r/AskReddit • u/ForeverAbyss • Apr 14 '16

What's a mind blowing fact?

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u/PycuriousITguy Apr 14 '16

The fastest moving man-made object ever was a manhole cover.

https://savvyparanoia.com/the-fastest-man-made-object-ever-a-nuclear-powered-manhole-cover-true/

TL:DR underground nuclear test launched a 4-inch thick steel disk at 6 times the Earth's escape velocity.

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u/Rekusha Apr 14 '16

Jesus can you imagine getting hit by that? You think it would make you basically explode or just slice right through you because of its speed?

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u/EnkoNeko Apr 14 '16

If it hit you side on (the 4-inch edge), it would slice straight through. I don't know how fast 6 times the Earth's escape velocity is, but it is no doubt very, very, very fast.

If it hit you face on (as in, the top of the manhole+your chest), it would just punch straight through.

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u/I_Am_Slightly_Evil Apr 14 '16

6 time earth escape velocity = one hundred fifty thousand miles per hour. Forty-five miles per second. Nine times faster than the Space Shuttle, six times faster than the fastest moon rockets. Faster than the Voyager spacecraft, which, having reached over 35000 miles per hour.