🚢 Why did that bridge collapse?

"This world is but a canvas to our imagination." - Henry David Thoreau

Author

Nate Huskey
March 28, 2024

WHY DID THE FRANCIS SCOTT KEY BRIDGE COLLAPSE?

IMAGE CREDIT: MIKE SEGAR/REUTERS

A massive cargo ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on Tuesday in Baltimore, collapsing one of the largest truss bridges in the world.

Engineers are scrambling to understand why the bridge collapsed, as it is one of the largest shipping accidents in recent memory.

WHY IT HAPPENED?

  • The ship seems to have lost power and could not be steered away from colliding with the foundation of the bridge.

  • These bridges are not built to withstand collisions from such enormous vessels, as the ship was 948 feet long and weighed 95,000 tons while traveling at 7 miles an hour.

GO DEEPER: Read more here

SCIENCE

PARALYZED MAN USES COMPUTER USING BRAIN IMPLANT

Noland Arbaugh, a 29-year-old man paralyzed from the neck down, was shown on a livestream using a computer to play Chess solely using the power of his brainwaves.

By implanting a chip into Arbaugh’s brain, the tech start-up Neuralink was able to connect the activity in his brain to commands on a computer, allowing Arbaugh to use the computer without any help despite his condition.

WHY IT MATTERS?

  • Arbaugh is Neuralink’s first patient.

  • This livestream shows Neuralink could improve the lives of millions suffering from paralysis.

GO DEEPER: See the video here

ARTS

TEENS WRECK THEIR PARENTS’ CARS LESS THAN THEIR OWN

Teens learning to drive are safer when driving a family car as opposed to their own personal vehicle.

Australian researchers found that teens are 30% more likely to get into an accident driving their own car compared to a family car, even after several years of driving experience.

WHY IT MATTERS?

  • Car crashes are one of the leading causes of mortality among teens and young adults

  • Parents can directly improve the safety of their child on the road by refusing to get them their own car

GO DEEPER: Read more here

QUICK HITS:

  • Origami might be the key to building on the moon? Learn more here

  • Did you know birds dream while flying? Here’s why

  • The Broad Museum is nearly doubling in size, adding 55,000 square feet to its current location in downtown Los Angeles

BOOK OF THE WEEK: What if? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe

This book takes the ridiculous thoughts you have in the shower and applies the scientific method to them, answering the questions you’re embarassed to ask.