Blue whale
#blue-whale27 mlong
Version / Standard: A large adult specimen (some individuals reach longer; 27 m standard board figure).
Source citation: NOAA Fisheries / American Museum of Natural History ↗
Measurement Sources & Credits
Every cut-out in Size It Up uses a rounded, publicly verifiable figure. Where figures differ across authorities (such as measuring to an antenna tip versus a visitor deck, or whether a pedestal is included), the fact line specifies the exact version used on the board. Below are the citations and sources for all 48 objects in our library.
Animals
Giraffe
#giraffe5.5 mtall
Version / Standard: Adult male, measured from the ground to the tips of the ossicones (horns).
Source citation: Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute ↗
African elephant
#elephant6.5 mlong
Version / Standard: Head to tail length; the trunk is not stretched out in front.
Source citation: Smithsonian's National Zoo / San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance ↗
Cheetah
#cheetah2.0 mlong
Version / Standard: Adult head to the tip of the tail.
Source citation: Smithsonian's National Zoo / Cheetah Conservation Fund ↗
Adult human
#human1.71 mtall
Version / Standard: Global population reference standard adult height used as a scaling ruler.
Source citation: World Health Organization (WHO) / NCD Risk Factor Collaboration ↗
Great white shark
#shark4.6 mlong
Version / Standard: Typical adult female length (not an extreme record specimen).
Source citation: Smithsonian Ocean / Florida Museum of Natural History ↗
House cat
#cat0.75 m (75 cm)long
Version / Standard: Domestic adult cat, nose to the tip of the tail.
Source citation: Encyclopædia Britannica / Cat Fanciers' Association ↗
Emperor penguin
#penguin1.2 mtall
Version / Standard: Adult emperor penguin standing upright on ice.
Source citation: Australian Antarctic Division / British Antarctic Survey ↗
Vehicles
School bus
#school-bus12 mlong
Version / Standard: Standard full-size American Type C/D school bus, bumper to bumper (approx. 39.5-40 ft).
Source citation: Thomas Built Buses / NASDPTS Vehicle Standards ↗
Sports coupe
#coupe4.52 mlong
Version / Standard: Modern two-door production sports coupe (e.g. Porsche 911 992 generation, 4,519 mm).
Source citation: Porsche Official Specifications (911 Carrera) ↗
Bicycle
#bicycle1.75 mlong
Version / Standard: Standard adult road / commuter bicycle, outer tire to outer tire.
Source citation: International Organization for Standardization (ISO 4210) ↗
Boeing 747-400
#jet70.7 mlong
Version / Standard: Boeing 747-400 commercial jet airliner, nose to tail (70.66 m).
Source citation: Boeing Commercial Airplanes - 747 Airplane Characteristics ↗
Container ship (ULCV)
#ship400 mlong
Version / Standard: Typical Ultra-Large Container Vessel (length overall approx. 399-400 m).
Source citation: International Maritime Organization (IMO) / Maersk Triple-E ↗
Landmarks
Eiffel Tower
#eiffel330 mtall
Version / Standard: Total height to the tip of the radio antenna (updated March 2022 to 330 m).
Source citation: Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) ↗
Statue of Liberty
#liberty93 mtall
Version / Standard: Ground level to the tip of the torch, pedestal and foundation included (305 ft 1 in / 93 m).
Source citation: National Park Service (NPS) - Statue Statistics ↗
Big Ben (Elizabeth Tower)
#elizabeth-tower96 mtall
Version / Standard: Elizabeth Tower height from ground to finial tip (316 ft / 96.3 m); Big Ben is the bell.
Source citation: UK Parliament - Elizabeth Tower Facts & Figures ↗
Great Pyramid of Giza
#pyramid138.8 mtall
Version / Standard: Present-day preserved height without the lost apex/pyramidion (originally 146.6 m).
Washington Monument
#washington169 mtall
Version / Standard: Total height from the main entrance floor to the aluminum apex (554 ft 7 in / 169.05 m).
Source citation: National Park Service (NPS) - Washington Monument Facts ↗
Everyday objects
Standard interior door
#door2.03 mtall
Version / Standard: Standard residential architectural passage door (6 ft 8 in / 80 in = 2.032 m).
Source citation: International Code Council (ICC) - International Residential Code ↗
Large smartphone
#phone0.162 m (162 mm)tall
Version / Standard: Contemporary flagship large smartphone height without protective case (approx. 160-163 mm).
Source citation: Apple & Samsung Hardware Specifications ↗
Wooden pencil
#pencil0.19 m (19 cm)long
Version / Standard: Standard unsharpened No. 2 wooden pencil including metal ferrule and eraser (7.5 in).
Source citation: Dixon Ticonderoga Standards / Faber-Castell ↗
Payment card (ISO ID-1)
#card0.0856 m (85.6 mm)long
Version / Standard: Standard credit / debit card long dimension (ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 format: 85.60 mm).
Source citation: International Organization for Standardization (ISO/IEC 7810) ↗
One-litre water bottle
#bottle0.28 m (28 cm)tall
Version / Standard: Standard 1-litre wide-mouth cylindrical reusable beverage bottle with cap on.
Source citation: Nalgene Product Dimensions / ISO Packaging ↗
Space
Space Shuttle Orbiter
#shuttle37.2 mlong
Version / Standard: Orbiter vehicle length, nose tip to body flap (external tank and boosters not included).
Source citation: NASA Kennedy Space Center - Shuttle Reference ↗
Falcon 9 rocket
#falcon70 mtall
Version / Standard: Full launch stack on the pad (first stage, interstage, second stage, and payload fairing).
Source citation: SpaceX - Falcon 9 Launch Vehicle User's Guide ↗
International Space Station
#iss109 mlong
Version / Standard: Total integrated truss length from port to starboard (357 ft / 109 m).
Source citation: NASA - International Space Station Facts & Figures ↗
Saturn V rocket
#saturn-v110.6 mtall
Version / Standard: Complete Apollo stack on the pad, including the Apollo spacecraft and launch escape tower.
Source citation: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center - Saturn V Specs ↗
The Moon
#moon3,474.8 kmacross
Version / Standard: Mean equatorial diameter (3,474.8 km / 3,474,800 m).
Source citation: NASA Planetary Data System - Moon Fact Sheet ↗
Earth
#earth12,742 kmacross
Version / Standard: Mean volumetric diameter / equatorial diameter (12,742 km / 12,742,000 m).
Source citation: NASA Planetary Data System - Earth Fact Sheet ↗
Plants
Giant sunflower
#sunflower3.0 mtall
Version / Standard: Typical tall garden giant sunflower (e.g. Helianthus annuus 'Russian Giant').
Source citation: Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Plant Profiles ↗
Saguaro cactus
#cactus12 mtall
Version / Standard: Mature adult saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) in Sonoran desert habitat.
Source citation: National Park Service (NPS) - Saguaro National Park ↗
Mature oak tree
#oak20 mtall
Version / Standard: Mature open-grown pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), typical canopy height.
Source citation: Woodland Trust (UK) - British Trees Directory ↗
Coconut palm
#palm15 mtall
Version / Standard: Mature tall variety coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), ground to frond crown.
Coast redwood (Hyperion)
#redwood116 mtall
Version / Standard: Hyperion specimen (Sequoia sempervirens), measured at 115.92 m, rounded to 116 m.
Source citation: Redwood National and State Parks / Guinness World Records ↗
Sports
Soccer ball (Size 5)
#soccer0.22 m (22 cm)across
Version / Standard: Official regulation Size-5 match football diameter (circumference 68-70 cm = diameter ~22 cm).
Source citation: International Football Association Board (IFAB) - Laws of the Game ↗
Basketball (Size 7)
#basketball0.243 m (24.3 cm)across
Version / Standard: Official men's regulation Size-7 basketball diameter (circumference 74.9-78.0 cm = ~24.3 cm).
Source citation: FIBA Official Basketball Rules / NBA Official Regulations ↗
Tennis racket
#racket0.69 m (69 cm)long
Version / Standard: Standard adult tennis racket overall length, handle base to top of frame (27 in / 68.58 cm).
Source citation: International Tennis Federation (ITF) - Rules of Tennis ↗
Basketball hoop (rim)
#hoop3.05 mtall
Version / Standard: Regulation basketball rim height measured vertically from playing court floor (10 ft / 3.048 m).
Source citation: FIBA / NBA Official Basketball Equipment Specifications ↗
Tennis court length
#tennis-court23.77 mlong
Version / Standard: Official tennis court playing length, baseline outer edge to baseline outer edge (78 ft).
Source citation: International Tennis Federation (ITF) - Court Measurements ↗
Football pitch length
#pitch105 mlong
Version / Standard: Standard international football stadium touchline length (FIFA / UEFA recommended 105 m).
Source citation: UEFA Stadium Infrastructure Regulations / FIFA Quality Programme ↗
Geography
Japan (archipelago span)
#japan3,000 kmlong
Version / Standard: Approximate geographic arc of the main Japanese archipelago from Hokkaido to Okinawa.
Source citation: Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) ↗
New Zealand (north-to-south)
#new-zealand1,600 kmlong
Version / Standard: Approximate north-to-south span across the North and South Islands.
Source citation: Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) / Statistics NZ ↗
Chile (mainland reach)
#chile4,270 kmlong
Version / Standard: Mainland north-to-south continental reach from the Peruvian border to Cape Horn.
Source citation: Instituto Geográfico Militar de Chile (IGM) ↗
Italy (mainland boot)
#italy1,180 kmlong
Version / Standard: Continental Italian boot reach from northern Alps to southern tip of Calabria.
Source citation: Istituto Geografico Militare (IGM Italy) ↗
Texas (land area)
#texas695,662 km²in area
Version / Standard: Official total land area of the State of Texas (268,596 sq mi / 695,662 km²).
Source citation: U.S. Census Bureau - State Area Measurements ↗
Metropolitan France (area)
#france551,695 km²in area
Version / Standard: Official land and inland water area of Metropolitan France (European territory).
Spain (land area)
#spain505,990 km²in area
Version / Standard: Official total geographic land territory of the Kingdom of Spain.
Source citation: Instituto Geográfico Nacional de España (IGN) ↗
California (land area)
#california423,970 km²in area
Version / Standard: Official total land area of the State of California (163,696 sq mi / 423,970 km²).
Source citation: U.S. Census Bureau - State Area Measurements ↗