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A little clarity.

Sources & artwork credits

A useful comparison starts with an honest measurement. A useful image keeps its credits and limitations close by.

Last updated: 7 September 2026

Measurements have a context

Check the measurement label for each subject. A building may include its antenna or pedestal; an animal’s height depends on pose; a fictional character may change between films or continuities. An estimated value is an assumption, not a confirmed fact. Changing a height creates your own comparison value.

Terrain data and elevation references

Most mountain sections use Copernicus GLO-30 surface data in the EGM2008 vertical datum. Selected sections use USGS, South Tyrol or Rio terrain data, and Olympus Mons uses Mars MOLA data. Each subject identifies its dataset and vertical datum. The scene shows the highest sample within the documented boundary. Surface models can include structures, vegetation and snow; narrow summits can be substantially lower than a published survey. Published summit values remain separate references with no unverified datum conversion.

Terrain uses equal horizontal and vertical scales, a horizontal orthographic camera in the direction named on each reference, and neutral illustrative lighting. Lower and surrounding terrain is omitted. Local relief subtracts the lowest sampled point in that section, not an assumed universal mountain base or prominence. Coordinates, boundaries and data sources accompany each reference and its downloadable notes.

produced using Copernicus WorldDEM-30 © DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018 provided under COPERNICUS by the European Union and ESA; all rights reserved

Copernicus DEM dataset and attribution

Current illustration provenance

The initial eight subject cutouts were generated for this project using an AI image-generation tool, then isolated, trimmed, and optimized for the web. They are interpretive illustrations, not licensed official character renders or verified physical outlines. Generation records are maintained in the project’s artwork documentation.

Higher-resolution replacements and detail images follow the same illustration process. Sharper rendering improves readability; it does not certify a subject’s proportions, create an official likeness, or establish permission from third-party rights holders.

Athlete and celebrity portraits are labeled “Illustrated likeness.” Reference photographs guide recognizable features, while the stated stature comes from the separate measurement source. Clothing, footwear, facial detail and body proportions remain interpretive.

Some vehicles use original technical illustrations or renders of NASA outreach models. Eurostar uses WestRail642fan’s illustration under CC BY-SA 4.0. The individual entries above identify these sources, their licenses and any file changes; downloaded comparisons retain the applicable credit.

The Godzilla and Vhagar depictions are inspired by fictional subjects. No permission from a franchise rights holder is asserted. Generating an image does not establish that all rights in a depicted character, building, or likeness have been cleared, or that the output is eligible for copyright protection.

The generic human is an illustrative reference, not an identified person. The dinosaur is a reconstruction; its appearance and posture are not a direct fossil measurement. Do not infer a subject’s proportions, anatomy, or appearance solely from these illustrations.

Reusing a comparison

My terms of use grant free educational, research, and social sharing permission for the rights I hold. Keep the whatstaller.com credit, measurement context, and any asset-specific credits with your work. For an assignment, also cite the measurement’s original source and the date you accessed it.

Use “Download source notes” in the sharing panel to keep a text record of your scene’s measurements, assumptions, and references alongside the image. These notes help preserve context; they are not a certification of the measurements or a third-party artwork license.

Read the comparison guide for practical examples of measurement definitions, fictional estimates, and citing a shared scene.

Individual facts and public-domain works do not become my exclusive property because I display them. Third-party licenses apply independently. I cannot grant you a franchise’s character rights or a person’s publicity rights, and an educational purpose alone does not resolve every copyright issue.

Typeface and interface icons

The interface uses Manrope, licensed under the SIL Open Font License, and Phosphor Icons for React, distributed under the MIT license. Their own licenses remain in force; the site’s code restrictions do not override them.

Corrections and rights concerns

Found a wrong measurement, a missing source, or a rights issue? Please identify the subject, provide the relevant source or rights information, and include a way to reply. Contact: [email protected] or the contact page.