Humanity Compressed: Scientist Calculates Surprising Small Size of a Global Population Meatball
Scientist Calculates the Size of a Human Meatball—And It’s Shockingly Small
By Shivali Best for MailOnline
Ever wondered how big a meatball made from all 7.8 billion humans would be? A mathematician, using the Reddit handle @kiwi2703, recently crunched the numbers—and the answer is startling. The hypothetical “human goo” sphere would measure just 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) wide, roughly 2.5 times the height of New York’s Empire State Building or three times taller than the Eiffel Tower.
Artistic depiction of the human meatball looming over New York City.
The Math Behind the Meatball
The Reddit user began with basic assumptions:
- Global population: 7.88 billion
- Average human body mass: 62 kg
- Human density: 985 kg/m³
By multiplying the population by average mass, the total human “goo” would weigh 488 billion kg. Using density, they calculated the volume (495,500 m³) and then determined the sphere’s radius: ~0.3 miles (500 meters).
The result? A meatball just under 1 km in diameter—smaller than many expect. Reddit users reacted with humor: “Doesn’t look that big for 7.8 billion people,” while another joked, “Are you okay?”
The meatball’s size compared to Central Park’s Sheep Meadow.
Inspiration & Visual Impact
The idea stemmed from a visualization showing humans crammed into the Grand Canyon. But @kiwi2703 opted for a meatball analogy for “visually interesting” shock value. They even rendered the sphere hovering over Central Park, sparking surreal comparisons like “cursed jawbreaker” and “Earth’s giant hemorrhoid.”
Original Grand Canyon humans visualization that inspired the meatball theory.
Why It Matters
While macabre, the calculation highlights humanity’s physical footprint. As one user quipped, “Putting the ‘ball’ in existential crisis.” The math confirms that even billions of humans, when compressed, occupy surprisingly little space—giving a bizarre new perspective on our global presence.
So next time you feel overwhelmed by crowds, remember: we’re all just ingredients in a kilometer-wide meatball.
