Hypersonics, aircraft carriers, and why you shouldn't be distracted by the Navy's cool explosion video

The Navy’s public relations team (which, for what it’s worth, I’ve found to be the military’s most helpful) has done itself proud with its video of a rather large explosion off Florida’s coast.

Specifically, its video of a test involving the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier. Carried out this weekend, the explosion measured 3.9 on the Richter Scale. The U.S. Naval Institute notes that the last time a carrier underwent a full ship shock test was 34 years ago. The test is a final element of the Ford’s work up to become fully operational.