A critical analysis of the US economic decline compared to China's rise, highlighting the shift in global trading partnerships and systemic issues in the American financial system. The author proposes two solutions for maintaining US global dominance: implementing aggressive immigration policies to attract global talent and returning to the gold standard.
A developer documents their journey of building a custom ergonomic keyboard from scratch, including PCB design, aluminum enclosure machining, and custom keycap creation. The project involved learning hardware design, electronics, and various manufacturing processes, resulting in a successful low-profile keyboard with custom-designed components.
TSMC announced plans to invest over $100 billion in expanding its U.S. chip manufacturing operations, including three new chip plants, two packaging facilities, and an R&D center in Arizona. The significant expansion was announced jointly by TSMC CEO C.C. Wei and President Trump at the White House.
A detailed history of Japanese pencil manufacturing from 1952-1967, focusing on the rivalry between Tombow and Mitsubishi that led to groundbreaking innovations in pencil technology. The period marked significant advancements in manufacturing processes, design, and quality standards, culminating in the creation of two legendary pencils: Hi-Uni and MONO 100. Despite market changes, these pencils remain industry standards and continue to be manufactured today.
Scaling systems or projects by a factor of 100 requires complete rethinking of approaches and methodologies, illustrated through examples like bridge construction. Each order of magnitude increase presents unique challenges, but adding two zeros fundamentally disrupts all aspects of the problem domain and demands entirely new solutions.
Jet engine development represents one of engineering's toughest challenges, requiring extraordinary performance at low cost while operating near technological limits. Modern engines must achieve high efficiency, reliability, and safety across diverse conditions, with development costs reaching billions and taking decades to yield returns. The complexity and precision required in both design and manufacturing means only a handful of companies worldwide can successfully produce commercial jet engines.
A critique of the current web browser ecosystem discusses how complex web standards create barriers for new browser engines, suggesting a simplified WASM-based alternative. The proposed solution advocates for a browser that runs WASM blobs without HTML, JavaScript, or CSS, potentially enabling more innovation and diversity in browser development.
Engineers worldwide mobilized to create low-cost ventilators in response to anticipated COVID-19 demands, with organizations like NASA's JPL, Virgin Orbit, and gaming PC maker Maingear developing prototypes in days. While the immediate crisis was averted through social distancing measures, questions remain about the future utility and safety of these rapid-response ventilators, particularly in developing countries.
A Y Combinator-backed startup, Optifye.ai, has developed an AI surveillance system that monitors factory workers' movements and productivity through computer vision. The system, created by Duke University students from manufacturing families, allows supervisors to track worker efficiency in real-time and confront underperforming employees directly. The technology raises concerns about worker privacy and workplace conditions, similar to existing surveillance systems in remote work and Amazon warehouses.
Federal funding of scientific research, including seemingly obscure projects, consistently yields high returns with estimates suggesting $14-70 in social benefits per dollar spent. Government-funded basic research often leads to unexpected breakthroughs, like CRISPR and ARPANET, taking approximately 20 years from discovery to practical application. Private sector cannot effectively fund basic research due to long timelines and inability to capture full value, making government funding crucial for scientific advancement.