Bigger Is Better: 45 Supersized Things That Show Us How Small We Really Are
We often forget just how amazing some of nature’s creations are, or for that matter, some of our own creations. Sure, we often marvel at some of these things when they appear on the TV or pop up in a YouTube video. But usually, we just hear about these colossal objects and never take the time to properly look into them. We all know that seeing them in a book or on TV is not the same as witnessing them in real-time.
This article will help you become more aware of what these creations are and what actually exists out there. We’ve compiled a list of 45 of the tallest, largest, and heaviest animals and objects from around the world. Join us as we marvel at some of humanity’s most wondrous creations and the wonders of what nature has to offer.
Redwood Trees
No one would blame you for momentarily becoming completely distracted as you gaze in wonder at the towering giants that are the Redwoods. Also known as Sequoioideae, they are native to California and Oregon in the USA and parts of China.
The Redwood holds the honor of being one of the tallest and largest species of trees in the world that often reach heights of 76-98 meters, with the base of the tree encompassing a circumference of over 27 meters wide!
Baobab Trees
If you thought that the Redwoods were impressive, you would absolutely love this next one. The Baobabs, or Adansonia, are giant trees that you can find all over Madagascar and large parts of both Australia, Africa, and smaller areas in Asia.
There are eight subspecies of Adansonia (6 of which are all in Madagascar). Because of this, they can vary in size. The smallest can measure from 10-20 meters, and the largest can reach heights of 30 meters with a diameter of 10 meters!
Blue Whale
We’ve discussed some of the tallest trees in the world, so how about we now take a look at the sea? Most of you should roughly know by now that the ocean is home to some of the most giant animals in the world.
Of course, one of the animals is the Blue Whale, the largest living aquatic mammal in the world that. When fully grown, they can weigh up to 170 tons and reach lengths up to 30 meters, the same height as a Baobab tree!
Size of Blue Whale Heart
That said, if you are still struggling to really picture just how gigantic a blue whale really is, why don’t we take a gander at the size of their hearts. Don’t worry! It’s not a real heart, just a replica.
The image shows an accurate replica of the size of the blue whale’s heart, which is so big that you can actually sit in it! The average Blue Whale heart can weigh around 180 kg, whereas a human heart weighs only 0.3 kg! Spectacular!
Giant African Land Snail
Snails have to be one of the weirdest and definitely grossest creatures around! Most of us should have an idea of what a snail looks like, either from personal experience or from TV. We usually think of them as a small and slimy creatures.
Well, not in the case of the Giant African Land Snail, which is massive in comparison to other snails. While the snail is native to East Africa, it has quickly spread across the globe and is referred to as a real pest.
Pyramid of Giza
Egypt, the fabled lands of the pharaohs that have captured the attention and imagination of cultures and nations for thousands of years. One of the most famous features of ancient Egypt is, of course, the many pyramids that used to be home to the dead pharaohs.
None of the Egyptian pyramids are as famous as the Great Pyramid of Giza, the oldest and largest pyramid of Egypt. They built it back in the 26th century BCE and still stands at the height of 146 meters and a base of 230 meters.
Aircraft Carrier
If you are still in disbelief thinking about how people could build something that massive, you might want to brace yourself for this next marvel. While aircraft carriers are a modern invention, they are still no less impressive since they look like literal floating fortresses!
Aircraft carriers don’t only serve as warships by themselves but also act as mobile airbases complete with landing strips and fuel points. Carriers come in many shapes and sizes. That said, the largest carrier has a reported weight of 100,000 tons!
Tornado next to a wind turbine
While the natural world can indeed be a thing of beauty, we must not forget that it is still capable of causing dangers in every corner of the globe. One of the most frightening natural phenomena is tornadoes, which are violent, moving bodies of air.
Tornados are giant columns of twisting and moving pressured air that is capable of causing a lot of damage. While they may be scary, they are nothing compared to hurricanes. Tornados can be as tall as 70 meters and reach speeds of 180 km/h.
Bison
Tornadoes aren’t the only fearsome forces of nature out there; the American bison is no pushover either! The bison is a centuries-old animal native to Northern America that once had a population of 50-60 million, now down to just 30000.
Male Bison, on average, can grow as tall as 1.8-2 meters and weigh up to 900 kg, with females being both shorter and lighter with heights of 1.5 meters and weights of 450 kg, making the bison an absolute beast. They’re definitely sizing up to this car in the photo!
Cargo Ship Engine
Aircraft carriers are not the only things dominating the open waters, for cargo ships are absolute giants. This fact will really hit home once you see just how big their engines can be. They look like the size of a ship themselves.
The image above is of a typical engine you would find in most commercial cargo ships. It’s big enough that the people working inside it could actually use it as a house! The average cargo ship engine can weigh up to 2300 tons.
Wrench for Cargo Engine
If the people standing and walking up and down the engine didn’t give you enough of an idea of how big these things can be, then maybe taking a look at the wrenches they use to work on them will!
This image first appeared on Reddit a couple of years ago and absolutely shocked users with the sheer size of the wrench. The poster commented that the wrench weighs over 900 kg and requires a forklift to transport and other machines to use.
Ice shelf
While we are still staying close to the water, let us take a journey to the colder places of the world. Iceshelfs are giant floating bodies of ice that you can only find in the coldest parts of the globe.
If you’re a fan of nature documentaries, chances are you have a decent idea of how big these frozen giants can be. Iceshelfs have been reported to have thicknesses of 100-1000 meters thick, with some having heights of 100 meters above sea level alone.
Percheron
Horses are already known to be robust and muscular animals that are equally known for their intelligence and endurance. But just like dogs, they come in many different breeds, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, such as the Percheron.
The Percheron was originally bread in Western France to serve as a draught or workhorse, later being used for wars. Percherons can reach heights between 15-18 hands (1.5-1.8 meters) and weigh between 850-1200 kg, making the Percheron one of the biggest horse breeds to date.
Elephant Seal
Typically, when we hear or think of seals, we tend to think of the cuter earless sea lions, you know, the ones with the chubby bodies and adorable dog-like faces that we see in the zoo! We don’t ponder much about the Elephant Seal.
Male elephant seals have long bulbous noses that strongly resemble an elephant’s, just much shorter! The elephant seal is regarded as the largest living carnivore, that’s right, not lions or bears, but a seal that can weigh around 4000 kg!
Elvis The Giant Crocodile
Australia has somewhat of a reputation for having some of the weirdest looking, most poisonous, and most dangerous animals in the world. This includes the iconic is the prehistoric saltwater crocodile, the largest and most aggressive of all crocodilian breeds.
The average male crocodile can reach lengths of 4.3-5m (females 3m) and can weigh 400-530kg (females weighing 100-200kg). And then we get Elvis, the crankiest crocodile that ever lived. Even though he’s not the biggest (4.5m), he makes up for it in his attitude!
Central Asian Shepheard Dog
The Alabai, or Central Asin shepherd dog, traces its ancestry to the Caspian Sea, Russia, and Asia Minor. They were bred to serve as work, livestock, and fighting dogs. Some were even bred to do just one specific thing, like work.
The Alabai’s sheer size and thick fluffy coat make them the perfect substitute for those of you who dreamed about wanting a polar bear but didn’t feel like losing an arm! They can weigh up to 80kg and reach heights of 70cm.
Maine Coon
Speaking of gentle giants, we present to you the Maine Coon, one of the most giant domesticated cats with a mostly unknown place of origin. That being said, the US state of Maine is home to many of them, as the name suggests.
The Maine Coon can weigh around 3.5-8kg, which is not much considering the impressive lengths of 90-100cm that they can reach (tail to head). The Maine Coon is known to have a laid-back, relaxed, and dog-like personality with its owners.
Capybara
If Tom and Jerry taught us anything, it’s that we shouldn’t hit each other with frying pans and that cats really hate mice and rats! Who doesn’t!? Well, don’t even assume that the giant Maine Coon would want to fight a capybara.
The capybara is the largest living rodent species in the world, originating from South America. This giant rodent, whose closest relative is a guinea pig, can measure anywhere from 100-130cm in length with heights that reach 60cm and a weight of 30-66kg.
Great Dane
While the Alabai might have looked like an absolute giant, they shrink in comparison to the Great Dane. The Great Dane, or German Mastiff, is one of the largest dog breeds in the world and was bred for hunting big game animals.
The Great Dane is the tallest dog breed reaching heights of 80-90cm, but it is much lighter than its heavier descendent, the English Mastiff. That said, the Great Dane weighs about 50-80kg, with 80kg being the same weight as an average wolf!
Kodiak Bear
Speaking of wolves, another iconic king of the woods would have to be the bear! There are many different breeds of bears that can be found in many places around the world, meaning that they come in various shapes and sizes.
One of the most fearsome-looking of the bear family would have to be the massive Kodiak bear, the second (or joint top) largest living breed weighing around 300-600kg and measuring 2.4m in length and height when standing on two legs.
Polar Bear
Bringing us to its arctic cousin, the polar bear, who is a distant relative that reigns over the Arctic Circle. While all bears enjoy a good swim or a nice fish, none of them can compete with the aquatic skills of the polar bear.
The polar bear is the largest (joint largest) living member of the bear family, only slightly bigger than the Kodiak bear. Polar bears can weigh 350-700kg and measure 2-3m in length, weight, and height that doesn’t stop them from being graceful swimmers.
Siberian Tiger
The Siberian tiger, the lesser-known cousin of the Bengal tiger, is no less intimidating, gigantic, or memorizing to look at. The Siberian tiger is native to the northeastern parts of China and the far eastern regions of Russia.
The Siberian tiger is often thought to be the largest of the cat family or second largest to the Bengal tiger. However, this breed of tiger is a powerful animal reaching lengths of 1.5m and weighing 170kg for females and 300kg for males.
Lockheed C-5 Galaxy Transport Carrier
We’ve already seen some of the floating metal fortresses humans have built to dominate the open oceans, but what about the skies? Well, when it comes to the largest planes, no list would be complete without mentioning the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.
The C-5 Galaxy is a massive military plane created by the United States Air Force and designed to function as a transport carrier. While empty, the C-5 weighs a staggering 172 tons with a length of 75m and a wingspan of 68m!
Giant Pumpkin
Pumpkins come in vibrant orange colors and are considered a tasty veggie for thousands of people, especially in their native home of North America to worldwide. An average pumpkin tends to weigh around 4-8kg, with larger cultivars weighing 30-35kg.
Now a 35kg pumpkin might seem mad enough already, but what if we told you that was nothing. Growing the largest pumpkins possible has become an extremely popular pastime at farm fairs, with the world’s heaviest pumpkin said to weigh 1.2 tons!
Heaviest Watermelon
Native to northeastern Africa, watermelons are one of the most delicious fruits that no summer holiday or weekend would be complete without! The popularity of this summer treat has also made it another popular option for competitive farm fair growers.
We have no idea how he did it, but Christopher Kent from the USA won the Guinness world record for the heaviest watermelon back in 2013. Kent’s watermelon weighed a mouth-watering 160kg! Can you just imagine having that waiting in the fridge!
The Bagger 288
If you thought aircraft carriers were big, this next piece of equipment will make it look tiny in comparison. The Bagger 288 is a German-made mining excavator that looks like something straight out of Star Wars due to its ridiculous size!
The Bagger 288 is the second heaviest land machine in existence, weighing in at a whopping 13,500 tons and standing 220m tall! The blade itself measures around 21m in diameter and can excavate over 200,000 tonnes of coal daily!
The CAT 797 and its massive wheels
When measured against the Bagger 288, the Caterpillar 797 is much smaller in comparison. However, the 797 is still one monster of a machine, holding the honor of being the largest two-axle vehicle (like ordinary cars) in the world.
The 797 was designed for mining and construction operation, capable of hauling 360 tons of material. The vehicle itself weighs over 600 tons, with each tire alone weighing 5.3 tons. It even requires a 3,400-horsepower engine to operate it.
Cruise Ships
For many people, the idea of sailing around the world aboard a luxury cruise liner is either something on their bucket list or something they just find ridiculous. Why ridiculous, you might ask? Well, because of how unnecessarily big they are!
Cruise ships are just big hulking vacation resorts that happen to float and cruise on the water, serving as mini party cities. The Symphony of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world, measuring 361m in length and 72m in height!
The Prelude FLNG
With all that being said, cruise ships or aircraft carriers don’t even come close to the metallic behemoth that is Shell’s Prelude FLNG, which is the largest ship and most extensive offshore facility in the world, measuring around 488m long!
The Prelude also reaches a height of 74m tall and with a galactic weight of 300,000 tons, displacing over 600,000 tons when fully loaded. The Prelude FLNG is believed to have cost between $10-13 billion dollars to construct back in 2013.
Sultan Kösen, Tallest Living Man
At this stage, we have talked about some of the biggest machines and boats ever made and seen some truly massive animals and trees. But being a giant is not exclusive to animals, with Sultan Kösen serving as a prime example.
Sultan Kösen is a 38-year-old man from Turkey who happens to be the tallest living man with a height of 251cm! Kösen’s astounding height was apparently linked to a tumor on his pituitary gland, an ailment that he recovered from.
Ekaterina Lisina, Tallest Living Woman
While Kösen holds the titles for the tallest living man and human in recent history, the 34-year-old Russian Ekaterina Lisina is the tallest living professional model. While she is not the tallest living woman or athlete, her height is still impressive.
Ekaterina Lisina used to play as a professional basketball player before eventually making the shift towards a career in modeling. Lisina has a remarkable height of 2.06m, losing out to the tallest living woman, Rumeysa Gelgi of Turkey, by 9cm.
Heaviest Carrot
Carrots are a dietary staple for many and a pretty versatile vegetable that is great for salads, meals, for desserts like carrot cake (yum). Carrots come in dozens of varieties, and because of that, they have no fixed weight or length between them.
Because of this carrots, are susceptible to some human intervention. We already know how much people love growing giant pumpkins and watermelons, so why not carrots! Christopher Qualley grew the heaviest carrot in the world that weighed over 10kg!
The Shire Horse
If you can remember, earlier, we spoke about the great Percheron horse, a truly regal beast that was surprisingly not the biggest breed of horse in the world. That honor goes to the impressive Shire horse from the United Kingdom.
The Shire is a powerful draught horse that stands at 17-19 hands (1.72-1.93m) tall and weighing around 810-1090kg, making the Shire a truly massive animal! A fact which is funny to think about if you are a Lord of The Rings fan!
Monster Flower (Rafflesia Arnoldii)
Generally, when we think of flowers, we think of fine and delicate tiny colorful plants that we can gently hold between our fingers. Well, as with everything on this list, there are always exceptions to whatever we might think!
Introducing the Monster Flower or Rafflesia Arnoldii. The Rafflesia is notorious for the awful smell of rotting meat that it releases to attract insects to help spread its pollen. Smell aside. The Rafflesia is the largest single flowering plant in the world.
Royal Clipper, Largest Sail Ship
While today’s modern ships are indeed impressive, there is just something magical or romantic about those old sail-masted ships from centuries ago. It is probably because of this reason that the style has not entirely died out.
The Royal Clipper (made for leisure and travel voyages) is the largest modern sail-powered ship in existence. Royal Clippers have reach lengths of around 133.8m and can weigh around 5 tons. They are capable of holding over 200 passengers and featuring 42 sails.
St Peter’s Basilica, Largest Church in the World
Some nations have been able to create some truly sci-fi-like creations, such as the Bagger 288. While they have also constructed some amazing buildings, they can never measure up to those old structures, such as the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica.
St Peter’s Basilica, located within Vatican City, was commissioned back in 1506 and was only completed by the year 1626. The Basilica is the largest Christian church in the world, reaching heights of 136m and a length of 220m.
Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Largest Hindu Temple in India
The nation of India also has an impressive temple of its own, namely the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, located in the Tiruchirapalli district within the state of Tamil Nadu. This amazingly colorful temple is the largest Hindu temple in India.
The temple is believed to have been created around the 11th century and experienced a number of renovations and reconstructions over the centuries, especially after it was nearly destroyed back in the 14th century. The temple stands at 73m tall.
Borobudur Temple, Largest Buddhist Temple in World
It would be a shame not to mention and marvel at the Borobudur Temple, the largest and greatest Buddhist temple in the world. The Borobudur is believed to have been constructed from 780-840 AD/CE in Central Java during the Shailendra Dynasty.
The massive temple is said to cover an area of 2500m2 and features over 500 Buddha statues and over 2600 intricate relief panels that tell the stories of many significant figures within the Buddhist faith, such as Sudhana and Manohara.
Gaur, Largest Wild Cattle
While we are still exploring India and Southeast Asia, let us present the mighty gaur to you. The gaur, or Indian bison, is a sadly endangered species while also being the largest species of wild cattle in the world.
The guar is a massive and muscular animal with females reaching up to 1000kg in weight and males up to 1500kg. The gaur can also reach lengths of 330cm and heights of 2.2m. Its domesticated cousin is the smaller gayal.
The Klencke Atlas
We’re pretty sure most of us remember (or currently still have to) lugging around those seemingly massive textbooks back during high school. You know, those ones that are probably the reason why your back hurts so much when it shouldn’t.
That said, they don’t even come close to the Klencke Atlas, one of the largest atlases ever made and dating back to 1660. The atlas has a length of 1.75m, a width of 1.9m, and requires six people to carry it!
Hang Sơn Đoòng
We cannot leave after taking a trip back to Southeast Asia without first seeing the astounding Sơn Đoòng cave. Located in the Quảng Bình Province of Vietnam, the Sơn Đoòng cave is the largest natural cave in the world and is quite a sight to behold.
The cave is thought to be up to 5 million years old, with a depth of 150m and a length of 9km. It has become a very popular tourist attraction since it captured the attention of the world back in 2009.
Prague Castle
Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, is one of the most enchanting and beautiful cities in the world. The ancient city is also home to the famous Prague Castle that was once the home of kings and the office of presidents.
The Prague Castle (or Pražský hrad) is the largest ancient castle in the world, commanding an area of 70,000m, measuring 570m in length, and standing on top of a great hill. The castle attracts close to 2 million tourists each year!
Himeji Castle
Speaking of castles, you have to learn about the stunning Himeji Castle of Japan. Himeji Castle, located in the Hyōgo Prefecture in the region of Honshu, is Japan’s greatest and most beautiful surviving castle ever made, which dates back to 1333.
The castle was built atop a massive Himeyama hilltop and is surrounded by the city of Himeji. Himeji Castle reaches around 46m at its tallest point, with its walls reaching 26m in height and occupying an area of 107,000m2.
Titan Beetle
OK, these last ones will either excite some of you or terrify those who aren’t too fond of insects and other creepy crawlies. Most bugs, insects, and spiders tend to be relatively small as they scuttle about, except when they aren’t.
The fearsome-looking titan beetle is the largest known species of beetle in the world, measuring about 16.7cm in length and possibly up to 18cm. The mandibles of the titan are powerful enough to cut flesh and snap objects such as pencils.
Atlas Moth
We would say sorry to the insect haters again; closing things off, we have the Atlas moth, Attacus atlas. The Atlas moth is the largest lepidopteran (the butterfly and moth family) known to us, with an impressive wingspan of 24cm.
When its wings are fully opened, they can encompass an area of 160cm2. The Atlas moth is not actually named after the books of the same name. Instead, it is named after the Titan from Greek mythology because of its size.