The world is one bad decision away from a silicon Ice Age

Re:The world is one bad decision away from a silicon Ice Age by joelthelion on Tuesday January 13, 2026 @04:08AM (#46598757)

> American doctrine here, as far as such a thing exists, is to reduce its fab yields to zero by using 2,000 lb kinetic contaminants via the B-2 bomber deposition process

What are these "kinetic contaminants"? Does anyone have more detail? I couldn't find anything.

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Re:The world is one bad decision away from a silicon Ice Age by Doxin on Tuesday January 13, 2026 @04:13AM (#46598787)

I can only imagine something like a graphite bomb[0]

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphite_bomb

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Re:The world is one bad decision away from a silicon Ice Age by lproven on Tuesday January 13, 2026 @07:10AM (#46599972)

No. It means bombs. It means bombing the fabs to stop them falling into Chinese hands.

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Re:The world is one bad decision away from a silicon Ice Age by joelthelion on Tuesday January 13, 2026 @07:16AM (#46600006)

Thank you!

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Re:The world is one bad decision away from a silicon Ice Age by lproven on Tuesday January 13, 2026 @07:10AM (#46599967)

Hi there. Register writer here, and personal friend of the author of this piece.

It is a joke. You missed the joke.

What the sentence means is "America's policy is that if China takes over Taiwan, it will bomb TSMC's chip fabs."

The phrase "kinetic contaminant" means "big bombs". That's why he specified the model of bomber.

The B2 is the American "Stealth bomber".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_B-2_Spirit

No, it is not about graphite.

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Re:The world is one bad decision away from a silicon Ice Age by joelthelion on Tuesday January 13, 2026 @07:17AM (#46600013)

Got it, thanks for the explanation! I thought he was talking about some dirty bomb delivered by he B2s

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