[ExI] Inflation and the 2024 election

[Adrian Tymes]

On Sun, Oct 18, 2026 at 2:40 PM spike jones via extropy-chat
<extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> From: John Clark <johnkclark at gmail.com>
> >> OK so you agree a tunnel exists between that hotel and DC? spike
>
> >…WHAT!!!  Of course there wasn't a 249 mile long tunnel between Washington DC and the hotel! Don't be ridiculous!
>
> That would be… impossible, ja?
>
> What is the longest possible tunnel please?

To my knowledge, the longest acknowledged tunnel is the Gotthard Base
Tunnel in Switzerland, at 35.4 miles.

The longest possible tunnel depends on a few assumptions.  Is this a
straight-line (which would be limited by having to avoid the molten
mantle) or can it follow the Earth's curvature?  Is a spiral allowed -
say, going around and around the Earth from North Pole to South Pole,
staying below the depth of the Marianas Trench (or steering around the
lowest points), possibly repeating the spiral at multiple depths?
Presumably it'd have sufficient ventilation and structural bracing.
Are we talking physical possibility or economic feasibility?  Also, is
this on Earth or are we allowed to tunnel elsewhere, perhaps on a
celestial body with a less molten interior?