The true story behind the Toronto mystery tunnel (2015) | Hacker News Reader

The true story behind the Toronto mystery tunnel (2015)

macleans.ca

77 pointsmhb18 comments

The follow-up article is lovely too: 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...

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.

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

Hobby tunneling: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobby_tunneling

13 comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36885802

6 comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28257515

Also 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

> 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.

Hoarder tenancies and familial history of poverty is another. Epigenetics is wild

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.

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.

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).

You should make metal detecting soles for your shoes.

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.

Amusingly, I recently learned that Seymour Cray was a hobby tunneler.

https://web.archive.org/web/20080521163217/http://www.time.c...

That's a fantastic tie-in. Wow!

Maybe we do yearn for the mines after all…

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

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

(2015)

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

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