1.2M views · Nov 29, 2008 · 1:00 · 2 HN recommenders · 6 mentions · discussed 2015–2025
Arthur Ganson's kinetic sculpture chains twelve 1:50 worm gear reductions so the final gear, embedded in concrete, would take over two trillion years to turn once.
Why Hacker News points people here: Shared whenever gear reductions, exponential scaling or playful kinetic art come up.
“I quite like how a lot of his work seems to have a punchline to it.”HN comment, 2025
“I think this one is quite interesting”
Motor with reduction gears ending in concrete.
I think this one is quite interesting: this video A motor connected to a series of reduction gears, with the last part of the chain encased in concrete.
“I quite like how a lot of his work seems to have a punchline to it.”
Playful kinetic sculpture with a punchline.
I think the artist put it as "and then the last gear turns so slowly it doesn't really matter, so I cast it in concrete." Assuming we're talking about Arthur Gansons "Machine with concrete"[0] of course. I quite like how a lot of his work seems to have a punchline to it. [0] this video
“It's part of a great exhibit of fun/quirky machines”
Ganson's gear reduction sculpture at MIT museum.
There is one by Arthur Ganson in the MIT museum[1]. It's part of a great exhibit of fun/quirky machines and there's an interesting video about it on youtube[2]. [1] this video [2] link
“it will take well over two trillion years before the final gear makes but one turn.”
Twelve worm gear pairs ending in concrete.
This reminds me of "Machine with Concrete", by Arthur Ganson: this video From the video description: Each worm/worm gear pair reduces the speed of the motor by 1/50th. Since there are 12 pairs of gears, the final speed reduction is calculated by (1/50)12. The implications are quite large. With the motor turning around 200 revolutions per minute, it will take well over two trillion years before the final gear makes but one turn. Given the truth of this situation, it is possible to do anything at all with the final gear, even embed it in concrete.
“has 1:50 gears put in sequence, to the power of 12; the last section is embedded in concrete”
Chain of 1:50 gears with the last embedded in concrete.
Arthur Ganson's "Machine with Concrete" is an installation that has 1:50 gears put in sequence, to the power of 12; the last section is embedded in concrete: this video There's also the pitch drop experiment, which IMO rivals watching grass grow: link
“it will take well over two trillion years before the final gear makes but one turn.”
Gear reduction so large the last gear barely turns.
this video "With the motor turning around 200 revolutions per minute, it will take well over two trillion years before the final gear makes but one turn."
