# Modern Tower of Babel **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 9, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249 "2012-09-09T23:26:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/1 "2012-09-09T23:26:00Z")
Say everyone on Earth suddenly decides that we should all work together to build the tallest structure possible. Money and time are no object, but we’re limited to current construction technology and resources – no nanotube cables or diamond bricks. How high could we go? The existence of mountains like Kilimanjaro suggests that we could probably reach well over 10,000 feet just by piling up granite blocks, pyramid style. Then if there was a steel structure on top of that … . (For the purposes of this question, height means height from the base of the structure, not height above sea level. And the structure must be static and heavier than air – no kites, balloons, or moving parts. Just stuff stacked on top of other stuff.) ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/2 "2012-09-09T23:28:44Z")
Can the base be as big as you want in area? Because I think that that is the limiting factor. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/3 "2012-09-10T00:42:05Z")
> [@Szlater](#): > > Can the base be as big as you want in area? Because I think that that is the limiting factor. No, the limiting factor would be how high the gods allow you to build before they blast you for your presumption. ---
**Author:** ![Szlater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Szlater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Szlater)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/4 "2012-09-10T01:04:34Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > No, the limiting factor would be how high the gods allow you to build before they blast you for your presumption. Bastard gods. _puts on copper armour, douses it with salt water and waits for a thunder storm_ ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/5 "2012-09-10T01:46:26Z")
Previous thread on skyscrapers: [What is your favorite skyscraper? - In My Humble Opinion - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=385519) As I said in my last post there, PBS’s _Nova_ had a program on superskyscrapers a few years ago. Several architects and engineers said there’s no upper limit on building height anymore from an engineering standpoint. If you’ve got the money, the building can go as high as you want it to. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/6 "2012-09-10T01:56:10Z")
Sooner or later we’ll have space elevators. Surface to orbit in a couple of hours. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/7 "2012-09-10T02:34:19Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Sooner or later we’ll have space elevators. Surface to orbit in a couple of hours. And flying cars, too. Powered by fusion energy. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/8 "2012-09-10T12:11:58Z")
If you actually indend for the building to be useful, then logistics are going to be the overriding problem. If your building is 2 miles high, and the elevator ride to the top takes an hour or more, then the people at the top are going to have to live and work there. Commuting anywhere, except to somewhere a couple of floors away, will just be too inconvenient. Star Wars has those mega-skyscrapers on Coruscant that probably house 10’s of thousands of people, but if you think about it, the majority of those people probably spend their entire lives in that one building, rarely if ever venturing outside. Simple logistics wouldn’t allow otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/9 "2012-09-10T13:31:34Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > If your building is 2 miles high, and the elevator ride to the top takes an hour or more… State-of-the-art elevators could do that in under 4 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/10 "2012-09-10T14:00:49Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > State-of-the-art elevators could do that in under 4 minutes. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/11 "2012-09-10T14:02:41Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Star Wars has those mega-skyscrapers on Coruscant that probably house 10’s of thousands of people, but if you think about it, the majority of those people probably spend their entire lives in that one building, rarely if ever venturing outside. Simple logistics wouldn’t allow otherwise. Never stopped Amidala from going anywhere, or Anakin from “visiting”. But then they had flying cars. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/12 "2012-09-10T14:12:30Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Never stopped Amidala from going anywhere, or Anakin from “visiting”. But then they had flying cars. They were also diplomatic dignitaries. I doubt the cleaning lady had the luxury. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/13 "2012-09-10T14:18:22Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Cite? Actually it’s even faster than that. 1080 meters per minute. [http://m.geek.com/geekdotcom/#!/entry/mitsubishi-develops-worlds-fastest-elevator-for-632m-shanghai-tower,502463dc6c93bf0968f8c4aa](http://m.geek.com/geekdotcom/#!/entry/mitsubishi-develops-worlds-fastest-elevator-for-632m-shanghai-tower,502463dc6c93bf0968f8c4aa) ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/14 "2012-09-10T20:55:21Z")
I think with tapering a kevlar space elevator cable is possible now (just impractical) from [Getting A Lift From An Engineering Makeover](http://www.spacedaily.com/news/future-01f.html) > [@](#): > > But possible is not the same as practical. A steel cable 1 millimetre across at ground level would have to be 40 billion kilometres in diameter at geostationary orbit – equivalent to building an upside-down mountain bigger than the Solar System. Even Kevlar, which is stronger and lighter than steel, would need to widen to 16 metres, so you’d need 2 gigatonnes of the stuff. > > To make matters worse, the cable would need a minimum diameter more like 10 centimetres, not 1 millimetre Could we make 200 gigatonnes of kevlar given enough money? I dunno. Brian ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/15 "2012-09-10T21:04:56Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > Actually it’s even faster than that. 1080 meters per minute. > [http://m.geek.com/geekdotcom/#!/entry/mitsubishi-develops-worlds-fastest-elevator-for-632m-shanghai-tower,502463dc6c93bf0968f8c4aa](http://m.geek.com/geekdotcom/#!/entry/mitsubishi-develops-worlds-fastest-elevator-for-632m-shanghai-tower,502463dc6c93bf0968f8c4aa) I can’t open your link for some reason, but I assume that this figure represents an “express” elevator that runs from the ground floor directly to the top. I suppose the billionaire who owns the penthouse apartment might get something like this, but everyone else will have to make due with an elevator that has to stop at dozens (or perhaps hundreds) of floors, and is always packed full of people. Again, actually commuting between the upper floors and the street would be such a pain that it wouldn’t be practical for most people. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/16 "2012-09-10T21:08:13Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > I think with tapering a kevlar space elevator cable is possible now (just impractical) > > from [Getting A Lift From An Engineering Makeover](http://www.spacedaily.com/news/future-01f.html) > > Could we make 200 gigatonnes of kevlar given enough money? I dunno. > > Brian before someone corrects me, if we increase the diameter 100 fold, the volume increases 10,000 fold (I asumme the length stays the same). 20,000 gigatonnes seems unlikely Brian ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/17 "2012-09-10T21:11:23Z")
Elevator banks. Ground floor has 10 elevators that service floors 1-50, 2 larger elevators that simply go from 1 to 51 where they open onto another bay that has 10 elevators servicing floors 51-100, and 1 elevator that goes straight to the top. Perhaps it’s a penthouse or merely top offices. Obviously the exact number of elevators would depend on the actual height of the building and the number of people who need to use it but I see no reason why it wouldn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Noone\_Special](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noone_special/32/2863_2.png) [@Noone\_Special](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noone_Special)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/18 "2012-09-10T21:18:50Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > I can’t open your link for some reason, but I assume that this figure represents an “express” elevator that runs from the ground floor directly to the top. I suppose the billionaire who owns the penthouse apartment might get something like this, but everyone else will have to make due with an elevator that has to stop at dozens (or perhaps hundreds) of floors, and is always packed full of people. Again, actually commuting between the upper floors and the street would be such a pain that it wouldn’t be practical for most people. “Local” elevators that take you to the nearest multiple of, say, 25 floors. On these floors, there are “medium range” elevators that run to the nearest multiple of 500, with stops every 25 floors. And that’s where you take the Express elevator to the bottom, with maybe another 5-10 stops if you’re really unlucky. Granted, it won’t be 4 minutes, but I’d say it’s probably doable in 15. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/19 "2012-09-10T22:20:42Z")
The OP doesnt specify practicality - the lower levels don’t even need to be occupiable. (If I read that wrong please correct me) Brian ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2012, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249/20 "2012-09-10T23:09:06Z")
Frank Lloyd Wright designed a mile high building, in the early 1950’s. Whether his plan was practicable isn’t clear. But from the engineering standpoint, it was feasible. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-tower-of-babel/634249.md?page=2)