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On Earth, this means that everyone is, in a sense, always “at the top” because the planet curves away from every point outward into space. For residents in Australia, they are “at the bottom” only relative to a map drawn with North at the top—an arbitrary choice. To them, Earth is “curving away” in all directions, making their position appear “on top” regardless of conventional maps.
Gravity and Orientation: The Science Behind Perception
Gravity plays a crucial role in our sense of “up” and “down.” It pulls everything toward Earth's center, defining the inward direction as “down” for all observers. Conversely, “up” becomes the direction away from gravity’s pull, which varies based on where you stand.