Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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I like this idea, only I think it should be run by the government.

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Nukem's Cradle

piece of public art
  (+5, -1)
(+5, -1)
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Nukem's Cradle is a scaled up replica of its namesake ie Newton's Cradle, except instead of the hanging spheres, this one has replica nuclear bombs of the Fat-man variety suspended in the exact same manner. (side by side, of course)

With sufficient effort, these can be swung into each other, but this requires the combined effort of a large group of people.

xenzag, Sep 18 2011

http://digitaljourn...Bomb_US__FatMan.jpg Fat-man [xenzag, Sep 18 2011]

Nuclear Waste Ornaments Nuclear_20Waste_20Ornaments
Put some of these near it and watch the pretty flashes! [Wrongfellow, Sep 21 2011]

Upcoming Mythbusters episode http://dsc.discover...deo/#mkcpgn=fbdsc17
They aren't using nukes, but they're scaling it up. [DIYMatt, Sep 28 2011]

[link]






       That is so sweet -- I'm getting misty eyed...
Grogster, Sep 18 2011
  

       Better if the weights were spheres of plutonium, sized to reach critical mass when all of them were in contact with each other. As long as the weights were swinging, the device would reach criticality only transiently, on each "click." Like the Dragon's Tail experiment.   

       (You might have to sheath the weights in something more elastic, and less deformable than plutonium, of course.)   

       Edit: Drat. s/plutonium/uranium/
mouseposture, Sep 18 2011
  

       // Like the Dragon's Tail experiment //   

       Or rather, not. The "Dragon's Tail" and the subsequent "Godiva" pulse reactors use uranium. Plutonium won't go supercritical without an implosion.   

       // something more elastic, and less deformable than plutonium //   

       Chromium plating is the usual coating, to stop oxidation, dusting, and shield the alphas. It's not that deformable; it's actually quite hard and brittle.   

       // replica nuclear bombs //   

       Working replicas ?   

       Not the sort of public art that's going to go down well in, for example, Nagasaki.
8th of 7, Sep 18 2011
  

       Perhaps putting a nice outer coating of TNT around the plutonium spheres might make the display a tad more lively?
Grogster, Sep 18 2011
  

       //Not the sort of public art that's going to go down well in, for example, Nagasaki.//   

       //go down well//   

       Interesting choice of words..,
daseva, Sep 19 2011
  

       //Better if the weights were spheres of plutonium, sized to reach critical mass when all of them were in contact with each other// Yes, this! I want one on my desk.
DIYMatt, Sep 21 2011
  

       //Perhaps putting a nice outer coating of TNT around the plutonium spheres might make the display a tad more lively?//   

       No, TNT is quite insensitive to shock; perhaps an impact sensitive squib could be incorporated between the balls wrapped in their TNT cases.
TomP, Sep 21 2011
  

       TNT cases would need to consist of two layers, an outer layer wth a slower rate of propogation and an inner layer with a faster rate. It is only by careful shaping of these layers that the required symmetrical compression of the active content is achieved. Only the first one would work. The pressure wave from it would cause such distortion of the others as to prevent them from detonating properly.   

       Perhaps the whole arrangement could be continuously driven, but prevented from detonating by the introduction of a suitable damper at each interface. I suggest a suitably obese lawyer or banker. It would be up to the world in general to maintain a supply of 'dampers'.
Twizz, Sep 21 2011
  

       You want Nitroglycerine gel, not TNT.
goff, Sep 22 2011
  

       [+] I'd love to see it, if it would work. Unfortunately, I can't think of any material that would be able to take the punishment for very long. Even solid titanium or tungsten full-scale Fat Man replicas would crack after the first few impacts.
Alterother, Sep 22 2011
  

       [AO] Watching the thing fall apart would be part of the Art.   

       Horrible rusty old -- vaguely threatening -- machinery banging violently around and falling to bits. A combination of Anselm Kiefer with Demolition Derby. Oooo lovely. If I were rich, I would commission this.
mouseposture, Sep 23 2011
  

       I like it. Installation art should always make a statement. If it doesn't it's just carefully-arranged garbage.
Alterother, Sep 24 2011
  

       Carefully arranged garbage can be quite interesting. (see link)
xenzag, Sep 24 2011
  

       Again, it makes a statement. Granted, that statement is "stay behind leaded-glass viewing shield at all times," but it's still relevant and thought-provoking.
Alterother, Sep 24 2011
  

       According to Marcel Duchamp (no relation to [rmutt]) carefully arranged garbage *is* art. It's the "arranged" that makes the difference. YVMMY. YMMV.
mouseposture, Sep 24 2011
  

       It's really all in the eye of the beholder, which only goes to show that there are as many beholders with cataracts as there are dumpster-divers who fancy themselves artists.
Alterother, Sep 24 2011
  

       In fact, judging by the illustrations in the _Monster Manual_, the number of bad artists greatly exceeds the number of beholders with cataracts.
mouseposture, Sep 24 2011
  

       I knew it was only a matter of time before somebody made a D&D joke.
Alterother, Sep 24 2011
  
      
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