Infrastructure
Trumpās new āBuy Americanā requirement for EV charging would dramatically curtail build-out
Trumpās new āBuy Americanā requirement for EV charging would dramatically curtail build-out Donald Trump’s administration has introduced a new “Buy American” requirement for EV charging infrastructure, which would significantly impact its build-out. The requirement states that EV chargers must be built in the US and use components originating from the US to receive federal funding. […]
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Why Philly has so many sinkholes
Why Philly has so many sinkholes Philadelphia experiences a high number of sinkholes due to its aging water infrastructure and geology, which includes areas with carbonate rock that can dissolve when exposed to acidic water. Sinkholes in Philly are often caused by pipe leaks or sediment washing away from underground pipes, leading to the formation […]
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Hacking the grid: How digital sabotage turns infrastructure into a weapon
Hacking the grid: How digital sabotage turns infrastructure into a weapon The modern power grid’s reliance on internet-connected computers makes it vulnerable to digital sabotage, where hackers can manipulate critical infrastructure without firing a shot. Malware can compromise controller devices, creating a “split reality” where legitimate commands are replaced with malicious instructions, leading to physical […]
š» Technology
West Coast levee failures show growing risks from Americaās aging flood defenses
West Coast levee failures show growing risks from Americaās aging flood defenses Levee failures on the West Coast highlight growing risks from America’s aging flood defenses, which are increasingly vulnerable to powerful atmospheric river storms and extreme weather events. The majority of levees in the US were not designed for the current level of rainfall […]
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Supply-chain delays, rising equipment prices threaten electricity grid
Supply-chain delays, rising equipment prices threaten electricity grid The US power grid is facing a crisis due to supply-chain delays, rising equipment prices, and limited materials, which threaten reliability and increase costs. The shortage of high-voltage transformers, circuit breakers, transmission cables, and other critical equipment is causing delays in construction projects, with lead times reaching […]
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Soaring electricity rates fueled Democratic victories ā now comes the hard part
Soaring electricity rates fueled Democratic victories ā now comes the hard part Rising electricity rates were a key factor in Democratic victories in New Jersey, Virginia, and Georgia, highlighting concerns over energy policy and infrastructure. The US power grid is struggling to keep up with growing demand from AI data centers, electric vehicles, and domestic […]
šļø Politics
What is DNS? A computer engineer explains this foundational piece of the web ā and why itās the internetās Achillesā heel
What is DNS? A computer engineer explains this foundational piece of the web ā and why itās the internetās Achillesā heel DNS (Domain Name System) is the internet’s “phone book” that translates names into IP addresses, but recent outages have highlighted its vulnerability. A recent AWS outage on Oct. 20, 2025, showed how DNS failures […]
š» Technology
Future of nationās energy grid hurt by Trumpās funding cuts
Future of nationās energy grid hurt by Trumpās funding cuts The Trump administration’s cancellation and freezing of clean energy funding has also hurt essential work to improve the nation’s power grid, leaving Americans vulnerable to more frequent and longer-lasting power outages. The Department of Energy has defended the cancellations, citing that the projects did not […]
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The Erie Canal: How a ābig ditchā transformed Americaās economy, culture and even religion
The Erie Canal: How a ābig ditchā transformed Americaās economy, culture and even religion The Erie Canal, completed on October 26, 1825, was a groundbreaking engineering marvel that transformed America’s economy, culture, and even religion. The canal, which stretched 363 miles from Lake Erie to New York City, revolutionized trade, immigration, and commerce, with shipping […]
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Flood-prone Houston faces hard choices for handling too much water
Flood-prone Houston faces hard choices for handling too much water Houston faces a hard choice between three competing options to contain flooding: a $30 billion system of eight tunnels proposed by the Harris County Flood Control District, a two-tunnel proposal from Elon Musk’s Boring Company, and a hybrid option combining elements of both. The engineering […]
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