4 ms·

The true story behind the Toronto mystery tunnel (2015)

77 points by mhb 8mo ago

tim-tday 8mo ago
This is not uncommon. There have been dozens of reports of people who just dig because they find it peaceful and comforting. It’s probably beneficial behavioral survival mechanism. As humans we like to think we’re immune to natural or inherited instincts, but that’s probably not true. If we slow down and listen we would probably hear a lot more of them. Having a member of your tribe who likes to spend their free time digging tunnels turns out to be a beneficial survival trait in a lot of unexpected but lethal eventualities.
- vizzier 8mo ago
  I feel like it would be remiss not to mention there are some people who go ahead and broadcast this instinct: https://www.instagram.com/engineerkala/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/engineerkala/?hl=en
- WalterGR 8mo ago
  Hobby tunneling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_tunneling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_tunneling 13 comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36885802 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36885802 6 comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28257515 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28257515 Also https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39245893 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39245893 - The underground world of hobby tunneling (bloomberg.com) 272 points by robinhouston on Feb 3, 2024 | 164 comments
- Aurornis 8mo ago
  > As humans we like to think we’re immune to natural or inherited instincts, but that’s probably not true. I more often hear people claim the opposite: That their genes or instincts are driving their behavior. For example, with over eating because eating all available food was a survival instinct in the past.
  - morkalork 8mo ago
    Hoarder tenancies and familial history of poverty is another. Epigenetics is wild
    - Aurornis 8mo ago
      Epigenetic inheritance of traits like that in humans is very much on the theoretical side of the spectrum right now. However plain old genetic inheritance can and does influence behavioral traits. As does learned behaviors passed down from parent to child through child raising.
- mojomark 8mo ago
  Ha, so true. I'm a total scavenger. I always scan the ground closely when I'm walking. Oddly, for whatever reason, I'm either just looking for interesting things or specifically for diamonds. I've found 3 diamonds in my life just laying on the ground - only one of which was real:P It is a rush though. I could totally see myself metal detecting.
  - Loughla 8mo ago
    Metal detecting is awesome. You'll find all kinds of cool stuff in my experience. Everything from small screws and nails to larger screws and nails. Or even bolts. It's like the options of things I find are limitless (as long as limitless is roughly 3 things).
    - b112 8mo ago
      You should make metal detecting soles for your shoes.
  - OptionOfT 8mo ago
    Me too. I'm always in the lookout for ... stuff. Last thing I spotted was a rattlesnake. Which I did not pick up. I always scan patterns.
- entangledqubit 8mo ago
  Amusingly, I recently learned that Seymour Cray was a hobby tunneler. https://web.archive.org/web/20080521163217/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,967095,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20080521163217/http://www.time.c...
  - djmips 8mo ago
    That's a fantastic tie-in. Wow!
- mcphage 8mo ago
  Maybe we do yearn for the mines after all…
JKCalhoun 8mo ago
Got The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle vibes from the story.
throw_a_grenade 8mo ago
(2015)
paulhart 8mo ago
The follow-up article is lovely too: https://macleans.ca/news/canada/passing-the-headlamp-the-toronto-tunneller-finds-a-kindred-spirit/ https://macleans.ca/news/canada/passing-the-headlamp-the-tor... And this one later in 2015 that speaks to his use of the fundraiser money: https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/york-u-s-mystery-tunnel-builder-digs-into-a-new-project/article_b987c924-de00-59ed-931f-a1a3b85d01ec.html https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/york-u-s-mystery-tunnel...
deleted 8mo ago
[deleted]
brunoTbear 8mo ago
Mentioned in passing in a recent Practical Engineering video on tunnels. https://youtu.be/Ssw5bdx1HKw?si=DfOLWszK4erDPe3n https://youtu.be/Ssw5bdx1HKw?si=DfOLWszK4erDPe3n
tetris11 8mo ago
There really is something to owning a patch of land that no one can tell you not to dig on. I hope he becomes a landowner some day
deleted 8mo ago
[deleted]

77 points by mhb 8mo ago

This is not uncommon. There have been dozens of reports of people who just dig because they find it peaceful and comforting. It’s probably beneficial behavioral survival mechanism. As humans we like to think we’re immune to natural or inherited instincts, but that’s probably not true. If we slow down and listen we would probably hear a lot more of them. Having a member of your tribe who likes to spend their free time digging tunnels turns out to be a beneficial survival trait in a lot of unexpected but lethal eventualities.

vizzier 8mo ago
I feel like it would be remiss not to mention there are some people who go ahead and broadcast this instinct: https://www.instagram.com/engineerkala/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/engineerkala/?hl=en
WalterGR 8mo ago
Hobby tunneling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_tunneling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_tunneling 13 comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36885802 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36885802 6 comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28257515 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28257515 Also https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39245893 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39245893 - The underground world of hobby tunneling (bloomberg.com) 272 points by robinhouston on Feb 3, 2024 | 164 comments
Aurornis 8mo ago
> As humans we like to think we’re immune to natural or inherited instincts, but that’s probably not true. I more often hear people claim the opposite: That their genes or instincts are driving their behavior. For example, with over eating because eating all available food was a survival instinct in the past.
- morkalork 8mo ago
  Hoarder tenancies and familial history of poverty is another. Epigenetics is wild
  - Aurornis 8mo ago
    Epigenetic inheritance of traits like that in humans is very much on the theoretical side of the spectrum right now. However plain old genetic inheritance can and does influence behavioral traits. As does learned behaviors passed down from parent to child through child raising.
mojomark 8mo ago
Ha, so true. I'm a total scavenger. I always scan the ground closely when I'm walking. Oddly, for whatever reason, I'm either just looking for interesting things or specifically for diamonds. I've found 3 diamonds in my life just laying on the ground - only one of which was real:P It is a rush though. I could totally see myself metal detecting.
- Loughla 8mo ago
  Metal detecting is awesome. You'll find all kinds of cool stuff in my experience. Everything from small screws and nails to larger screws and nails. Or even bolts. It's like the options of things I find are limitless (as long as limitless is roughly 3 things).
  - b112 8mo ago
    You should make metal detecting soles for your shoes.
- OptionOfT 8mo ago
  Me too. I'm always in the lookout for ... stuff. Last thing I spotted was a rattlesnake. Which I did not pick up. I always scan patterns.
entangledqubit 8mo ago
Amusingly, I recently learned that Seymour Cray was a hobby tunneler. https://web.archive.org/web/20080521163217/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,967095,00.html https://web.archive.org/web/20080521163217/http://www.time.c...
- djmips 8mo ago
  That's a fantastic tie-in. Wow!
mcphage 8mo ago
Maybe we do yearn for the mines after all…

JKCalhoun 8mo ago

Got The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle vibes from the story.

throw_a_grenade 8mo ago

(2015)

paulhart 8mo ago

The follow-up article is lovely too: https://macleans.ca/news/canada/passing-the-headlamp-the-toronto-tunneller-finds-a-kindred-spirit/ https://macleans.ca/news/canada/passing-the-headlamp-the-tor... And this one later in 2015 that speaks to his use of the fundraiser money: https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/york-u-s-mystery-tunnel-builder-digs-into-a-new-project/article_b987c924-de00-59ed-931f-a1a3b85d01ec.html https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/york-u-s-mystery-tunnel...

deleted 8mo ago

[deleted]

brunoTbear 8mo ago

Mentioned in passing in a recent Practical Engineering video on tunnels. https://youtu.be/Ssw5bdx1HKw?si=DfOLWszK4erDPe3n https://youtu.be/Ssw5bdx1HKw?si=DfOLWszK4erDPe3n

tetris11 8mo ago

There really is something to owning a patch of land that no one can tell you not to dig on. I hope he becomes a landowner some day

deleted 8mo ago

[deleted]