"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Category: Engineering
Water Reservoir Mapping
10/04/23
“How can we map the locations of water reservoirs?”
Water reservoirs are an essential life source for people. As such, knowing their location is critically important. We can perform Water Reservoir Mapping in a variety of ways, from satellite images to GIS visualizations to hand drawing.
Designated Water-Holding Zones for Floods
10/02/23
“How can we designate water-holding zones for floods?”
The advent of climate change is making floods worse and worse. Some areas are bound to be flooded periodically. While many efforts have gone into holding water back, what if we were to instead allow it to flow into certain areas? By creating Designated Water-Holding Zones for Floods we can save people from water damage without wasting too many resources.
Why Having Too Many Workers in a Factory at Once Reduces Output
09/27/23
“Why does having too many workers in a factory at once reduce output?”
When a factory has too many workers at once, productivity is hampered by overcrowding. This leads to reduced output. This is Why Having Too Many Workers in a Factory at Once Reduces Output.
Why Coloring Contour Lines by Elevation Makes Topographic Maps Much Easier to Read
09/23/23
“Why does coloring contour lines by elevation make topographic maps much easier to read?”
Contour lines let readers know where different elevations lie on a topographic map. However, they can be hard to distinguish, making them especially difficult to read in dense mountainous areas. But if we color them based on elevation, then it becomes much clearer where the different elevation features are on the map. This is Why Coloring Contour Lines by Elevation Makes Topographic Maps Much Easier to Read.
Why Teaching Design Skills is Fundamental to Planning Education
09/21/23
“Why is teaching design skills fundamental to planning education?”
Urban Planning is focused on the design and policy around land use, urban form, and human infrastructure. Much of this involves understanding and creating designs of plans to be implemented. If urban planning students are able to master design skills, then they’ll have a much better command over the field. This is Why Teaching Design Skills is Fundamental to Planning Education.
Why Temporary Structures Are Often Used for Refugee Housing
09/19/23
“Why are temporary structures often used for refugee housing?”
Permanent structures are often what comes to mind when people think of housing. However, mass-building permanent structures for refugees can be difficult. Many refugee centers instead turn to temporary installations. These are less expensive, easier to move around and set up, and can be placed away when the refugees are ready to return home. This is Why Temporary Structures Are Often Used for Refugee Housing.
Why Designating a Street Historic in the US Can Make It Less Accessible for People With Disabilities
09/17/23
“Why can designating a street as historic in the U.S. make it less traversable for people with disabilities?”
Streets in the US were created at a wide variety of different times. Some were built before the Americans with Disabilities Act was created. These streets may use materials such as brick that are less accessible for many people with disabilities. While historic landmark streets are allowed to keep their brocks, if any major upgrade is done they have to swap them out with a more compliant material. This can be prohibitively expensive, so many municipal governments opt to not modify the street. This can lead to severe deterioration, making accessibility even worse. This is Why Designating a Street Historic in the US Can Make It Less Accessible for People With Disabilities.
Why Volunteers Make Building Flood Shelters Better
09/15/23
“Why do volunteers help make building flood shelters better?”
Governments commonly scramble to build shelters before major floods. One of the bottlenecks is the amount of labor available and paying for it. However, if civically-minded people with expertise were to volunteer to help out, this constraint would be ameliorated. This is Why Volunteers Make Building Flood Shelters Better.
Why Physical Constraints Produce Diminishing Returns in Industrial Economic Systems
09/14/23
“Why do physical constraints produce diminishing returns in industrial economic systems?”
Industrial economic systems transform raw materials into physical outputs. This can range from high-speed rail cars created to solar energy produced for households. Machinery is required in the creation process. Physical constraints such as limited fabrication machinery or smaller than expected electric supply will be a bottleneck in production and decrease activity. This is Why Physical Constraints Produce Diminishing Returns in Industrial Economic Systems.
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