a new record. This is obviously not realistically feasible. Even if a thread could remain intact and connected under such circumstances, most knit tops don't have nearly enough thread to reach that kind of height.  Unless, of course, you chose to ignore the implicit requirement that one end be anchored to the Earth ... or jumped from a plausible but unusually low height, on a day without particularly formidable aerostat competition. <!-- Last editor added <ref> to https://www.interweave.com/article/knitting-feature/how-much-yarn-do-i-need/ which was going to be made a more standard link. But it has a godawful "cookie opt out, only applicable to citizens/residents of the US" that is too annoying to get past to see what the article actually is to properly contextualise it (I'm not even in the US, so shouldn't work like that anyway) so... Leaving it here, for any curious editors, perhaps anyone who can find a better link for the same thing, but couldn't blindly [URL text to link] it in good conscience. -->
+The title text takes this point even further, claiming that Randall once skydived out of an airplane wearing a knit sweater, which caught on the airplane door, and presumably unraveled as he descended. The implication being that the yarn unraveled without breaking during his entire descent. When he reached the ground, the long thread presumably extended from his body up to the plane (typically 2,400–4,300&nbsp;m, or 8,000–14,000&nbsp;feet, above the ground). For the tiny moment between when he hit the ground and when the thread snapped or came loose (since the plane would still be moving), this would "briefly" form a structure, under the broadest possible definition, and would therefore set a new record. This is obviously not realistically feasible. Even if a thread could remain intact and connected under such circumstances, most knit tops don't have nearly enough thread to reach that kind of height. Unless, of course, you chose to ignore the implicit requirement that one end be anchored to the Earth or jumped from a plausible but unusually low height, on a day without particularly formidable aerostat competition.<!--
 ===Table of structures in the comic===

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 The comic doesn't accurately depict the world record for how high tethered aerostats can actually fly (4880&nbsp;meters, achieved on 23 September 2014, close to 6 times the height of Burj Khalifa), which would either dwarf the other buildings or make the comic very tall, but since it is just some random aerostat flying at that time that is shown, this may be at a much lower height.
-The title text takes this point even further, claiming that Randall once skydived out of an airplane wearing a knit sweater, which caught on the airplane door, and presumably unraveled as he descended. The implication being that the yarn unraveled without breaking during his entire descent. When he reached the ground, the long thread presumably extended from his body up to the plane (typically 2,400–4,300&nbsp;m, or 8,000–14,000&nbsp;feet, above the ground). For the tiny moment between when he hit the ground and when the thread snapped or came loose (since the plane would still be moving), this would "briefly" form a structure, under the broadest possible definition, and would therefore set a new record. This is obviously not realistically feasible. Even if a thread could remain intact and connected under such circumstances, most knit tops don't have nearly enough thread to reach that kind of height.  Unless, of course, you chose to ignore the implicit requirement that one end be anchored to the Earth ... or jumped from a plausible but unusually low height, on a day without particularly formidable aerostat competition.<ref>https://www.interweave.com/article/knitting-feature/how-much-yarn-do-i-need/</ref>
+The title text takes this point even further, claiming that Randall once skydived out of an airplane wearing a knit sweater, which caught on the airplane door, and presumably unraveled as he descended. The implication being that the yarn unraveled without breaking during his entire descent. When he reached the ground, the long thread presumably extended from his body up to the plane (typically 2,400–4,300&nbsp;m, or 8,000–14,000&nbsp;feet, above the ground). For the tiny moment between when he hit the ground and when the thread snapped or came loose (since the plane would still be moving), this would "briefly" form a structure, under the broadest possible definition, and would therefore set a new record. This is obviously not realistically feasible. Even if a thread could remain intact and connected under such circumstances, most knit tops don't have nearly enough thread to reach that kind of height.  Unless, of course, you chose to ignore the implicit requirement that one end be anchored to the Earth ... or jumped from a plausible but unusually low height, on a day without particularly formidable aerostat competition. <!-- Last editor added <ref> to https://www.interweave.com/article/knitting-feature/how-much-yarn-do-i-need/ which was going to be made a more standard link. But it has a godawful "cookie opt out, only applicable to citizens/residents of the US" that is too annoying to get past to see what the article actually is to properly contextualise it (I'm not even in the US, so shouldn't work like that anyway) so... Leaving it here, for any curious editors, perhaps anyone who can find a better link for the same thing, but couldn't blindly [URL text to link] it in good conscience. -->
 ===Table of structures in the comic===

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ==Explanation==
-{{incomplete|Created by the OSTANKINO TOWER - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
+{{incomplete}}
 This is a comparison of various tall buildings and other structures, ranging from the largest {{w|pyramid of Giza}} to the {{w|Burj Khalifa}}, sorted by increasing height. It mimics common illustrations of successive tallest buildings/structures in the world through time, or the current 'top few' examples, but instead represents an idiosyncratic selection. The pyramid of Giza was the tallest structure in the ancient world, and the Burj Khalifa is broadly acknowledged as the tallest building in the world.