Tallest, longest, largest
Bite size info on three manmade structures that seemingly defy physics.
Burj Khalifa, known as Burj Dubai before its inauguration, is a mega tall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the tallest artificial structure in the world, standing at 829.8 m. Year completed: 2010. Claim to Fame: Tallest structure in the world (about 2,700 feet)
Kingda Ka is a steel accelerator roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, United States. It is the world's tallest roller coaster and the world's second fastest roller coaster. The train is launched by a hydraulic launch mechanism to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. Each train holds 18 people, with an hourly rate of about 1,400 riders; the ride lasts only 28 seconds from the start of the launch, but riders experience a G-force of 5. Claim to fame: At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main top hat tower, reaching a height of 456 feet (139 m) and spanning over a 3,118-foot-long (950 m) track by the end of the ride.
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in Yiling District, Yichang, Hubei province, China. Year completed: 2012. Claim to fame: The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest power station in terms of installed capacity. Generated 98.8 TWh in 2014.