If everyone on Earth sat in the ocean at once, how much would sea level rise?

Yahoo! News - Apr 6th, 2025
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The article explores a hypothetical scenario where every person on Earth goes for an ocean swim at the same time. Using mathematical calculations, the story examines the concept of displacement to determine the impact on sea levels. With nearly 8 billion people contributing an average volume of 5 cubic feet each, the total volume displaced would be 40 billion cubic feet. However, when spread over the vast area of the oceans, the sea level would rise by only about 0.00012 inches, illustrating the vastness of the oceans compared to human volume.

The larger context of this story is an educational exploration of math and physics principles through a fun, hypothetical question. The article is part of the Curious Kids series, aimed at engaging young minds with scientific concepts in a relatable manner. It underscores the importance of curiosity and critical thinking, encouraging both children and adults to ask questions about the world. The piece is a lighthearted reminder of humanity's relatively small footprint on the planet's massive oceans, illustrating the scale of Earth's natural features.

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RATING

8.6
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The article excels in accuracy, clarity, and transparency, providing a well-explained and engaging exploration of a hypothetical scenario for educational purposes. It effectively uses simple language and relatable analogies to explain complex scientific concepts, making it accessible to its intended audience of curious children. While it does not delve into real-world issues related to sea level rise, its focus on stimulating curiosity and understanding of scientific principles is well-executed. The article's impact is primarily educational, fostering curiosity and scientific literacy rather than influencing public policy or opinion. Its lack of controversy and balanced presentation make it a safe and effective piece for engaging young readers in scientific inquiry.

RATING DETAILS

9
Accuracy

The article accurately presents the concept of displacement and applies it to a hypothetical scenario involving the Earth's oceans and human population. The explanation of displacement is consistent with fundamental physics, where an object submerged in water displaces a volume equal to its own. The article simplifies human body volume to 10 cubic feet, which is a reasonable approximation for illustrative purposes. The population figure of nearly 8 billion and the ocean coverage of over 70% of the Earth's surface are both accurate and verifiable figures. The calculation of sea level rise due to this hypothetical scenario results in a minuscule increase, which is consistent with the vastness of the oceans compared to the human volume. These figures are well-supported by geographical and demographic data, making the article highly accurate in its factual claims.

7
Balance

The article primarily focuses on a single hypothetical scenario without delving into other perspectives or related issues, such as actual causes of sea level rise. While this narrow focus is appropriate for the article's educational purpose, it could benefit from briefly mentioning real-world sea level rise contributors like climate change and thermal expansion. This would provide a more balanced view by contrasting the hypothetical scenario with real-world issues. However, as the article is part of a series aimed at engaging curiosity in children, its balance is adequate for its intended audience.

10
Clarity

The article is written in a clear and engaging manner, suitable for its target audience of curious children. It uses simple language and relatable analogies, such as comparing the ocean to a bathtub, to explain complex concepts. The logical flow from explaining displacement to calculating sea level rise is easy to follow, and the use of hypothetical questions stimulates curiosity. The tone is neutral and educational, effectively conveying the intended message without confusion.

8
Source quality

The article is published by The Conversation, a reputable platform known for providing expert analyses. It is authored by Tony E. Wong, associated with the Rochester Institute of Technology, which adds credibility to the content. The article does not rely heavily on external sources, as it is based on basic physics principles and demographic data, which are widely accepted and verifiable. The lack of diverse sources is not detrimental in this context due to the straightforward nature of the claims.

9
Transparency

The article is transparent in its methodology, explaining the assumptions made for the calculations, such as considering humans as rectangular boxes and the simplification of average human volume. It clearly states the hypothetical nature of the scenario and its purpose in engaging curiosity. The author's affiliation and the lack of conflicts of interest are disclosed, ensuring readers understand the basis of the claims. This transparency enhances the article's credibility and helps readers follow the logic behind the conclusions drawn.

Sources

  1. https://www.rit.edu/directory/aewsma-tony-wong
  2. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-global-sea-level
  3. https://muckrack.com/tony-wong/articles
  4. https://www.nasa.gov/missions/jason-cs-sentinel-6/sentinel-6-michael-freilich/nasa-analysis-shows-unexpected-amount-of-sea-level-rise-in-2024/
  5. https://read.activelylearn.com