We have recently been forced to come into contact with a new word: Trillion.
The new math had better prepare itself. It’s easy to spell. Just replace the “M” or the “B” with a “TR.” But do we really know what it means? A trillion is a thousand billion. Not that many of us know the vastness of a billion unless we are the offspring of some Washington politician.
We measure distance in miles. One trillion miles would mean three and one-half million trips to the moon. We measure length in inches. One trillion inches would be roughly the equivalent of 2,000 coast-to-coast trips by car or bus. We measure time in seconds. One trillion seconds would be a time period of more than 30,000 years.
None of this is fathomable, but we face it daily. What is happening to the wonderful way of life that we have enjoyed for so many years? How many generations will it be before our grandchildren (or children) face the next step in our evolution — Quadrillion?
Dick Wanzer
Peachtree City, Ga.
