Why Does American Infrastructure Cost More and Take Longer To Build Than It Used To?

Share This Post

The increased effort to save the environment could have led to longer and more expensive infrastructure projects. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environment-focused acts made it easier for Americans to contest infrastructure projects on the basis of environmental destruction. A paper from 2019 notes that these exacerbated the already growing problem of affluent neighborhoods influencing infrastructure construction, which led to escalated costs and time spent on infrastructure projects over the years. Read full article here

More To Explore

Societal Issues

To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater

With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here

Science

A look inside the lab building mushroom computers

The Unconventional Computing Laboratory at the University of the West of England is pushing the boundaries of computing, working to see if mushrooms can be used to carry out computing and sensing functions. By stimulating the mycelium—the branching, web-like root structure of the fungus—researchers can get it to produce electrical activity and see if it can be used to create complex, multi-dimensional functions that are more precise than traditional computers. This could lead to a whole new world of possibilities, such as using mushrooms to create fault-tolerant, energy-efficient computers and even mapping neural networks. It’s truly a fascinating field of study – and one that could shape the future of computing. Read full article here

Do You want to embrace intellectual freedom and join our premium users?

FASCINATING READS, SUMMARISED

The occasional email full of conversation-worthy content