AI-operated robots write letters (video)

 

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Replacing Baltimore collapsed bridge

 

Rebuilding Baltimore's collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge could take from 18 months to several years and the cost could be at least $400 million — or more than twice that.

It all depends on many factors– from the design of the new bridge to how quickly government officials will approve permits and award contracts.

Realistically, the project could take five to seven years, according to Ben Schafer, an engineering professor at Johns Hopkins University.

Other experts are more optimistic about the potential timeline: Sameh Badie, an engineering professor at George Washington University, said the project could take as little as 18 months to two years.

The disaster is in some ways similar to the deadly collapse of Florida's Sunshine Skyway Bridge (photo) , which was struck by a freighter in Tampa Bay in 1980. The new bridge took five years to build, was 19 months late and ran $20 million over budget when it opened in 1987.

But experts say it's better to look to more recent bridge disasters for a sense of how quickly reconstruction will happen.

Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, cited the case of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minnesota, which collapsed into the Mississippi River in 2007. The new bridge was up in less than 14 months.

One worrying issue is the source of funding. President Joe Biden said the federal government will pay for the new bridge, but that remains to be seen.

Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota helped to obtain funding quickly to rebuild the I-35W bridge in her state. But she said “Replacing the Baltimore bridge could be more complicated. The I-35W bridge was a very busy federal interstate highway with about 140,000 vehicle crossings a day, compared with about 31,000 for the Baltimore bridge. But, on the other hand, Baltimore is a major port”. 

Sameh Badie, of George Washington University, said “The cost could be between $500 million and $1 billion. In my opinion, the largest variable will be the design. Steel is expensive these days. Besides, the limited number of construction companies that can tackle such a project are already busy with other jobs. A project like this must be expedited, so everything will cost a lot more".

Hota GangaRao, a West Virginia University engineering professor, said “The project could cost as little as $400 million. But that's only if the old bridge's pier foundations are used. Designers may want to locate the new supports farther away from the shipping channels to avoid another collision. That will be more steel, more complicated construction and more checks and balances".

Norma Jean Mattei, an emeritus engineering professor at the University of New Orleans, said replacing the Key Bridge likely will take several years. Even if it's a priority, the process of designing the bridge, getting permits and hiring contractors will take a lot of time. Then you must build it. It's a long process to get a bridge of this type into operation".

 

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Article from VOA News (edited)

       

The World’s Biggest Oil Producers in 2023

Despite efforts to decarbonize the global economy, oil is still one of the world’s most important resources. It is also produced by a limited group of countries.

This graphic illustrates global crude oil production in 2023, measured in million barrels per day, sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

 

Three Countries Account for 40% of Global Oil Production

In 2023, the United States, Russia, and Saudi Arabia collectively contributed 32.8 million barrels per day to global oil production.

These three nations have consistently dominated oil production since 1971.

In contrast, the combined production of the next three largest producers—Canada, Iraq, and China—reached 13.1 million barrels per day in 2023, surpassing the production of the United States alone.

In 2024, according to analysts, the U.S. will maintain its position as the top oil producer. In fact, according to Macquarie Group, U.S. oil production will achieve a record of about 14 million barrels per day by the end of the year.

From Visual Capitalist 

Finnair's new weigh-in policy

 

Finnair, Finland's flagship airline, is asking passengers at Helsinki Airport to voluntarily and anonymously weigh themselves with their carry-on luggage. This will help Finnair better estimate the weight of the airplane for safe takeoff and potentially save on fuel costs.

There are more than 600 volunteers. Finnair will thank them for their efforts with a small gift.

The weigh-in policy will continue until May. The Finnish transport and communications agency, Traficom, will receive the results and use them for loading calculations from next year until 2030.

Some people think this is a great safety and efficiency improvement and should be used by all airlines.

According to Statista, in 2021, commercial airlines worldwide used about 60 billion gallons of fuel annually. With fuel prices soaring in the last few years, due to the energy crisis following the Russia-Ukraine war, several airlines are now trying to be more cost and fuel-efficient.

If this study is successful, Finnair will probably implement this policy long-term, because it could potentially save the airline a considerable amount of money at a time when most European airlines are still struggling to return to pre-pandemic levels in terms of profits.

Finnair is facing increasing union strikes and, as a consequence, more than 500 flights cancellations.  It will be interesting to know  the impact these events will have on the airline’s profit margins this quarter.

On the other hand, several passengers were outraged at this new policy, taking to social media platform X to voice concerns about the airline using passengers’ weight data to discriminate against those who suffer from eating disorders or other medical conditions.

Many passengers are facing discriminatory airline seat policies on flights. Some must buy two seats, instead of one and some airplanes do not have appropriate seat belt extenders available for those who need them.

Adapted from NewsSky, The Guardian and Euronews

 Photos:  iStock and ChatGPT illustration

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Sora - the latest innovation in AI (video)

 

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Teahupo’o to host 2024 Olympic Games Surfing Event (captions)

 

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2024 Olympic surfing event in Tahiti

 

The Summer Olympic Games this year are in Paris, France.

Paris does not have an ocean. So, how do organizers plan to present competition in the sport of surfing?

They are taking that Olympic event to the South Pacific country of French Polynesia. The athletes will compete on the island of Tahiti, in a small coastal village called Teahupo’o. The area is rural. It did not even have a road until the 1970s.

Hundreds of people are expected to visit Teahupo’o to watch the sport, from July 27 to August 4.

The place has a special energy, a feeling known as “mana” in the local language. And the people who live there want that special quality protected. There are concerns that a week of Olympic competition in Teahupo’o could destroy the “mana” and harm the environment that surrounds it.

Proposed preparations for the event included building temporary housing, roads, and even a large structure out on the water. Opposition to the plans quickly grew. Environmentalists, locals and surfers joined forces to protect Teahupo’o’s culture, its corals and other sea life.

The group told the Olympic organizers they did not want new buildings or roads. And organizers are adjusting their plans as a result. For example, they will not be building any Olympic housing. Instead, athletes will stay on a nearby boat.

In December a boat working on some Olympic construction hit a piece of the reef and broke it. Since the incident the relationship between the organizers and locals has improved. The Olympic group is moving slowly and asking for more input from the local groups.

  

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Article adapted from VOA News