Coastline paradox

The coastline paradox refers to the idea that measuring a coastline’s length varies depending on the scale or method used. When measuring with a large ruler, the coastline appears shorter because only big features are counted. Using a smaller ruler captures more tiny details, making the coastline seem longer. As the measurement becomes more detailed, the total length keeps increasing. This shows that coastlines don’t have a fixed length; their measured size depends on the level of detail in the measurement. It highlights how natural features can be complex and challenging to precisely quantify.