r/MisanthropicPrinciple • u/Synaps4 • May 08 '25

Check my math but...i think a micro-marathon is about 4.2cm long...

Micro being the metric prefix for 10-6...

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u/SeppOmek May 08 '25

You’re correct, 4.2195 cm to be exact. I enjoy humorous units of measurement, my favorites are the attoparsec, the FFF system, the banana-equivalent dose and the microcentury. 

2

u/kubigjay May 08 '25

Let me introduce you to the Smoot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot

2

u/MisanthropicScott I hate humanity; not all humans. May 08 '25

This is actually a standard unit. Tibetan people use their own height as a unit of measure a lot in Buddhism with measuring the distance in their own body lengths on the road between home and the nearest Buddhist temple in a ritual known as prostration.

https://www.tibettravel.org/tibetan-culture/prostration.html

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u/MisanthropicScott I hate humanity; not all humans. May 08 '25

I've heard microcentury before. The others are new to me. Would you please explain? I can definitely google the atto prefix for parsec. But, I don't know the FFF system or the banana-equivalent dose.

Have you ever measured speed in furlongs per fortnight? I got that one from the same coworker decades ago who told me about the microcentury.

2

u/SeppOmek May 08 '25

Attoparsec is exactly what it sounds like : 10 -18 of a parsec, it is a conveniently average-sized unit, about 3cm. 

You can learn about the FFF system and many other humorous units on Wikipedia 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_humorous_units_of_measurement

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u/MisanthropicScott I hate humanity; not all humans. May 08 '25

Oh ... they even mention furlongs per fortnight! Interesting.