Others bury the bomb. Dharma discovers not the "unique electromagnetic fluctuations" Marvin Candle describes in the Swan Orientation film, but rather enormous amounts of leaking radiation. They figure out that it's a bomb, and it's going to detonate or cause some other catastrophe.
This is after the Orchid is built, so Dharma has some limited ability to manipulate time. The Swan is built to hold the bomb in stasis in the moments before it explodes. The timer wasn't discharging energy...it was actually resetting time for the stasis field.
A huge electromagnet, powered by geothermal energy, is required to power the time stasis machine. Marvin Candle (notorious orientation film liar) mentions unique electromagnetic fluctuations as a way to explain the magnetism to station personnel without freaking them out.
When the button isn't pushed, the whole stasis machine starts to overload. Turning the failsafe key was the ultimate solution -- a final burst of energy from the time stasis device channels the energy of the nuclear blast...somewhen else. Station implodes.
This also explains why turning the failsafe had that odd effect on Desmond's mind. Blowing up an electromagnet doesn't usually send one skipping through time...but a stasis generator? Maybe. Theory by Cutter XXIII
This is after the Orchid is built, so Dharma has some limited ability to manipulate time. The Swan is built to hold the bomb in stasis in the moments before it explodes. The timer wasn't discharging energy...it was actually resetting time for the stasis field.
A huge electromagnet, powered by geothermal energy, is required to power the time stasis machine. Marvin Candle (notorious orientation film liar) mentions unique electromagnetic fluctuations as a way to explain the magnetism to station personnel without freaking them out.
When the button isn't pushed, the whole stasis machine starts to overload. Turning the failsafe key was the ultimate solution -- a final burst of energy from the time stasis device channels the energy of the nuclear blast...somewhen else. Station implodes.
This also explains why turning the failsafe had that odd effect on Desmond's mind. Blowing up an electromagnet doesn't usually send one skipping through time...but a stasis generator? Maybe. Theory by Cutter XXIII