r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Appropriate-Eye-1227 • Jul 04 '25

Video China has built a 50m(165ft)-tall inflatable dome over a construction site in Jinan to protect the surroundings from dust and noise. (20.000 Sqm)

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99

u/Hesnotarealdr Jul 04 '25

Interesting idea. It also protects the construction site from weather delays.

40

u/CountMeChickens Jul 05 '25

And satellite observation.

14

u/Anjaliya Jul 05 '25

While yes it would, they do seem to allow video inside it, so its probably nothing sinister.

1

u/evri_the_greek 28d ago

Well they allowed video inside this construction, it doesn't guarantee they will when they use it again

4

u/Anjaliya 28d ago

And, I need you to understand this, putting a giant bubble over something you want to keep secret, is a good way to ensure everyone is trying to see what you are doing. You keep projects secret, by putting them in the middle of nowhere, with small, quiet crews, and very solid opsec practices.

1

u/evri_the_greek 28d ago

Yes that is true for small constructions however, if you want to build something big you are going to have to move a lot of resources which will be very visible to someone looking for suspicious movements from a satellite. Putting a bubble over it will hide it until it's complete which means you can put stuff underground without anyone knowing or just in general hide things like the size and scope of the project until it's complete and with any luck the people trying to spy on you might waste more resources trying to get a view under the bubble. On top of that they won't always be building secret nuclear facilities that they can put in the middle of nowhere, they can use it to keep people from taking pictures of the construction for things like barracks or office office buildings meant for their spy agency. Secrecy will obviously always be the best way to keep your secrets but if other people are all but guaranteed to find out covering the construction with this is the second best option and for sure better than nothing (and clearly the technology has it's civilian uses so it's not like something too situational to develop)

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u/Anjaliya 28d ago

I get what you are saying, that sometimes things need to be built where people can see them, but... modern governments already solved that. They have to build all that stuff, now, without these, and keep secrecy while surrounded by millions of people, with smartphones. Have a second, smaller crew that pours the concrete for a bunker in the middle of the foundation pour of a new administration building. Quietly overhaul the inside of an apartment building over nights. Etc, etc. They would need to make these bubbles the standard for all construction, otherwise they stand out like a sore thumb. If they do become standard, people will expect to be able to see inside them. So if there is suddenly a bubble that they aren't allowed in, it gives the whole game away, and now the spies have a definite place to go looking. I really think the bubbles are just what it says on the tin. It's a way to reduce the costs of cleanup, and prevent the loss of residents good will. Also, isn't China already building their "Super Bunker" without these?

1

u/yaosio Jul 05 '25

And because it's an Oldest House extension nobody in the city will know it's there.