The Mysteries of History (June 29 Edition)
Nothing Groundbreaking or Disruptive, but ...
image generated using Bing Image Creator
A few interesting things happened on this date, but seemingly nothing that altered the arc of history or impacted human society hugely or permanently.
However, here’s an interesting response I got from AI, specifically Microsoft Copilot.
I queried:
How many square miles would California be if it were flattened out?
AI/MS Copilot answered:
That’s a fun thought experiment! California’s official land area is about 155,959 square miles, but that’s measured as a projection onto a flat surface. If you could somehow iron out every mountain, valley, and wrinkle—like stretching a crumpled map—you’d end up with a larger surface area.
California is home to some seriously rugged terrain: the Sierra Nevada, the Coast Ranges, the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges, plus the dramatic dips of Death Valley and the Central Valley basin. While there’s no exact figure for a “flattened” California, geographers estimate that mountainous regions can increase surface area by 5–15% or more, depending on the steepness and complexity.
So, if we take a conservative 10% increase, a flattened California might cover around 171,500 square miles. That’s like adding an extra West Virginia on top!
Want to try flattening another state or maybe the entire Himalayas next? 😄
Alas, I was hoping my native California would be able to take bragging rights from Texas as the largest State in the Lower 48 when flattened out, but the Golden State would only be — even when (God forbid) flattened out — three-fifths the size of the Lone Star State.
Still, Alaska makes both Texas and California look like pipsqueaks, size-wise.
But it’s not all about size, is it? When taking breathtaking beauty into account, few States can compete with California, especially when taking into consideration its variety (with seascapes on the west, deserts in the south, forests and mountains as well as rolling hills and valleys throughout).
Questions: Which States do you consider the most beautiful? I submit as possibilities for that distinction California, Washington, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, New Hampshire, Vermont, Hawaii, and (somewhat begrudgingly) Alaska. Same question, but for Countries rather than States: I submit Switzerland, New Zealand, China, Brazil, and the United States.
