Are there more wheels or doors in the world—and how did the debate start?

A New Zealand man's Tweet asking whether there are more doors or wheels in the world has caused online hysteria, leaving thousands of people divided on the surprisingly contentious issue. 

Ryan Nixon unintentionally set the Internet into a frenzy last week after posting a poll on his personal Twitter, in the hope of settling an innocent dispute between him and his friends. 

"My mates and I are having the STUPIDEST debate... And I am here for it. Do you think there are more doors or wheels in the world?" the sports manager asked his followers on 5 March.  

The numerical question has since received over 225,000 votes, as well as nearly two thousand replies from folks across the globe. As of today, March 9, it appears that the majority of people (at least on Twitter) believe that there are more wheels on Earth, with 53% of respondents backing the circular object over its flat competitor.

The question has unleashed a fiery debate online, splitting thousands of people into one of the two categories—Team Wheels or Team Doors. It also appears to have had a domino effect, sending scores of truth-seekers on a mission to quantify some of the most miscellaneous things on the planet. (Case in point—people are even turning to Google to ask how many advent calendars are sold a year.) 

Proponents of the 'wheels' answer have put forward a variety of arguments, with some claiming that the small wheels on everyday objects such as office chairs, suitcases, and toy cars are likely to give it the edge over doors. Others have highlighted that many wheels aren't even visible, such as those used in drawers to achieve a push-pull function. 

People who voted for 'doors', however, also have some solid logic to justify their verdict. Many have used their own homes as a point of reference, noting that the amount of doors in their apartments and houses greatly exceeds the number of wheels. Others have pointed to the fact that doors aren't limited to room entrances, but are also present on cupboards, lockers, and vehicles.

So, are there more wheels or doors in the world? 

While the Internet is currently 'Team Wheels', there's no way to determine for sure if there are more wheels or doors in the world. Finding an answer would literally require a person to count every single door and wheel on the planet—a tedious job that, thankfully, doesn't seem possible just yet.