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The Hyperloop: BUSTED!

Thunderf00t · 2M views · 2016-07-24 · 28:39

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Overview

Thunderf00t, a physicist, critically assesses the Hyperloop concept, covering the vacuum, pressure, safety, and cost problems of high-speed tube travel. He argues the media accepted the claims uncritically.

On Hacker News

HN repeatedly cites it as the best skeptical engineering analysis of why Hyperloop is impractical.

Recommended by 7 HN people across 6 months · HN mentions 2016–2023

Topics

Transit, cities & urban planningMechanical & precision engineering
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hyperloopvacuum trainsengineering critiquethunderf00ttransportation

What people said

Red_Tarsius · 2018-01 · Strong recommendation

British scientist Philip E. Mason ( thunderfoot ) made several skeptical videos on Hyperloop. [VIDEO] I highly recommend his whole Busted! series.

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computerex · 2016-08 · Strong recommendation

Thunderf00t isn't just some average Joe on the street. The guy has a PhD in chemistry and has dedicated a decade to educate the world at large about matters of science and intellectualism. The world would be a better place if we had more Thunderf00ts on YouTube. His videos on the hyperloop are pretty comprehensive and succinct about their reasoning. Why not watch them instead of mindlessly repeating the same strawman argument that every other Elon Musk fanboy/fangirl left on his videos? [LINK] [VIDEO]

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LaikaF · 2017-10 · Recommendation

Thunderf00t has a good video on the problems with it. [VIDEO] He has some other good videos (solar roadways) but tends to spend to much time bashing creationists.

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Sources

Video by Thunderf00t, played through YouTube.

Data and selection notes

HN summaries and labels may contain AI errors. HN dates refer to discussions, not video publication.

HN Library: HackerTube export (2026-10-31) and open-index/hacker-news. Upstream summaries and classifications may contain AI errors.

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