How far can you travel without leaving your home? - Fabio Pacucci and Lindsay DeMarchi

Introduction

This tutorial explores the concept of how far you travel in your lifetime, not just in terms of physical distance on Earth, but also considering the vastness of the universe. Inspired by the TED-Ed video by Fabio Pacucci and Lindsay DeMarchi, we will break down the calculations and insights into your personal travel journey through space and time.

Step 1: Understand Your Earth's Movement

• Recognize that Earth is constantly moving in several ways:
  • Rotation: Earth spins on its axis, completing one rotation approximately every 24 hours.
  • Revolution: Earth orbits the Sun, taking about 365.25 days to complete one full orbit.
  • Solar System Movement: The entire solar system orbits the center of the Milky Way galaxy, which takes millions of years.
  • Galactic Movement: The Milky Way itself is moving through the universe.

Step 2: Calculate Your Personal Travel Distance

• Use the following methods to estimate how far you've traveled:
  • Daily Travel: Consider your daily activities, such as commuting to work or school. Calculate the average distance you travel daily.
    • Example: If you travel 20 miles to work and back, you cover 40 miles a day.
  • Annual Travel: Multiply your daily travel distance by the number of days you travel.
    • Example: 40 miles/day x 250 workdays = 10,000 miles/year.
  • Lifetime Travel: Estimate your total lifetime travel based on your average annual distance and expected working years.
    • Example: 10,000 miles/year x 40 years = 400,000 miles.

Step 3: Consider Cosmic Travel

• Reflect on the additional distances due to Earth's movements:
  • Earth's Rotation: About 1,000 miles/hour at the equator.
  • Revolution Around the Sun: Approximately 584 million miles annually.
  • Galactic Orbit: The solar system's speed through the galaxy is about 450,000 miles/hour.
• Combine these distances with your calculated personal travel for a complete picture.

Step 4: Visualize Your Journey

• Create a holographic map or graphic representation of your travel distances:
  • Include your personal travel on Earth.
  • Add the distances traveled due to Earth's rotation and revolution.
  • Visualize your journey through the galaxy over your lifetime.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you've learned how to calculate your travel distance throughout your life while considering both terrestrial and cosmic movements. By understanding the various ways Earth and the universe move, you can appreciate the vastness of your journey. For further exploration, consider creating your own visual representation of these distances, or dive deeper into the science of astronomy and cosmology.