Go from any two places on Earth in 42 minutes

Hypothetically, if there was a way to travel through the Earth to other parts of the world, the effect of gravity on our traveling speed would allow us to get from one place to the other in exactly 42 minutes. [via]

It wouldn’t matter where you are going or how far the physical land distance between the two points is, the fact remains that it would take you 42 minutes to get there. Also, the Earth’s gravity would prevent you from being shot straight into space, in case you were wondering. Nice, eh?