INSPIRED by observations here about silly comparisons, a colleague has presented Feedback with a whole book of them – “but be careful with it, it’s for my Mum”. The Queen Mary 2 Book of Comparisons (Cunard, ISBN 095424513X) reprints parts of The Queen Mary – a Book of Comparisons, published in 1936. So now we know that though one funnel of the old one could accommodate three US-gauge steam locomotives, the sole exhaust thingy of the new one is big enough for four Eurostar trains (disappointingly, widthways only). Our favourite so far: the weight of the old one would need…
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
2
The race to understand how and when Thwaites glacier will collapse
3
Ancient human DNA found on cave art for the first time
4
If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be
5
Europe’s heatwave is the hottest and most humid ever
6
Can home batteries help save the climate and save you money?
7
Our verdict on The Selfish Gene: An unpopular piece of popular science
8
A promising natural technique to remove CO2 could backfire
9
The best sci-fi novel in 2026 so far – plus 6 other great reads
10
You should turn off fans when it's too hot – but how hot is too hot?
