This map shows you where you'd end up if you drilled a hole right through the Earth

You’ve probably, at one point or another, asked yourself the question: “Where would I end up if you dug a big hole through the centre of the earth?” You probably came to the conclusion that the answer was, for some reason, Australia. 

But now, finally, we have an actual answer to the question you definitely once asked your mum as a child. Thanks to the Antipodes Map, you can find out exactly where you’d end up if you dug right through the Earth. 

And if you live anywhere in the UK... you would end up in water, unfortunately. 

“Most of Europeans and Americans believe that if you dig a hole in a straight line through the center of the Earth you would come out on the other side right in China,” the makers of the map explain. “But this is just a saying. In reality, if you dig a straight tunnel in most areas of Europe or United States you will come out in the ocean. The only places where a straight hole will emerge in China are parts of Argentina and Chile.”

But what would happen to YOU if you jumped through a tunnel in the earth’s core?

I asked my Twitter followers – who I assume all have doctorates in physics – and the consensus seemed to be that you would die, either immediately or after a long period of suffering. Unfortunately this also seems to be the received opinions of people with actual doctorates in physics, too. 

If you tried to do it to the Earth as is, of course, you’d either  be unable to stand the staggering amounts of heat at the core or be crushed by the pressure. Dead. Immediately dead. But what if, hypothetically, the world was entirely solid and not a ball of pure heat?

Answer: you would still die. Soz.

According to this slightly terrifying video from an actual scientist, we’d basically be pulled back and forth up and down the earth before getting stuck in the middle. You’d die of thirst or suffocation at this point, if you’ve not already died from being slammed against the rocks over and over again. 

Conclusion: don’t jump into a hole through the centre of the earth, probably. 

If you want to have a plat around with the map then you can click here. The best thing we discovered is that if you dig directly down from Madrid you’d end up in the middle of New Zealand, so we’re off to go and do that now. Bye.

(Image: iStock)