Which is better: an underwing-engine plane or a rear-engine one? Rear-engine planes have their benefits. They’re easier to manoeuvre in case of engine failure, they’re less likely to suck in foreign objects, and they allow for built-in airstairs. Although they were phased out because they’re less economical than underwing-engine planes, they may be key to incredibly fast flights; all supersonic (faster-than-sound) planes being designed today feature rear-mounted engines.
Read full article here
Societal Issues
AI Predicts Crime A Week In Advance With 90 Per Cent Accuracy
An artificial intelligence model built by Ishanu Chattopadhyay and his colleagues analysed crime data in Chicago from 2014 to 2016 and managed to predict future levels of crime down to the nearest 300 metres, a week before they actually happened. While extremely useful, this artificial intelligence has been shown to expose racial prejudice in law enforcement. Hopefully, as the study’s data and methodology have been made available for others to evaluate, these prejudices can be avoided in the next iteration. Read full article here
Merv
August 15, 2022
