Essays

Robot Dexterity Still Seems Hard

You can’t throw a rock these days without hitting someone trying to build humanoid robots.

Apr 24 •

50 Things I’ve Learned Writing Construction Physics

I’ve been writing Construction Physics since September of 2020.

Apr 17 •

Who Wins Nobel Prizes?

The most prestigious scientific achievement is likely the Nobel Prize, which is awarded every year to “those who confer the greatest benefit to mankind…

Mar 26 •

Understanding Solar Energy

The biggest energy story of the last fifteen years is the rise of solar photovoltaics, also known as solar PV or simply solar panels.

Mar 20 •

Will Boom Successfully Build a Supersonic Airliner?

Boom Supersonic is an aerospace startup trying to build a supersonic airliner.

Mar 6 •

Why it's so hard to build a jet engine

Civilization's toughest technical challenges are those that require extraordinary (and constantly improving) performance to be delivered at a low cost.

Feb 28 •

How Will the Trump Tariffs Affect Construction?

Earlier this month the Trump administration announced hefty 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, along with an additional 10% tariffs on Chinese…

Feb 12 •

Inside the Interconnection Queue

Electric power in the US is provided by the electrical grid, a huge network of power plants, transmission lines, and transformers that moves electric…

Feb 5 •

Why Is Homeowners Insurance Getting So Expensive?

The recent Los Angeles fires have highlighted the rising costs of homeowners insurance in the US.

Jan 23 •

Why Skyscrapers Became Glass Boxes

Everything put into the building that is unnecessary, every cubic foot that is used for purely ornamental purposes beyond that needed to express its use…

Jan 13 •

Morris Chang and the Origins of TSMC

Book review of the autobiography of Morris Chang.

Dec 31, 2024 •

Energy Cheat Sheet

Building an intuition about energy

Dec 20, 2024 •

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