Antipodes Map Locates the Opposite of Any Spot on Earth

map, antipodes
The new Antipodes Map from Google lets you virtually burrow through the earth to the exact opposite point on the globe. Screen shot/Youtube/howstuffworks

We've all considered it: digging a hole right through the earth. When you were a kid, some adult probably told you you'd end up in China, but that person was wrong (unless, of course, you lived in Argentina or Chile when you were a kid. We'll get to that.)

With the new Antipodes Map, the curious kid in your life — or just, you know, you — can virtually burrow through the earth to the exact opposite point on the globe. In geography, the antipode of any spot on earth is the point on earth's surface diametrically opposite to it. Since we live on a pretty watery planet, for a lot of people, the antipodal point to their hometown is probably open ocean. The entirety of North America, for instance, is antipodal to the Indian Ocean off the coast of Australia, and pretty much every place in Europe will land you smack in the middle of the Pacific. But if you happen to live in Tangier, Morocco, the people on the other side of the globe are doing business in Whangarei, New Zealand. Same goes for the citizens of Hong Kong, China and its antipode, La Quiaca, Argentina.

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The Antipodes Map allows you to plug in any address, anywhere in the world, and tunnel to the point diametrically opposite. The Google-powered map is a great thought experiment, if nothing else, but it also features an adorable little man who shows you his trousers on one screen and his astonished face on the other. It's a good time.

Frequently Answered Questions

What is the opposite point on Earth called?
The opposite point on Earth is called the antipode.

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