Latest Minecraft Addict? Switzerland

Just today, engineers in Switzerland broke through to complete the world's longest railway tunnel (and perhaps longest tunnel of any kind). Of course, thinking of auspicious subterranean projects and Europe simultaneously, one can't help but think about Minecraft:


And at that combination of massive Swiss tunneller and pixelated pickaxe, this recent video bears mentioning. This immense (and intensely linear) railway was praised by Minecraft's sole developer, Markus Persson (a.k.a Notch), in a recent posting. It seems, however, that the virtual extravagances of this ore-filled simulator have yet to trump the real-world excesses of determined engineers: the just-completed tunnel clocks in at 57 km, while the virtual railway is a mere 12 km. In terms of Minecraft blocks, 1 meter ~ 1 block, so 57 km ~ 57,000 blocks. Even at the constant tunnelling rate of a diamond pickaxe, achieving even a 2x2 tunnel of this length would take about 37.4 hours. Conquering the 13,000,000 or so cubic meters the Swiss tunnelled in total would take upwards of three months. It's mighty impressive, is the point.

By the way, Mr. Persson makes his home in Sweden. Which raises the obvious question: is this man's compulsive tunnelling trend spreading throughout Europe?