SortStack #818 — 2028-09-04

By size · Order from shortest to longest.

1. A single grain of pollen 40 µm

   Pollen grains have survived intact for millions of years, letting scientists reconstruct ancient forests from lake-bed sediment.

2. A tennis ball 6.7 cm

   Tennis balls are pressurised with gas and slowly go flat, which is why fresh cans hiss when opened.

3. Christ the Redeemer statue, Rio 40 m

   It is struck by lightning several times a year, and repair crews keep spare soapstone to patch the damage.

4. Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania 5.9 km

   You can walk from tropical jungle to arctic glaciers on its slopes, passing through five climate zones in days.

5. The Grand Canyon (rim-to-rim width) 29 km

   It is so wide that the cooler north rim and warmer south rim have noticeably different plants and wildlife.

6. New Zealand's South Island (length) 840 km

   It is home to fewer than two million people but more than ten times as many sheep.

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