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TilleroftheFields t1_ir811tg wrote

I've heard Harvard pays the MBTA to slow down under their campus because they have sensitive experiments and collections that the subway rumbling could interfere with. Maybe some new experiment just fired up?

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guimontag t1_ir97fm1 wrote

lmao that's 100% an urban legend, another variation I heard from a Tufts student was because the foundation of widener library was so unstable that a subway train going too fast under mass ave would make the whole building shake. There's currently a much more severe slowdown than usual, but the normal slowdown is because the subway has to make a (relatively) sharp turn going between central and harvard. If you look at a map you'll see that the red line makes an almost 90 degree turn north to go towards porter square

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LuigisYoshi t1_irav6gj wrote

Most sensitive experiments are done on air cushioned vibration isolating tables anyway since there are also other vibrations present from traffic, AC/heaters, people walking, and other normal every day processes

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