I enjoyed the water-sphere thread so much, I decided to run the math to see how big of a meatball we could make with all of us, and the result is quite surprising.

The numbers I used:
density of ground human = 950kg/m^3 (assumed same as ground beef)

average mass of adult human = 54kg (picked the low-end since we're not all adults. The average mass of "all humans" would undoubtedly be somewhat lower, so I'm fudging on the high side)

number of people = 7,016,000,000

We would make a 913m diameter meatball. Somewhat less than a kilometer.

I double-checked my math with Solidworks by constructing a sphere and measuring it's volume, so I know it's right.

Here's a picture of us all, call it a human family portrait, visiting Washington DC.



Surprisingly small we all are, aren't we?

That's quite the abomination you have thought up there. Bravo, good sir.

You should send that to Bill Gates!
Great job!

Jesus dude, you rendered all of humankind into ground chuck! I want to say more and I will I just need to process this idea, No pun intended.

I actually nearly laughed, but no no its just a bit disturbing. Especially following on from the thread about people eating other people that Ive just finished reading. Clever, but I dont like crowded places & thay seems just a tad squishy

That's a giant meatball...

Quite disgusting!

Hopefully this will deter would be carnivorous aliens hoping to have an unlimited feast on our planet.

But will it blend?

Thread title should say "What humanity looks like as Meatwad."

Well I was very skeptical of your result until I did the calculation myself.

7,016,000,000 * 54 = 378,864,000,000

Divide that by 950 and you get 398,804,210.5 cubed meters of ground human.

Then to convert that volume into a sphere and get the diameter one can use the following equation (which should work in JavaScript):

pow(398804210.5/((4/3)*pi),1/3)*2
= 913.24

So if someone were to grind up all humans we really would fit into a sphere 913 meters wide.

Brilliant.

I hope they are all using deodorant!

Thats awesome.

You would make an excellent Maths Teacher. Thats some cool maths.

Interesting. Twisted, but interesting. As a side note, that's only slightly larger than all the meatballs presently walking around Washington DC...

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder


pow(398804210.5/((4/3)*pi),1/3)*2
= 913.24

So if someone were to grind up all humans we really would fit into a sphere 913 meters wide.

Brilliant.

edit on 27-5-2012 by ChaoticOrder because: (no reason given)

913 mtr wide Uncooked ball.

I'm guessing if someone bbq'd that sucker evaporation may wipe out the equvilant populations of Australia and New Zealand.

Originally posted by atlasastro

Originally posted by ChaoticOrder


pow(398804210.5/((4/3)*pi),1/3)*2
= 913.24

So if someone were to grind up all humans we really would fit into a sphere 913 meters wide.

Brilliant.

edit on 27-5-2012 by ChaoticOrder because: (no reason given)

913 mtr wide Uncooked ball.

I'm guessing if someone bbq'd that sucker evaporation may wipe out the equvilant populations of Australia and New Zealand.

Yeah, you'd definitely want a water-bath set up off to the side to keep it nice and juicy.