Billionaire Elon Musk recently reacted to a viral picture of a map showing a sea route from India to the United States that caught the attention of social media users. The map, viewed more than 6 million times on X (formerly Twitter), depicts a curved blue line from Mumbai to Alaska via Madagascar, suggesting the possibility of sailing from India to the US in a straight line without touching land. Musk’s response to the image was simply “whoa.” However, some X users pointed out that the map may not be as straightforward as it seems, questioning its accuracy and straightness.
While the route may not appear straight on a 2-dimensional map, it actually follows the Earth’s curvature and looks straight on a globe. A social media user shared a short video showcasing the sea route on a 3D globe, emphasizing that the path only appears curved due to the projection on a 2D map. The video aimed to put the journey into perspective and clarify any confusion regarding the map’s depiction. Many social media users expressed gratitude for the video, as it helped them understand the concept better and debunk any flat-earth theories.
Despite this clarification, some users continued to argue that the route was not truly straight due to the Earth’s curvature. The discussion sparked a debate among netizens, highlighting different interpretations of a “straight line” in the context of mapping and geography. Whether the line is considered completely straight or not, the attention garnered by the viral map and Elon Musk’s response generated significant interest and engagement on social media.
[Note: The original article has been modified for clarity and coherence.]