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CERN levels up with new superconducting karts

365 points by fnands 14 hours ago | 80 comments

NewLogic 7 hours ago

Takes me back to the week we all thought room temperature super conductors might be a solved problem.

Bratmon 6 hours ago

That served a useful purpose- it let you objectively identify how gullible everyone you know is.

chime 4 hours ago

There was more than enough skepticism and cautious optimism too. While it sounded too soon to be real, it wasn't unlike carbon nanotubes, graphene, or solid state batteries — previously unachievable material-tech getting validation in the lab, with a 20yr pipeline for global production. With even nuclear fusion being achieved in very specific / limited instances in the last decade, it's not inconceivable to hope that maybe RTSC are just around the corner.

fragmede 6 hours ago

It also served the purpose of finding out who the cynical Debbie Downers who have no hope are as well!

Sharlin 5 hours ago

How?

Bratmon 5 hours ago

If your hope for the future is based on believing the most obviously-impossible technological claim in the world, you're way more cynical than I am.

ppsreejith 5 hours ago

Why are room temperature superconductors an 'obviously-impossible' technological claim?

Asking since we've managed to increase superconductor temperature several times in the past, right? (to ~ -130 degrees celsius right now IIRC). Why is our current temperature of, say ~30 degrees celsius special?

idiotsecant 4 hours ago

Its not at all clear that room temperature superconductors are impossible, it's a materials problem. If someone was to find one that is probably how they would do it - testing materials for some other property and finding it accidentally.

ChrisClark 2 hours ago

Oh god, wow. It's obviously impossible? Please please please write a paper on that, you can save so much scientist time!

Akuehne 10 hours ago

This got me. Thought it was real, busted out laughing when I read the project leads name. It still didn't click.

throw101010 10 hours ago

Small clue here too, maybe more subtle:

> explained school director, Rosalina Pfirsich, looking up from her storybook

Pfirsich in German means Peach, as in Princess Peach :D

adrian_b 8 hours ago

Also "project leader Mario Idraulico" (i.e. "hydraulic" in Italian) or "Safety coordinator Luigi Fratello" ("Brother Luigi").

dasyatidprime 3 hours ago

The noun “idraulico” also means “plumber”.

TeMPOraL 6 hours ago

Also the schoolteacher Yoshi Kyouryuu which apparently is the dinosaur.

rmast 6 hours ago

They’ve also got:

> schoolteacher Yoshi Kyouryuu, mid-way through painting spots on eggs

darth_aardvark 5 hours ago

You somehow identified the last possible, most obscure clue. Mario, Luigi, Rosalina, and Yoshi show up before that.

hapidjus 9 hours ago

There is also ”project leader Mario Idraulico”

charltones 7 hours ago

Also the hat and mustache of the kart driver.

marricks 8 hours ago

Someone was saying "can we just not with April fools" this year because everything is so grim and dire in the world... but I think this is such a perfect level we need. I could go for more whimsy like this.

Pixelbrick 7 hours ago

I'd of said I had limited appetite for April fools gubbins this year too but this still made me smile :)

moron4hire 4 hours ago

This one was good. It was pretty low-stakes and not anything that would impact anyone. For a while there, companies like Google were announcing products that sounded like a good idea, but turned out were just them trolling everyone over things people had been requesting for a long time.

marricks 3 hours ago

Their heyday of good jokes was also when they hadn't produced any ads and seemed like an underdog. "Don't Be Evil" days.

Vibe-wise they all feel closer to Raytheon and I sure as fuck wouldn't want to see an attempt at a whimsical joke from Raytheon.

shdudns 10 hours ago

Man I fell for it until I saw your post. In fact, I was just about to post what the man's name means in Italian.

I was even going to point out how ironic it is that the mans first name and last name fit together so well.

In my defense I only got as far as idraulico and missed the "Mamma mia, they're super!"

newsclues 9 hours ago

I read the title and thought CERN + Mario Kart and am giggling.

riffraff 10 hours ago

ah! got me too!

shevy-java 10 hours ago

For me it was easier. While I forgot it was first april, the image was too outrageous. Looked like AI-generated slop.

They may have had more success with another image. AI slop made us lazy.

riffraff 10 hours ago

IMO a made up "artist conception" picture on an article like this would have been perfectly appropriate, we've seen worse (think of the whole NEOM thingy).

cern 11 hours ago

CERN Research Facility, Geneva. Subject: Gordon Freeman, Male, Age 27

fnands 10 hours ago

Gérard Hommelibre?

Bonjour, and bienvenue to the Black Mesa - pardon, la Mesa Noire - Établissement de Recherche. Please keep your hands inside le tramway at all times, and do try not to provoquer une cascade de résonance. Merci.

leoc 4 hours ago

Tired: particle accelerator which crosses the border between France and Switzerland.

Wired: particle accelerator which crosses the border between Quebec and Ontario.

fragmede 4 hours ago

Wireless: Quartks crossing between France and Ontario

PunchyHamster 12 hours ago

We need followup post exactly 365 days later describing first karting accident inside CERN

tom-blk 11 hours ago

Exactly

earthnail 42 minutes ago

Mario Idraulico says „mamma mia, they’re super”. Gosh I love April.

ourmandave 9 hours ago

I would pay stupid money for a CERN Tunnel Rainbow Road track DLC.

rmast 6 hours ago

How about for a real life Rainbow Road made by the Quantum Mushroom startup? I think that might be the aerospace applications reference in the article:

> CERN’s Knowledge Transfer Group has begun discussions with European startup company Quantum Mushroom to explore aerospace applications and powering for next-generation anti-gravity vehicles.

pugworthy 4 hours ago

I'd be cautious of residual Higgs Booson particles in the tunnels. They can cause unexpected phase shifts if encountered, which may expose the driver to unexpected hazards.

lapetitejort 4 hours ago

The observer effect prevents Booson particles from traveling towards the observer

gnarlouse 13 hours ago

Happy April Fools Day!

pjmlp 12 hours ago

As Alumni, the tables outside R1 are prime for getting ideas, with some help from fermented barley, especially after work during Summertime.

fnands 13 hours ago

I always look forward to CERN's April fools jokes!

lloydatkinson 12 hours ago

[flagged]

hidroto 11 hours ago

This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the other three hundred and sixty-four.

-- Mark Twain, "Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar"

junon 11 hours ago

How dare people have fun.

ecshafer 7 hours ago

This is an old internet tradition. I am disappointed so few organizations are doing a good april fools day post nowadays.

MisterTea 9 hours ago

You must be a real hoot at parties.

stego-tech 8 hours ago

Ah, the stages of a good April Fool's nerd joke:

1, Reading the Headline on HN) "Man, this is probably going to be something more practical, but I wish they were superconducting go-karts or golf-carts to get around the facility in."

2, Reading the article) "...okay, I was right? Kinda? Huh. Something feels off. Wait a-"

3, Remembering the Date) "FUCK. OK, CERN got me. Good one. Still want a superconducting kart though."

rbanffy 12 hours ago

I really miss Think Geek :-(

jansan 12 hours ago

When they later actually sold the t-shirt they had previously presented as an April Fools joke? That was pretty cool.

taneq 11 hours ago

I still had a Timmy the Monkey sticker on the lid of my kitchen bin up until a couple of years ago.

the_af 5 hours ago

Mario Idraulico and Luigi Fratello overseeing this project? I hope the karts don't run into any stray kooparticles.

gluten_guardian 5 hours ago

Ofcourse the guy explaining the carts is called "Mario".

rippeltippel 10 hours ago

Right on time! "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" released today.

totalmarkdown 9 hours ago

[dead]

thomasgeelens 12 hours ago

oh my, I should really visit one day, I'm not even that far from CERN

fnands 10 hours ago

They do some good tours. They are first come/first serve, so show up in the morning for the best chance to get a place.

koolala 13 hours ago

high temperature super conductors my beloved

Noe2097 13 hours ago

> Each kart is turbo-boosted by 64 superconducting engines,” explains project leader Mario Idraulico

I guess we can now call you Mario 'Kart' Idraulico.

Oh wait.

Thank you CERN, that was a smart one.

coldsmoke 11 hours ago

Since I didn't get the name reference either, here is a link for those who want a hint: https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idraulico

fnands 11 hours ago

Nice, I didn't get it.

I just realized "Kyouryuu" is Japanese for dinosaur.

And Pfirsich is of course Peach.

nicman23 9 hours ago

if you reached c with such a cart - nevermind the heat from air friction, would you be able to breath from a rebreather?

moron4hire 4 hours ago

Really enjoyed the "karts and equipment will reach underground areas via giant green pipes" caption on the LHC tunnel diagram.

WhitneyLand 5 hours ago

Call me a killjoy I hate April fools jokes.

fnands 3 hours ago

Alright then: killjoy

nekusar 6 hours ago

They missed a perfect spot to mention something about "Gordon".

(Half-Life joke)

anthk 9 hours ago

As an homage, Supertuxkart might add a CERN-LHC inspired level with a wormhole as a secret path.

shevy-java 10 hours ago

It took me a while to notice the first april, but actually the image was too unbelievable. But if such karts were possible, I bet the guys at CERN would absolutely use it. And then post on youtube.

We know how things happen in "professional research".

aaron695 13 hours ago

[dead]

groundzeros2015 11 hours ago

Please bro. Just one more particle collider. This one will solve science. The last one wasn’t big enough. Please keep it in desirable real estate though.

taneq 11 hours ago

Each bigger one has in fact solved more of physics, after being built precisely because there was a good theoretical case for a higher energy collider being helpful.

groundzeros2015 10 hours ago

I’m ignorant. It’s a meme about their optics being terrible after steam ran out for 90s science optimism.

ahartmetz 10 hours ago

As somebody slightly better informed (physics degree, following popular science): It really isn't looking great for something that could be found at a small multiple of current energies, but not at current energies.

voidUpdate 13 hours ago

Is this an april fools joke? The title image looks so over-the-top that I really can't tell if it's a joke or not

kakacik 13 hours ago

No of course not, they have Mario guys running around in karts doing maintenance of hyper complex system with wrenches. No physics can resist Mario's wrench, thats how we move humanity forward

gostsamo 13 hours ago

There is a Luigi on the team as well. How it can't be true?

hawkjo 11 hours ago

And Yoshi. And Pfirsich, which is Peach in German

edwcross 12 hours ago

Fratello. Must be a bro.

tgsovlerkhgsel 13 hours ago

CTRL+F "safety and health"

rvnx 12 hours ago

Meh joke considering this was paid on public money.

Same as choosing to spend xxx,xxx USD to have .cern when using subdomains would have worked too (and caused less validation / compatibility issues).

fnands 12 hours ago

They got the intern to write a funny post. Probably took them an hour and it drums up a bit of good press for the Hi-Lumi LHC.

Money well spent if you ask me.

steve1977 12 hours ago

As a tax payer in one of the member states, I approve of this joke.

kryptiskt 10 hours ago

The Web is a side project of CERN, they should have gotten a comped top-level domain by rights.

mrguyorama 5 hours ago

This page cost taxpayers like 100 Euros maybe. How much money do you think scientists actually make? How much money and effort do you think it takes to post a blog article with a couple paragraphs of text and an image?