The proposed Transatlantic Tunnel, backed by Elon Musk, envisions a journey from London to New York in just 54 minutes using advanced technology like vacuum tubes and magnetic levitation. However, this revolutionary concept comes with a staggering price tag of $19 trillion, significantly exceeding the UK’s GDP. Musk claims his company, The Boring Company, could lower costs drastically. The idea has historical roots, dating back to proposals in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but recent advancements make this futuristic travel method more plausible than ever.
Although it sounds far-fetched, the basic technology needed to build the tunnel has already been developed. Using vacuum tubes and magnetically levitating trains, friction could be reduced to nearly zero.
Musk recently ignited renewed interest in the idea by claiming that his tunnel-digging company, The Boring Company, could complete it for '1000-times less money'.
Despite its extravagant cost of $19 trillion – over five times the UK's total GDP – the proposed tunnel promises to revolutionize transatlantic travel.
This concept is not new; the first proposal for a tunnel connecting Britain and America appeared in an 1895 story by Michel Verne.
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