Tools of modern technology continue to change our connectivity methods yet a new visionary plan aims to reinvent global travels between distant locations.
A project of such magnitude and futuristic nature is being discussed for what could become the permanent solution to intercontinental travel.
A travel period between New York City and London which presently requires an eight-hour flight duration could potentially become a brief 54-minute commute.
The proposed transatlantic tunnel represents a revolutionary infrastructure concept which stands as one of the most futuristic and expensive such projects in history.
Under development as a science project the proposed tunnel extends for above 3,400 miles through the Atlantic till it connects two destinations in half the normal commute time.
The main technological component driving this idea relies on vacuum tubes to support train travel speeds above 3,000 miles per hour.
A vacuum-like environment in which vehicles could move through the tunnel with less energy requirements would exist because air resistance would be eliminated.
The proposed method would transform global travel while establishing a higher efficiency level than standard air travel.
The estimated price tag of $20 trillion makes this project extremely difficult to achieve.
When compared to the entire annual GDP of the United States the estimated cost of $20 trillion identifies it as one of the most expensive engineering projects in human history.
Engineers face insurmountable construction challenges for building this immense tunnel because the difficulties surpass those present in all known infrastructure projects.
Constructing the Channel Tunnel required six years to build its 31-mile distance connecting England to France.
Without any improvements to construction rates the building of a transatlantic tunnel would demand more than seven hundred years of work before completion using modern engineering capabilities.
The project requires new building methods and advancements in underwater engineering and materials to function within reasonable time parameters.
The massive length of such a tunnel creates serious safety risks because it must survive extreme ocean forces and earthquakes with the possibility of structural collapse.
Popular figures from the tech industry have started showing serious interest toward this project despite the difficulty of its execution.
Elon Musk announced through recent statements that his organization The Boring Company could build this tunnel at one-thousandth of previous project cost estimates.
Musk stated his tunneling company The Boring Company could finish the project for much lower than the current estimated costs.
“The @boringcompany could do it for 1,000 times less money,” Musk stated, sparking both excitement and skepticism among experts.
The statement made by Elon Musk attracts interest but his plan lacks details and financial together with logistical challenges become major obstacles.
Throughout the last century and beyond people have discussed building a passage beneath the Atlantic Ocean.
The execution of a transatlantic tunnel remains unrealized since both U.S. and U.K. governments abstain from undertaking this proposal because of the intense construction obstacles and mind-boggling expenses.
According to numerous doubters the project could never become sustainable despite the existence of available construction technology.
Some critics think such an endeavor would need ticket costs at unreasonable levels to recover construction expenses so that only super-rich patrons could afford travel.
The high cost of continuous maintenance operations for this structure could exceed its anticipated economic returns according to different experts.
The transatlantic tunnel exists only as a dream that fascinates us today but remains out of reach for the near future.
Engineering and transportation improvements will continue but the enormous number of challenges prevent flying across the Atlantic from becoming a slower method of transportation in the near future.
Feature Image Credit: (CanvaPro)