The world is way, way bigger than you

(Image credit: REUTERS/China Daily)

last updated 8 January 2015

When you're crammed into a New York City subway car at rush hour, waiting in an interminably long line at the DMV, or squished among hundreds of sweaty fans at a concert, the world can feel like a stiflingly small place. But make no mistake: Earth is really big — and way, way bigger than you. Consider the scale of a single person when contrasted with some of Mother Nature's more impressive features.

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Lauren Hansen produces The Weekâ€™s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.