This principle was first quantified by Galileo in 1638, and is most commonly referred to as 'the square cube law'. I'd express the principle of scale something like this:

Consider a cube with a side length of 1 unit. How does it compare to an otherwise identical cube with a side length of 10 units?

_{(table generated with the world's simplest code generator of course...)}

As the cube grew to ten times its original size, we see its properties change drastically -- the rate of heat dissipation decreased by a factor of ten, and the structure's strength decreases by a factor of ten.

This is a funamental and useful principle. It can be quickly derived from simple mathematics that we were taught early on at school. Yet we were never armed with any knowledge of this principle itself.

I would guess that most adults -- even those with considerable education -- are unaware of these basic relations, even though they affect us every day.

(I do remember being taught a corollary: that you can increase the surface area of a reactant [thus speeding up a chemical reaction] by grinding a chemical compound into smaller particles)

Lilliput? Not Likely!

At such a tiny size, the lilliputian's human lungs would be severly hampered by water droplets in the air. And why are they using ladders? Wouldn't they be able to leap onto gulliver's chest unaided? How could such tiny brains create such a complex society?

Attack of the 50 foot woman? Are you havin a laff?

Take this fifty foot woman as an example. Her puny legs would buckle and collapse under her gigantic mass!

In fact, viewed through the smug nerdy lens of the principle of scale, all sorts of books and movies turn from science fiction to pure fantasy. Here's a thought provoking run-through of the physics behind a lot of movies about shrinking, growing, and other scale-related activities: The Biology of B-Movie Monsters. And here's an essay that includes some analysis of Lilliput.

Alrighty, I've pummelled this topic to death already. Have just returned from a two week holiday, after finishing up at Advantech software. I've been sans-computer for all that time (wrote most of this article on paper using a device known as The Pen, I believe.) Read an interesting book -- freakonomics during the break. (blog here) Recommended.

Expect some TimeSnapper updates over the coming weeks!