Two men 12400 miles apart create an 'Earth sandwich' by placing bread on either side of the planet

Two men, one from New Zealand and the other from Spain, came together for a unique collaboration to create an "Earth sandwich." Etienne Naude, from New Zealand, had wanted to make one for years, but finding someone on the other side of the globe to collaborate with had always been a challenge. After posting about it on the online message board Reddit, he found Angel Sierra, a chef from southern Spain, who was intrigued by the project. Using longitude and latitude to ensure precision, the men placed the bread on precise points on either side of the planet simultaneously. There were roughly 12,724 km (7,917 miles) of Earth between the slices and 20,000 km (about 12427 miles) between the two men.

The first "Earth sandwich" was created in 2006 by American artist Ze Frank, who organized for two slices of baguette to be placed in New Zealand and Spain. Others have followed since, although not all have been legitimate opposite-point Earth sandwiches. Naude used an online tool called "tunnel to the other side of the Earth" to find the exact location on the other side of the planet, located in southern Spain. He then posted on the Spain section of Reddit and found Sierra.

According to BBC, the challenge in creating an Earth sandwich was coordinating a sandwich with someone on the opposite side of the planet. The men had to overcome a 12-hour time difference and organize the bread, time and precise location. Naude found a suitable public spot on his side of the world only a few hundred meters from his location, while Sierra had to travel 11 km (6.8 miles).

Naude used a laser cutter to burn an "Earth sandwich" design onto 20 slices of white bread, which he used to mark his exact sandwich spot in New Zealand. Meanwhile, Sierra used nine unmarked slices to cover the exact spot. The composite picture, which showed both men, their bread and their coordinates, was then shared on Reddit with the caption: "We made an earth sandwich! (bread on exact opposite points of the globe, facing the same way at the same time and the same kind of bread)"

The scientific term for points opposite each other on the Earth’s surface is antipodes, which sometimes is used to describe New Zealand, as it is roughly opposite the UK. According to World Atlas, only around 15% of "territorial land" is antipodal to another land. The UK, Australia and most of the US do not have antipodal land points, meaning the other side of the world is water. World Atlas also states that the two largest antipodal areas inhabited by humankind are located in East Asia and South America.

The "Earth sandwich" project was created to show how people can work together across the globe. Sierra said that he felt he was making something bigger than himself. The collaboration between the two men demonstrates how technology and online communication can bring people together to create something fun and unique. The project also highlights the importance of precision and coordination in creating a project like this. Overall, the "Earth sandwich" project shows how people can work together to create something larger than themselves. Moreover, the project is a unique way to bring people together and create something fun and memorable.