Photo: Joe Seer (Shutterstock)
Are you getting bored with our current units of measurement? Do you constantly weigh the pros and cons of the United States switching over to the metric system, and wonder if there was a better option?
Well, thanks to UK-based physicist Steven Wooding of Omni Calculator, there is. In fact, there are many, many options.
They’re part of Wooding’s Weird Units Converter, which allows the user to change units of measurement from the usual feet, inches, cups, ounces, etc. to hand spans, baguettes, and yes, Danny DeVitos. (Plus, it also works as a regular converter, calculating feet to meters and that kind of thing.) Here’s what to know.
How the converter can be helpful
In addition to the entertainment value, Wooding says that using the converter to change a unit of measurement may make the result more relatable to everyday life—like using a parking space to measure area, or a Big Mac to measure weight. “We can experience or visualize such things, and as long as the number that goes with the measurement isn’t too large, we’re more comfortable with the measurement,” he explains.
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How to use the calculator
The weird unit calculator is pretty intuitive, but here are the instructions from Wooding to walk you through each step:
Select the unit type you want to convert, such as length, height, weight, etc.Input your measurement in regular units. If the default unit is not convenient, click on the unit to select another unit. Then enter a number.Your measurement will be converted to its default weird unit. To change the weird unit, click on the unit to display a list of weird units to choose from. Remember not to make the number too large or too small.For the unit types sound and temperature, the calculator makes your number relatable to other things that are louder and quieter, colder and hotter, such as saying that a temperature is between room temperature and human body temperature.Now, it’s only a matter of time before there’s a Change.org petition to make Danny Devitos an official unit of measurement.
