The “mine shaft gap” is a concept from Stanley Kubrick’s satirical film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. In the movie, after a nuclear apocalypse seems inevitable, the characters discuss how to survive the fallout. The idea is to move people into deep mine shafts to protect them from radiation and preserve humanity.

The “mine shaft gap” becomes a point of contention as the characters worry about which country will have more mines or better conditions, leading to a renewed sense of competition even in the face of global annihilation. This concept parodies the Cold War-era “missile gap” fears, where the U.S. and the Soviet Union were concerned about falling behind each other in terms of nuclear missile capabilities.

The absurdity of the discussion in the film highlights the dark humor and satire of the movie, showcasing the irrationality of nuclear brinkmanship and the bizarre priorities that can emerge in such extreme situations.