The Hyperloop: BUSTED!
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN repeatedly cites it as the best skeptical engineering analysis of why Hyperloop is impractical.
What it is
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.
Recommended by 7 HN commenters across 6 different months, 2016 to 2023.
What Hacker News said
Strong rec computerex · 2016-08 · on “How Hyperloop One Went Off the Rails”
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] [this video]
Strong rec Red_Tarsius · 2018-01 · on “Hyperloop costs and challenges undermine pinned hopes”
British scientist Philip E. Mason ( thunderfoot ) made several skeptical videos on Hyperloop. [this video] I highly recommend his whole Busted! series.
Recommends imaginenore · 2016-10 · on “Hyperloop One Raises $50M, Hires Former Uber CFO”
I'm happy for them, but I'm yet to hear for anybody to address the major challenges that many people have raised. The major one being - the sudden pressurization in any point and the consequent shockwave traveling at the speed of sound, exploding the tube, killing everything in its way. Thunderf00t did a good job summarizing the problems: [this video]
Recommends stcredzero · 2016-10 · on “Hyperloop One Raises $50M, Hires Former Uber CFO”
I think this needs to be brought to more people's attention, so I'm putting this in a top level comment: Thunderf00t's video: [this video] Debunked: [LINK] Also debunked: [LINK]
Recommends problems · 2016-10 · on “Hyperloop Freight is a Joke”
The best legitimate criticisms I've seen are here: [this video] Basically expansion and contraction as well as just plain vulnerability of running a vacuum make it extremely difficult to do practically. The phrase he uses, "all the problems of space travel except in a gun barrel" is a pretty accurate description of the issue. Any loss of vacuum will almost guarantee loss of life. No realistic demo has been done even on a small scale as of yet.
Recommends Randgalt · 2016-11 · on “Hyperloop may become reality in Dubai”
The tone and sarcasm of this video aside, the guy makes strong arguments that the Hyperloop cannot work technically. Worth watching as he makes good arguments. [this video] edit: actually it can work technically, but it's not practical at all
Recommends imaginenore · 2017-01 · on “SpaceX is livestreaming a hyperloop pod competition”
If you haven't seen the technical criticisms of Hyperloop, Thunderf00t has an interesting video: [this video] I haven't seen most of the issues he raises addressed.
Recommends LaikaF · 2017-10 · on “Hyperloop One Becomes ‘Virgin Hyperloop One’”
Thunderf00t has a good video on the problems with it. [this video] He has some other good videos (solar roadways) but tends to spend to much time bashing creationists.