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In Physics / High School | 2014-07-28

Is it possible to fly from Norway to the USA across the North Pole?

Asked by mgnat

Answer (2)

Sure. The Earth is a sphere (ball-shaped), so you can follow practically any route you want from one place to another. You could even fly from New York to Chicago by way of the north pole.
If you want to draw a smooth curve from Oslo through the north pole to a point in the USA, that's perfectly possible. But it's not the shortest way to travel between those two points.

Answered by AL2006 | 2024-06-10

It is indeed possible to fly from Norway to the USA across the North Pole, as the Earth’s spherical shape allows for various flight paths. Airlines often select routes based on factors like efficiency and weather, which may not always include this path. Historically, some commercial flights have successfully crossed the Arctic region.
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Answered by AL2006 | 2025-06-12