20 Biggest Things In the World

by Mike Grindle2 years ago
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11 The Biggest Insect to Ever Live Was a Huge Dragonfly-Like Creature

Griffinfly
Life-size depiction of the Griffinfly. Image credit: Gene McCarthy/Twitter

Today, the largest wingspan of any insect belongs to the white moth. And the record for heaviest “reliably reported” insect goes to the giant weta, which comes in at around 2.5 ounces. However, millions of years ago, insects grew much bigger thanks to the higher oxygen levels in the atmosphere. One of the biggest were griffinflies, whose wingspan could reach an impressive 27 inches. (source)

12 The World’s Largest Engine, the Finnish-Made Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C, Can Churn Out a Whopping 108,920 Horsepower

World’s largest diesel engine
Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C, the world’s largest diesel engine.

The world’s largest engine, which is used in cargo ships, is not only incredibly large but jaw-droppingly powerful. Each of the RTA96-C’s fourteen cylinders produces some 7,780 horsepower alone.

Turbocharger for the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C
Turbocharger for the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C

Combined, you’re looking at 108,920 horsepower, enough to generate power for an entire suburban town. In terms of size, it’s bigger and much heavier than a four-story building, standing at 44 feet tall, 90 feet long, and weighing over a whopping 2,300 tons. (source)

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13 This $3BN Megahotel Will Be the World’s Largest

Abraj Kudai
Abraj Kudai. Image credit: Dar.com

Modeled on a “traditional desert fortress” and described as a “vertical city of luxury,” this $3.5 hotel complex known as “Abraj Kudai” in Saudi Arabia is set to be the world’s largest hotel by room count. Not only will it feature 10,000 rooms and 70 restaurants, but the hotel will also be equipped with four helipads, a convention center, a shopping mall, five floors dedicated entirely to Saudi royalty, and a ballroom. (source)

14 This ancestor of the alligator was twice as heavy as the largest tyrannosaurs.

Deinosuchus riograndensis
Deinosuchus riograndensis

Dinosaurs may have once ruled the world, but one reptile had little to fear from any of them.

Deinosuchus
Deinosuchus vs. alligator skull. Image credit: ShadowsStocks/Deviantart

Deinosuchus riograndensis, a relative of the modern alligator, is a now extinct reptile that lived 72-83 million years. At 11 meters in length and weighing around 6-7 tonnes, this ancient reptile was equally as long as a tyrannosaurus and twice as heavy. And in terms of its local ecosystem, it was top of the food chain, making snacks out of horned dinosaurs that came too close to the marshes in which it lived. (1, 2)

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15 The Largest Ship Ever Made, the Seawise Giant, Was Twice as Big as the Titanic and also Ended Up Being Sunk

Seawise Giant
Seawise Giant. Image credit: Aukevisser.nl

The Titanic might be the most famous ship ever, but not only was the Seawise Giant much bigger, but its history is equally as fascinating.

Seawise Giant vs. RMS Titanic
Seawise Giant vs. RMS Titanic. Image credit: G011d3nPony10/Deviantart

Built in 1979, this supertanker weighed over 564,000 tons and measured 1,500 feet in length. But in 1988, the ship ended up on the seabed after being struck by missiles and sunk during the Iraq-Iran War. However, that wouldn’t be the end for this giant, as a year later, the ship was heaved from the seabed and continued service for another 21 more years. (source)

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16 A Unique Forest Grows at the Bottom of the World’s Largest Sinkhole

World's Largest Sinkhole
Xiaozhai Tiankeng. Image credit: Brookqi/wiki

“Xiaozhai tiankeng” roughly translates from Chinese to “heavenly pit,” which is the name given to the world’s most enormous sinkhole. The hole is around 626 meters long and 537 meters wide, and reached a depth of 662 meters.

Inside, the sinkhole is home to a small, isolated biotope full of life. There are around 1,285 species of plants and many rare animals, including the clouded leopard. (source)

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17 The Massive Leatherback Is the Largest Living Sea Turtle

Leatherback Turtle
Leatherback Turtle. Image credit: Margus Vilbas Photography/shutterstock.com

Reaching lengths of up to six feet and weighing between 500 and an astounding 2,000 pounds, leatherbacks are the largest sea turtles you’ll ever encounter. Amazingly, these giants reach their enormous size on a diet that consists almost entirely of jellyfish. Though they tend to nest in the tropics, you can spot leatherback turtles as far north as Canada.

Unfortunately, today these animals are considered endangered worldwide due to overfishing and pollution. (source)

18 This Bizarre-Looking Ball Is a Single Cell

Valonia ventricosa
Valonia ventricosa. Image credit: u/drkmatterinc(reddit)

You might be surprised to see what looks like a small squishy ball on a list of biggest things. But these peculiar blobs known as “sailor’s eyeballs” (Valonia ventricosa) are the largest unicellular organisms in the world. The whole ball is just one single cell, though a sailor’s eyeball will contain several cytoplasmic domains with their own nucleus and chloroplasts. As a result, if you were to squish one of these little guys, you might make several more since each organism only needs one nucleus to grow into a new ball. (source)

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19 The World’s Largest Individual Chocolate Weighed In at 13,852 Kg

World's Largest Individual Chocolate
World’s Largest Individual Chocolate. Image credit: onekit.enr-corp.com

Here’s one for all the chocolate lovers out there. The world’s largest individual chocolate was created by Hershey’s Kisses and unveiled in 2007 to celebrate the brand’s 100th anniversary. The chocolate weighed in at a whopping 13,852 kg. However, the record for the world’s largest full chocolate bar belongs to Thornton’s, who in 2011, unveiled a bar that weighed in at 5,792.50 kg. (1, 2)

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20 The Largest Helicopter in the World Is Comparable in Size to a Boeing 737

Mil Mi-26 is one of the biggest things In the world
Mil Mi-26. Image source: u/xDaze(Reddit)

The Mil Mi-26 is the biggest production helicopter in the world. Also known as the “Halo,” this gigantic chopper first came into operation in 1983 and currently sees use in over 20 countries. The most recent versions of the Mi-26 can carry a total of 150 troops and have a payload capacity of over 55,000 lbs.

Mi-26
Mi-26. Image credit: Evgeniyqw/shutterstock.com

The helicopter also can carry loads externally and is quite capable of carrying two combat vehicles that weigh up to 22,000 lbs, respectively. (source)

Also Read:
10 of the Biggest Spiders in the World

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