Tip of the week: How to estimate the height of a tall tree
Find a tall stick; Get a little dirty; Look up; Do some calculations
Find a tall stick. That and one good eye are all the tools you’ll need. With the stick in hand, walk exactly 11 paces from the base of the tree and mark the spot by driving the stick into the ground.
Get a little dirty. Take one more step away from the tree, then mark that point on the ground with an X. Now lie down and “put your eye as close to it as you can.”
Look up. Cast your gaze toward the towering tree. Note the exact point on the stick that, from your lowly vantage point, corresponds with the tree’s highest point.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Do some calculations. Mark this point on the stick, then measure the distance to the ground. The measurement you get in inches will be roughly the same as the height of the tree in feet. Once you have that number, file the entire trick under “things your father should have taught you.”
Source: Esquire
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why ‘anti-Islam’ bikers are guarding Gaza aid sites
In The Spotlight Members of Infidels MC, who regard themselves as modern Crusaders, among private security guards at Gaza Humanitarian Foundation sites
-
China: Xi seeks to fill America’s void
Feature Trump’s tariffs are pushing nations eastward as Xi Jinping focuses on strengthening ties with global leaders
-
Rebrands: Bringing back the War Department
Feature Trump revives the Department of Defense’s former name