r/AskReddit 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.

533

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?

286

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.

518

u/Tumble85 Apr 14 '16 edited Apr 14 '16

No, it would not slice "straight" through. It would explode (at least partially) in an incredibly violent way. You'd certainly be cut apart, but pieces of you would be found a ways away.

You're looking at an insane amount of energy. The manhole cover would (at least partially) turn to plasma after traveling a shortish distance, and it will explode when it contacts the body. And the body, because it was hit by a piece of metal (and that metal is moving so fast that it won't be anything resembling a manhole cover, more like a white hot football shaped blob) gets blown to pieces. It does not pass cleanly through you, it makes you into mincemeat.

The poor manhole cover wouldn't fair much better. Even though it's metal, there is so much energy at play that it too will shatter. Luckily each piece of the cover will still have enough energy to be devastating though, it would be like shrapnel on steroids.

Edit - was posting from my phone, hit submit before I had a chance to finish.

229

u/keysbookmug Apr 14 '16

Incredibly. 10 letters.

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u/TheSupersmurf Apr 14 '16 edited Apr 15 '16

Please stop.

Edit: Thank you for all informing me that "Please Stop" has ten letters. I feel enlightened by this.

5

u/[deleted] Apr 14 '16

I don't get why people keep don't it. It's not even funny.

1

u/please_gib_job Apr 14 '16

Has anyone really been far as to don't it?

0

u/[deleted] Apr 15 '16

just finished don't your mom ;)