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Tech NewsCan You Guess How Much NYC Paid the Architect of the Most Expensive Train Station on Earth?
The World Trade Center Transit Hub—aka The (other) Oculus—has already gone down in history as the most expensive train station, ever. The grand total was $4 billion, about twice what it was supposed to cost, and more than the skyscraper adjacent to it. But there might be another record-breaking figure associated with this project. I … Continued
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EartherClimate Change
Houston Just Had Its Heaviest Day of Rain Ever—and More Rain Is Coming
Historic flooding—called “biblical” by almost every news organization—has paralyzed southeast Texas, evacuating neighborhoods, cancelling flights, and closing schools. The heaviest rain fell around Houston, where some areas saw 24-hour rainfall totals of up to 17 inches. At least seven people have died due to flooding. And more rain is forecasted. The rainfall records didn’t just … Continued
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Tech News
YIMBY Groups Are Organizing Across the US to Make Cities Build More Housing
We know that the housing crises facing big American cities right now can be solved by building more housing. And we also know that for years, the construction of this new housing has been prevented by NIMBY groups—you know, those who say “Not In My Backyard.” Now YIMBY groups—yep, “Yes In My Backyard”—are organizing to … Continued
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Tech News
Report: Google’s Parent Company Has 100 People Working on Its City of the Future
After dropping hints at a recent event that the Google parent company Alphabet might be building its own urban-scale laboratory, Sidewalk Labs reportedly has about 100 urban experts who are working on the plan, which is named “Project Sidewalk.” CEO Dan Doctoroff will be presenting the idea for the city to Alphabet CEO Larry Page … Continued
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EartherClimate Change
Florida Is Even More Screwed Than We Thought
Florida, America’s lowest-lying state, faces dire predictions thanks to the accelerated melting of the world’s ice sheets. But a new study says this future is coming sooner and faster than previously predicted, prompting a major survey by the US Army Corps of Engineers to shore up the state’s most vulnerable regions. The Army Corps of … Continued
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Tech News
Link Shorteners Can Spy on You
Anyone who’s used a link shortener has probably considered their vulnerability. It’s no big deal when you’re just bookmarking a blog post, but a little more troubling when you’re shortening directions to your house. If you’ve ever punched in the wrong bit.ly link, you may have inadvertently spied on someone already. Researchers at Cornell Tech … Continued
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Tech News
London Just Reopened the Entrance to This Underwater Tunnel for the First Time in 147 Years
The first underwater tunnel ever built opened in London in 1843, paving a path for cities everywhere to expand beneath rivers and oceans. Today, the tunnel’s grand entrance hall reopens to the public for the first time in 147 years. The underground event space is part of an engineering museum that celebrates the famous family … Continued
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Tech News
Is LA’s Blackout Scare Just a Conspiracy to Keep the City Running on Fossil Fuels?
Last week a report from a coalition of energy providers scared the hell out of Los Angeles, claiming the region would face blackouts due to its catastrophic four-month-long natural gas leak. But a loud and growing group of Southern California energy experts are calling bullshit, saying this is just a way to keep LA dependent … Continued
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Tech News
CDC Confirms Zika Causes Microcephaly
A study out today from the Center for Disease Control confirms what many researchers already believed to be true: the Zika virus does indeed cause microcephaly as well as a wide range of additional and severe fetal brain defects. “This study marks a turning point in the Zika outbreak. It is now clear that the … Continued
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Tech News
Android Finally Redesigns Its Emoji to Be Less Creepy
Android’s emoji are known for being just awfully designed. It’s not just a matter of style—in some cases they’re so different from other platforms that they can lead to some serious misunderstandings. The latest developer build of Android N reveals that Google is finally making its emoji look more human. Which is good, because what … Continued
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Tech NewsSupermaterial Made From Seaweed Could Replace Bubble Wrap
As a civilization we are blanketing our planet with plastic. One of the most frightening illustrations of this fact is a prediction that by 2050, our oceans will contain more plastic than fish. Amazingly, a smart solution for reducing our reliance on plastic, and protecting marine life, could come from those very oceans, as well. … Continued
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ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
Hawking: An Interstellar Space Mission Will Bring Benefits to People’s Lives on Earth
Earlier today, Stephen Hawking and Russian entrepreneur Yuri Milner announced a thrilling plan to deploy tiny “nanocrafts” to the second-closest star in search of intelligent life. And in the first post-announcement interview with ABC News, Hawking talks about how the development of interstellar spacecraft will improve life for humans. On “World News Tonight,” David Muir … Continued
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Tech NewsCarbon Fiber Noodles Could Save a Building From an Earthquake
Seismic retrofitting is a major endeavor that requires bracing and bolting an older building to its foundation so it doesn’t shake apart in an earthquake. But depending on a building’s age and what materials it’s made of, a traditional retrofit has the potential to destroy a structure in a different way—aesthetically. A Japanese company believes … Continued
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Tech NewsI Can’t Believe All the Features Mashed Into This Micro-Apartment
The phrase “micro-unit” conjures up all sorts of lifestyle tradeoffs, like Murphy beds, mini-fridges, and toilets in the shower. This tasteful space has a bed that stays put, a full-sized kitchen, and room for a bathtub (!), all in an area that’s a little over 300 square feet. LAAB Architects designed the “Small Home Smart … Continued
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EartherClimate Change
The National Weather Service Will Only Use its FAMOUS ALL CAPS FORECASTS for Emergencies
FOR DECADES. . .THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. . . HAS ISSUED ITS FORECAST DISCUSSIONS IN SHOUTY CAPITAL LETTERS. . .USING FRAGMENTED SENTENCES. . .SEPARATED BY ELLIPSES. Today it was announced that the National Weather Service will switch to mixed-case type and conversational language to provide a more user-friendly experience—and potentially save lives. The change in … Continued
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Tech News
That Emoji Does Not Mean What You Think It Means
By now you probably know that the emoji you send on an iPhone might not be the emoji that is received on a Nexus. Since emoji are designed differently across platforms, sometimes your text messages might get lost in translation. But how differently might your well-intentioned emoji be displayed? The reality might surprise you. A … Continued
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Tech News
This Is the Totally Wrong Way to Think About Self-Driving Cars
I’m no fan of cars, as you might have guessed from some of my previous stories. But I do believe that better technology—namely the kind that will prevent humans from driving them—can make cars, and our world, better. That’s why I generally agree with the “ban cars”-esque argument in this essay by Rebecca Solnit, a … Continued
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EartherClimate Change
A New Florida Pier Is Designed to Face the Reality of Rising Seas
There’s no polite way to put this: Florida is screwed. And we’re starting to see the state’s infrastructure adapt to the reality of climate change. A new pier for St. Petersburg just been approved by the city that takes changing ocean conditions into consideration. This includes a lightweight structure that can float on rising seas … Continued
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Tech News
Paris Is Giving 50 Percent of Its Legendary Roundabouts Back to People
When you think of Paris, you probably think of narrow, tree-lined streets. But consider some of its most famous monuments: They’re ringed by several lanes of busy vehicular traffic. Now the city is promising at least half of that space will go to pedestrians instead of cars. Seven sites in total are getting people-friendly makeovers, … Continued
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Tech News
One of the World’s Top Architects Is Giving Away His Most Famous Designs for Free
Earlier this year the Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena was named the winner of the Pritzker Prize, the top honor in the field, in recognition of his revolutionary affordable housing projects. This week, Aravena made the designs for four of those structures open-source, in a move that could help cities everywhere with their housing troubles. Aravena’s … Continued
Alissa Walker
Alissa Walker's posts