SortStack #2484 — 2033-03-28

By size · Order from shortest to longest.

1. The width of a human hair 0.1 mm

   Hair width is so consistent it was once a unit of precision; forensic labs still match hairs to within fractions of this.

2. A credit card 8.6 cm

   Every card's dimensions follow a global standard so it fits machines from Tokyo to Toronto.

3. A French baguette 63 cm

   French law defines the traditional baguette so strictly it can contain only flour, water, salt and yeast.

4. A red kangaroo (standing) 1.5 m

   Kangaroos cannot walk backwards, a trait so iconic it earned them a spot on Australia's coat of arms.

5. The Gateway Arch, St. Louis 195 m

   Its elegant curve is a catenary, the exact shape a hanging chain makes, flipped upside down for strength.

6. The Kiel Canal, Germany 98 km

   The world's busiest artificial waterway, it lets ships skip the long, stormy voyage around Denmark.

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