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Posted by Vincent_Yan404 1 day ago

Growing up in “404 Not Found”: China's nuclear city in the Gobi Desert(substack.com)
779 points | 345 commentspage 3
Obscurity4340 19 hours ago|
> Witnessing such scorched-earth containment (ending with someones couch being neutralized) makes the modern definition of nuclear power as the ‘cleanest energy’ completely incomprehensible to me.

Thats a bit much, isnt it? This was in the early days of their nuclear progress, of course at the time it wasnt going to be a linear, completely efficient and sanitized. Kind of a weird comment, nothing develops perfectly while its development chugs along

jama211 19 hours ago||
It’s a personal emotional experience, nothing weird about it at all. Only weird thing is how you singled it out.
nephihaha 19 hours ago||
The development programme was haphazard. They got bits and pieces off the Soviets and had to figure the rest out.
Obscurity4340 18 hours ago||
Right, but the statement extends to the present state of mind of the writer. They're saying that they currently find the notion that nuclear energy can be clean or the cleanest as absurd based on their childhood in the infancy of the program.

Isnt it currently the consensus that nuclear energy can be one of the more clean energy sources? Because they seem to hold their childhood view that thats crazy

nephihaha 1 hour ago||
The problem with the PRC is that if you complain about things you can get in a lot of trouble. That includes issues like safety and pollution.
vjvjvjvjghv 1 day ago||
On my trip back from china this week I watched a Chinese movie about their nuclear bomb project. Basically the equivalent of Oppenheimer. Quite interesting movie and now I am reading this
lantastic 18 hours ago||
Sounds interesting. What's the title?
vjvjvjvjghv 17 hours ago||
Roaring Across the Horizon
Vincent_Yan404 23 hours ago||
Yes, it's really like the small town in Oppenheimer.
nephihaha 1 day ago||
404 does sound a bit like a nightmare posting, and God knows what the adults felt like. They probably couldn't say much. But children see things very differently. I forwarded this on to several people.
Vincent_Yan404 1 day ago|
Thank you for sharing this with others. You’ve hit on the exact emotional core I wanted to explore.

For the adults, 404 was a place of immense pressure, secrecy, and often sacrifice. But for us kids, it was just 'home.' We played in the shadows of giants and nuclear reactors without a second thought.

That contrast—the 'nightmare' for the parents and the 'playground' for the children—is what makes these memories so surreal to look back on. I’m glad that perspective resonated with you.

Reason077 17 hours ago||
Is the “404: not found” error code actually a humorous reference to China’s secret nuclear city?

After all, HTTP was invented at CERN, a nuclear research institute. Staff there would presumably have been aware of “404” and probably made jokes about the fact that it didn’t exist…

Vincent_Yan404 16 hours ago|
It's a coincidence.It’s defined both a digital void and my childhood home is the kind of irony.
mrheosuper 4 hours ago||
>The first generation of 404 were the country’s brightest elites.

I am interersted in how did China convince those people to move to this "harsh and painful" city. I assume with their top skill, they had options to live anywhere they want, and a lot ot places want them.

The "stick" does not always work, you have to use "carrot" too.

chasil 12 hours ago||
"I ran wild, waving a red inflatable toy hammer."

I think that I see the word "Coke" in the picture of you holding the hammer.

Was this for Coca Cola?

moorkh 20 hours ago||
This was a great read. Can't wait for the next installment. Where do you live now?
Vincent_Yan404 17 hours ago|
Thank you! I live in Toronto right now.
jpgvm 1 day ago||
You are a great writer. Would love to hear what came next and eventually how you found your way to HN. :)
Vincent_Yan404 5 hours ago||
I asked AI where should I publish my article, it said Medium at first. I submitted to illustration and 10 days later, the article is still pending review right now. So I ask AI again, what should I do? It says HN is the best but also toughest, it's hard to show in the front page. After I tried, I think I kinda made it.
Vincent_Yan404 1 day ago||
Thank you so much! That means a lot to me.I'll be posting Part 2 very soon on my Substack to continue the story. Hope to see you there!"
Havoc 1 day ago||
Cool post!

Always interesting to read about people's lived realities that are completely different

Vincent_Yan404 1 day ago|
Thank you! It was indeed a unique place to grow up. I'm planning to publish the next chapter shortly, so stay tuned.
vjay15 6 hours ago|
This had me hooked
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