xkcd #3249: Neutrino Project
Title text:
We definitely put the pool in a mine for shielding. It was absolutely not to hide it from the funding people.
Transcript:
Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com
Source: https://xkcd.com/3249/
427
Comments12
not only a giant pool, but it's in a batcave and it looks like an album cover
That’s one of the nearest things humans have ever built.
Definitely a top 20.
The nearest thing humans ever built is My underpants. Followed closely by My socks.
I have to assume they meant neatest, which interesting enough your underwear and socks are still #1 and #2
I did, I even proof read it and missed it
False, those are actually quite far away from me as I can not even see you.
One of my favorite things about tech stuff is lights.
What I mean is, those lights, and most lights, only serve a human purpose, but some lights are for a non-human reason (like for plants or testing conditions), and its fun (to me) to disentangle which is which.
In this case they almost certainly cause active problems for the ultra-sensitive neutrino detectors, and they have to scrap the data from whenever they are turned on. In some cases they inhibit growth of the target organism (good or bad). In others, like lights in brewery brite tanks, they don't matter or are for cleaning purposes.
I enjoy asking about the lights, whenever I get a chance. Its always a question that gets a “huh, never thought about that, actually”, but I just find the human need element fascinating, because it dramatically impacts the whole machine. I wonder what we’d know if visible light wasn't our primary sense.
Good gosh, did you just win the Innernet for today. oO
I especially liked the part where they designed the sensors inside domes, so they could handle the pressure without any issue. But then when one imploded it caused a cascade failure that destroyed a huge part of the thing. It left the whole thing crippled for years as they struggled on with just a small part of the sensors (which they redistributed and beefed up a bit). Luckily a few years later it got a full upgrade and rebuild, so it was back to 100% again.
Okay.
Almost every one of my unattached atomic particles (or waves?) is way above my pay-grade, here, but if you're interested in explaining, I'll try to do my dumbass version of listening?
(I mean, so many causes and issues mentioned there, just incredible)
https://youtu.be/YoBFjD5tn_E
Alexander the okay probably does a way better job than any comment could. If you have 20 minutes to spare...
Top of my watch-list, thank you!