An ant is placed on one end of a rubber rope and he begins walking at about 5cm per second. As he’s walking, the rope gets stretched… and stretched… at a rate of 10cm per second. The rope is getting stretched faster and longer relative to the ant’s consistent walking pace.

Can the ant ever get to the end of the rope? Is he caught in an endless, impossible trek in which the end keeps getting further and further away?

This classic paradox has very real implications to how we understand our position in a rapidly-expanding universe.

********** LINKS ************

The Create Unknown Podcast: https://bit.ly/2TKVDdc

What Is A Paradox?:    • What Is A Paradox?  

Ant On A Rubber Rope Discussion:
https://bit.ly/2DYQ7it

Harmonic Series Proof on Khan Academy
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/ap-c...

Harmonic Series Proofs
http://scipp.ucsc.edu/~haber/archives...

Harmonic Series Proof
https://web.williams.edu/Mathematics/...

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Written by Matthew Tabor, Michael Stevens and Kevin Lieber

Huge Thanks To Paula Lieber
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Craftality

Get Vsauce's favorite science and math toys delivered to your door!
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Hosted, Produced, And Edited by Kevin Lieber
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Website: http://kevinlieber.com

Research And Writing by Matthew Tabor
  / matthewktabor  

Special Thanks Michael Stevens
   / vsauce  

VFX By Eric Langlay
   / ericlanglay  

Select Music By Jake Chudnow:    / jakechudnow  

MY PODCAST -- THE CREATE UNKNOWN
   / thecreateunknown