The word antipodes etymologically comes from the Greek antipodes, which is formed with the prefix anti which means against or opposite and the term pus which is equivalent to foot. The word antipodes is used to express the opposite place to another on the globe, that is, the two extremes geographically opposite
Antipodes and Map tunneling tool
If a straight line is drawn from Argentina to its antipodes the line would end somewhere in China and the same would happen between New Zealand and Spain or Brazil and the Philippines. In the case of Spain there is a geographical curiosity, since the Antipode Islands archipelago is precisely at the opposite of the geographical situation of Spain.
From the geographical perspective, the antipodes are territories located in diametrically opposite places, which means that their geographical longitudes have a difference of 180 degrees.
In addition to the antipodes, there are other opposing geographical positions: the periecos and the antecos
The first are points located in the same parallel but within its two extremes and the second are those points that are on the same meridian but in different hemispheres.
It should be noted that the mathematical-geographical exercise in which two opposite enclaves of the planet are joined can be carried out with exactitude through an internet tool, Map tunneling tool. This tool allows you to accurately establish the antipodes of any place in the world, but we must not forget that in most cases there are very few places that have their antipode, since most of the Earth is covered by oceans.
Other uses of the term antipodes
If two people who know each other live in very remote places, it is possible that one of them comments that "we live in the antipodes". In this case the term is not used in a strict sense but is a way of indicating remoteness.
When two people defend opposing and totally irreconcilable positions, it is said that they are at the opposite end. This colloquial expression of figurative language is a way of underlining the opposition between two people or between two opposing views. In this sense, there are many examples of concepts or approaches that are in the antipodes: pacifism and warmongering, atheism and theism, science and superstition or love and hate.
Despite this, two people or positions that are in the antipodes can find meeting points through dialogue and good will.
Photos: iStock - Voyagerix / selimaksan
