Idea Board

The Birth of the New American Aristocracy - The Atlantic

The class divide is already toxic, and is fast becoming unbridgeable. You’re probably part of the problem.

The Plan to End Boomers' Political Dominance - The Atlantic

Older voters warp their countries’ policies because of their political power. One British politician has a plan to end that dominance.

Swing-State House Democrats Back Impeachment Despite Political Risk | National Review

The Dream Hoarders: How America's Top 20 Percent Perpetuates Inequality | Boston Review

The Dream Hoarders: How America's Top 20 Percent Perpetuates Inequality from Boston Review. Focusing on the top 1 percent is a mistake. The real class divide is between the upper middle class and the rest of America.

The upper middle class is ruining all that is great about America.

I first encountered the upper middle class when I attended a big magnet high school in Manhattan that attracted a decent number of brainy, better-off...

How to build a new Republican coalition via red-state federalism.

The Republican coalition is changing. First, the GOP is in danger of losing college-educated suburbanites who voted only reluctantly for Donald Trump...

Opinion | Turning Affluent Suburbs Blue Isn’t Worth the Cost - The New York Times

Democrats can’t promote progressive policies while catering to the wealthy.

American democracy is doomed - Vox

How polarization in Congress and an increasingly powerful presidency could destroy America's way of government.

Shut up, royal baby haters. Monarchy is awesome. - The Washington Post

Constitutional monarchies are as successful, if not more so, than republics. Plus they have awesome rituals and jewels and stuff. What's not to like?

Elizabeth Warren’s Wealth Tax Is the Wrong Solution | Time

Senator Elizabeth Warren has proposed a wealth tax—but it would only add more complexity to our broken income tax system

China Builds Fleet of Small Warships While U.S. Drifts | WIRED

The U.S. Navy is having all sorts of problems with its new line of coastal warships. Meanwhile, China is cranking theirs out by the dozens.

Air Force offers glimpse of new, stealthy combat drone during first flight

The airspace over future battlefields will not be permissive, and so new drones will need to be developed for air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.

What is the Liberal International Order? | The German Marshall Fund of the United States

Photo credit: Drop of Light / Shutterstock.com

The Trump Doctrine – Foreign Policy

President Obama’s Interview With Jeffrey Goldberg on Syria and Foreign Policy - The Atlantic

The U.S. president talks through his hardest decisions about America’s role in the world.

Trade War Is Hiding China's Big Problems

The ongoing US-China trade war is a distraction from China’s big problems: the blowing of multiple bubbles and the country’s soaring debt, which will eventually kill economic growth.

Silicon Valley is awash in Chinese and Saudi cash — and no one is paying attention (except Donald Trump) - Vox

Why trade deals hurt Americans | PBS NewsHour

John Komlos argues that trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership will only exacerbate our deficit and further inequality in the United States. What we need, he argues, is not only fair trade, but balanced trade.

United States under Donald Trump is veering away from China’s belt and road | South China Morning Post

Beijing’s global infrastructure drive will be in the spotlight this week when dozens of heads of state converge for the second Belt and Road Forum. In the last of our four-part series, Nectar Gan and Robert Delaney look at the shift in the United States’ stance on China’s mega initiative.

Trump National-Security Adviser Unveils New Africa Strategy - The Atlantic

Trump’s national-security adviser unveiled a new strategy designed to counter Beijing’s growing influence on the continent.

China’s Massive Belt and Road Initiative | Council on Foreign Relations

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is the most ambitious infrastructure investment effort in history. But is it also a plan to remake the global balance of power?

The 'Team Rogue' Approach to Buying Weaponry | WIRED

July, the Air Force announced it would buy up to 100 small, affordable, “light” fighters, to equip a new counter-insurgency wing. The announcement represented four years of soul-searching by an air service torn between today’s fights and tomorrow’s. The new planes are meant to provide a cheaper ground-attack capability in small wars — and also \[…\]

The limits of Chinese military power - MIT Technology Review

The US military is without peer in its ability to project power around the world, and that’s not about to change.

Unless we share them, self-driving vehicles will just make traffic worse - Vox

A carbon-free, autonomous car is still a car; it still takes up space.

How Coal-Killing Solar Panels Can Help US Farmers

HyTech Power may have solved hydrogen, one of the hardest problems in clean energy - Vox

The "hydrogen economy" may be a thing after all.

Real ambition on global warming: what it would look like - Vox

How to hit the most stringent targets, with no loopholes.

Climate change and deforestation: These 3 supertrees can protect us from climate collapse

But can we protect them?

There's a Genius, Sustainable Economic System We Could All Be Using. Here's How

In her Hugo-finalist novel Record of a Spaceborn Few, Becky Chambers envisions a future where humanity travels the galaxy in generational ships, their entire civilisation dependent on a well-oiled system of reusing and recycling resources. Every wa

This is how we get to zero carbon emissions by 2050

These are the policy changes we need to enact in transportation, electricity, buildings, and industry to stop climate change.

Here's How America Uses Its Land

How Cape Town Plans to Avoid Another Brush With 'Day Zero' - CityLab

Eat your food, and the package too

Shifting from the harmful effects of plastic culture

Rainwater harvesting: using the weather to pay your bills | Life and style | The Guardian

Harvesting the rain seems like a no-brainer. But is it too expensive? And could you live with an AstroTurf lawn?

Greywater systems: can they really reduce your bills? | Life and style | The Guardian

We examine three technologies touted to help reduce water use. First up: greywater systems can halve use, but are they worth the cost?

Electric batteries for airplanes are in the works - Vox

The race is on to build batteries big enough for planes to fly on clean electricity.

Making more than minimum wage, but less than $10.10 an hour | Pew Research Center

Last year an estimated 20.6 million people -- 30% of all hourly, non-self-employed workers aged 18 and older in the U.S. -- earned above the applicable minimum wage in their state but less than the proposed $10.10/hour minimum.

Who makes less than $15 per hour, in 3 charts | Fortune

As the low-wage worker movement gains steam, a new report helps define what kinds of people earn less than $15 per hour in the U.S.

The Promises and Challenges of Special Economic Zones

Should the minimum wage be raised? The economic debate, explained. - Vox

There’s still disagreement. But it looks like in many cases, pay raises swamp any lost jobs.

Paul Krugman on 2020, Andrew Yang, Elizabeth Warren, Medicare, climate, and more - Vox

The Nobel prize-winning economist explains it all.

Why trade deals hurt Americans | PBS NewsHour

John Komlos argues that trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership will only exacerbate our deficit and further inequality in the United States. What we need, he argues, is not only fair trade, but balanced trade.

The Future of Hydrogen – Analysis - IEA

The Future of Hydrogen - Analysis and key findings. A report by the International Energy Agency.

Electricity Transmission - IER

US has only one offshore wind farm, but that's about to change

The U.S. only has one working offshore wind energy farm, off the coast of Rhode Island, but cost declines, government support and a new giant wind turbine from GE are among reasons offshore wind power generation is set to boom for the U.S. market.

Renewable energy threatens to overwhelm the grid. Here’s how it can adapt. - Vox

The centralized, top-down power grid is outdated. Time for a bottom-up redesign.

Beneath Solar Panels, the Seeds of Opportunity Sprout | News | NREL

The Real Problem With Beef - The New York Times

An extensive study confirms that red meat might not be that bad for you. But it is bad for the planet, with chicken and pork less harmful than beef.

Food production is responsible for one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions - Our World in Data

One-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions result from food and agriculture. What are the main contributors to food’s emissions?

We're very close to disrupting the cow

By 2030, these scientists estimate the number of cows in the U.S. will have fallen by 50% and the beef and dairy industries will have collapsed as animal-derived foods are replaced by modern equivalents.

The Green New Deal could boost regenerative agriculture

The sweeping framework—and surprisingly, Silicon Valley tech—could help soil-repairing practices like regenerative agriculture take off.

Savory Institute responds to Impossible Burger's attack on regenerative agriculture

Plant-based proteins don't stack up to the ecosystem-regenerating potential of properly-managed livestock. Savory Institute responds to Impossible Foods' 2019 impact report.

Why "regenerative agriculture" is the new thing in sustainable farming

Here’s why Stonyfield, Danone, Annie’s, and other food companies are leading a regenerative agriculture revolution.

Meet Allan Savory, the Pioneer of Regenerative Agriculture | Successful Farming

No one has had more influence on the development of regenerative farming than Allan Savory, the provocative 82-year-old president and founder of the Savory Institute.

Indigo Launches Carbon Market to Incentivize Farmers to Transition to Regenerative Agriculture - AgFunderNews

Computer chips from carbon nanotubes, not silicon, mark a milestone | Science News for Students

Silicon has been king of cutting-edge electronics. But that reign may soon end, with carbon nanotubes taking silicon’s place.

The world’s most advanced nanotube computer may keep Moore’s Law alive - MIT Technology Review

carbon-nanotube-semiconductors-could-transform-electronics

Surface Duo vs. Surface Neo: Dual-Screen Devices, Compared | Digital Trends

Although not much is officially known about the two foldable Surface devices, in this side by side comparison, we'll give you a look at the design, performance, and portability of the two, and everything we know. Which of Microsoft's dual-screen devices has the best chances at success?

Amazon is now offering quantum computing as a service with Braket for AWS - The Verge

Five things we’ve learned since Voyager 2 left the solar system - MIT Technology Review

NASA’s other interstellar probe shares some surprising new insights for what lies at the boundary of the sun’s heliosphere.

A Nuclear Reactor for Space Missions Passes Final Major Ground Tests | Space

A nuclear power plant that could provide power for long-duration crewed missions has passed another developmental milestone at NASA.

Chasing Captain America: why superhumans may not be that far away - Vox

Bioengineering technology is advancing rapidly. Here’s why it might produce a world of unimaginable inequalities.

The 15 most common smart drugs, and the science behind them — Quartz

A look at why people take them and what the evidence actually says.

Quantum computing leaps ahead in 2019 with new power and speed - CNET

It was a good year for these weird machines.

What Is Quantum Computing? The Complete WIRED Guide | WIRED

Everything you ever wanted to know about qubits, superpositioning, and spooky action at a distance.

How Cape Town Plans to Avoid Another Brush With 'Day Zero' - CityLab

What is 5G? The Complete Guide to When, Why, and How | WIRED

Dive deep into the 5G spectrum, millimeter-wave technology, and why 5G could give China an edge in the AI race.

5G wireless needs fiber, and lots of it - Ciena

Ciena's Brian Lavallée explains that 5G mobile networks will significantly affect both the wireless side (obviously!) and the wireline side of the global network infrastructure.

Inertia, frequency regulation and the grid – pv magazine USA

The old system of regulating frequency on electricity grids with the help of the inertia provided by large spinning masses is under threat by the rise of wind, solar, and batteries. But what will replace inertia-based control, and how will the transition work?

Perfecting public transportation: 10 U.S. cities with progressive plans - Curbed

Moving forward on moving their citizens, from expanded light rail to better bike share systems

Why building walkable cities is the key to economic success - Curbed

New report Foot Traffic Ahead finds walkable urbanism isn’t just sustainable and enjoyable, but more profitable

Story of cities #13: Barcelona's unloved planner invents science of 'urbanisation' | Cities | The Guardian

Constricted by its medieval walls, Barcelona was suffocating – until unknown engineer Ildefons Cerdà came up with a radical expansion plan. Rival architects disparaged him, yet his scientific approach changed how we think about cities

Increasing Density: A Small-Town Approach to New Urbanism

Car Crashes Aren't Always Unavoidable - The Atlantic

The automobile took over because the legal system helped squeeze out the alternatives.

Bring Everything Urban Transit-Related Under One Agency - CityLab

These “road diets” would make streets safer and barely affect traffic. Why do people oppose them? – Greater Greater Washington

Recently, some local projects to calm traffic and increase safety for all road users have been met with a surprising amount of resistence. Worse, regional officials seem to be prioritizing voices of opposition over actual studies, and it’s keeping our communities unsafe. So what can these incidents tell us?

How Spontaneous Order Keeps Houston Affordable - Foundation for Economic Education

Contrary to conventional wisdom, many US cities have a lot to learn from Houston. Houston has largely opted out of the misguided development restrictions, out-of-date urban planning regimes, and burdensome regulations that are forcing middle- and lower-class Americans out of other large cities.

The Complete City: Why Density and Amenities Are Essential to Everyday Urban Living

After decades of population loss, many cities are now growing faster than the rest of their metro areas. Urban developers are trying to attract the right amenities to support the new wave of urbanites.

Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Park, a model for 21st-century civic space? - Curbed

How the city plans to build a 21st-century Central Park from scratch.

Urban land - Space and the city | Leaders | The Economist

Poor land use in the world’s greatest cities carries a huge cost

Sidewalk Labs’s Toronto smart city plan updated - Curbed

New details on Toronto neighborhood’s streetscape, affordable housing, and privacy protection

Pete Buttigieg's Housing Plan Targets Vacancy - CityLab

25 great ideas of the New Urbanism | CNU

Unless we share them, self-driving vehicles will just make traffic worse - Vox

A carbon-free, autonomous car is still a car; it still takes up space.

The future of America is driverless | Verge 2021

Atlis Shows Us How To Make A More Conventional Electric Truck | CleanTechnica

Self-driving pods are slow, boring, and weird-looking — and that’s a good thing - The Verge

Low-speed autonomous pods are currently operating all over the country, racking up an impressive number of trips while barely drawing any attention for it. As billion-dollar companies like Google, Uber, Ford, and GM scramble to perfect their high-profile robot taxi projects before they launch, smaller, more nimble startups are making progress in lower-stakes pilots that are operating right under our noses.

Hyundai Makes the Case for Fuel Cell Trucks With Gorgeous HDC-6 Neptune - ExtremeTech

Battery-electric trucks weigh too much for cross-country hauling. The Hyundai hydrogen concept semi has a huge cabin, even a shower ...

NAWA’s Radical Electric Motorcycle Highlights The Potential Of Supercapacitors In EVs

NAWA Technologies' sleek Racer concept electric motorcycle has some special tech under the hood (or in those pods, as it were), and it could be a peek at a potentially major performance boost for electric bikes and cars.

Canoo eschews traditional vehicle constraints, ditches EV battery enclosure - Electrek

With an EV skateboard powertrain, you can throw away design limitations imposed by internal-combustion engines. Canoo is taking that idea as far as it can.

Hybrid airliners could come to dominate the skies - Electrifying flight

They use both orthodox engines and electric motors in an optimum mix

Electric Aviation Is Poised for a Revolution—and It's About Time | Pacific Standard

Infinitum Electric Creates Printed-Circuit-Board-Stator Motor

Infinitum Electric has created a new electric motor that manages to be much lighter than conventional ones. The secret is a printed circuit board stator.

Hyundai, Nikola and Toyota Start to Build Hydrogen Highway | Trucks.com

Hyundai Motor Co. believes the Class 8 truck of the future will run on hydrogen fuel cell technology. It joins Toyota and Nikola on the hydrogen highway.

The Faster, Cheaper, Better Way to Charge Electric Vehicles | WIRED

Opinion: Forget fast-charging. Battery swapping is back—and it's the tech of the future.

No, e-bikes aren’t cheating - The Verge

A common complaint you hear about electric bikes is that they basically amount to cheating. Cycling, especially mountain biking, is supposed to be about exercise and promoting healthy living, but how healthy can you be when the bike’s motor and battery are doing most of the work for you? A new study out this week — the first to investigate the health effects of pedal-assist electric bikes — puts to rest many of these misconceptions.

Integrated BIM Workflows in Modular Prefabricated Construction: Concept to Fabricate

Prefabrication and modular construction have become increasingly significant in building design and construction management. Building Information Modeling (BIM) combined with fabrication has enabled…

Wood in the construction process - Swedish Wood

A Field Guide to Boxy, Stumpy Apartment Buildings

Understanding the new look of America’s cities requires being able to tell your five-over-ones from your Texas doughnuts. So here goes.

Why America’s New Apartment Buildings All Look the Same

Cheap stick framing has led to a proliferation of blocky, forgettable mid-rises—and more than a few construction fires.

Production Line: How Sweden Is Pioneering Automated, Prefab Timber Construction - Architizer Journal

Prefab homes: what the U.S. can learn from Japan - Curbed

Prefabricated housing is poised for wider adoption

‘Plyscrapers’: The rise of the wooden skyscraper - BBC Future

Timber skyscrapers are sprouting up across the globe, from Vancouver to Vienna. Are they strong enough? Will they rot? And won't they burn down?

How Industry 4.0 Impacts Engineering Design - ASME

Industry 4.0—digital processes such as the Internet of Things, automation, robotics, and additive manufacturing—has a disruptive impact on mechanical engineering design. As Industry 4.0 takes hold, engineers need to embrace these tools and technologies.

Markforged 3-D Printers Are Saving This UK Automotive Manufacturer Time And Money

3-D printers from Markforged allowed Dunlop Systems and Components to bring tooling production in-house, allowing them to make these critical manufacturing support pieces faster and cheaper.

Better Public Schools Won’t Fix Income Inequality - The Atlantic

Like many rich Americans, I used to think educational investment could heal the country’s ills—but I was wrong. Fighting inequality must come first.

Elementary-School Curriculum Is All Wrong - The Atlantic

In the early grades, U.S. schools value reading-comprehension skills over knowledge. The results are devastating, especially for poor kids.

A Migration Proposal to Help Both the U.S. and Mexico - The Atlantic

One potential means of easing the border crisis between the U.S. and Mexico comes from an unlikely place: Medicare regulations.

To end mass incarceration, cap all prison sentences at 20 years - Vox

Mass incarceration is fueled by long prison sentences. It’s time to do something about it.

Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2019 | Prison Policy Initiative

Report showing the number of people who are locked up in different types of facilities and why - 2019.

Could mandatory national service bring down the walls that divide us? | America Magazine

A year of mandatory national service—an obligation regardless of gender and economic class—would preserve our heritage of individuality while forging a badly needed sense of common purpose.

Myths of Student-Loan Debt | National Review

Bail reform, which could save millions of innocent people from jail, explained - Vox

Hundreds of thousands of unconvicted people languish in jails on any given day simply because they can’t afford bail.

Sex robots could totally redefine the institution of marriage.

With sexual needs outsourced to robots, marriages could become stronger than ever.