Builders are back on site to rebuild Notre Dame
After a fire engulfed Notre Dame last year, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to rebuild the 850 year old cathedral within five years. COVID-19 put a slight dent in those plans, but now the workers are back on site this week to continue the effort. The rebuilding challenges have not been Read More...
Robots are already making contact-free deliveries in some American cities
You might not see many people walking down the sidewalk in downtown Fairfax, Virginia, during the pandemic, but it’s possible that you’ll see a robot. The city is the latest to partner with Starship Technologies, a company that makes small delivery robots and now operates a fleet of 20 in Read More...
NASA engineers use their incredible engineering capacity to build ventilator
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is typically busy with building spacecraft. But due to the increasing shortage of ventilators in hospitals, in the last month, the engineering lab has shifted in high gears to make the best use of its scientific capacity to develop the life-saving medical Read More...
Coping with loneliness during a pandemic
95 percent of Americans are under shelter in place orders to stop the spread of COVID-19, but the repercussions of loneliness can also be dangerous to our mental wellbeing. Calls to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline are up 300 percent. So how can we cope with loneliness during the pandemic? Read More...
California will be the first state to pay restaurants to feed seniors
As we all know by now, the coronavirus pandemic has been devastating for the service industry, causing restaurants to close their doors and lay off workers. In a novel attempt to get restaurants rehiring workers right away, California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a new aid program in which Read More...
How COVID-19 is reshaping our cities
COVID-19 is changing the shape of our cities. We have talked about cities like Oakland which are closing streets for pedestrians and the expansion of bike lanes in New York and Bogotá. The pandemic is continuing to revolutionize how people get around. Here are some ways our metropolitan areas are Read More...
Paris is turning its motorist-friendly streets into post-lockdown cycleways
To minimize social contact and maximize daily physical activity, many cities around the world have been giving over road space to cyclists and pedestrians during the pandemic. While the idea is to give people the sort of generous space generally allotted to motorists, it’s also giving cities a Read More...
Using humor as a coping mechanism for COVID-19
Over the past few weeks, most of us have found some relief from COVID-19 anxieties with the help of cartoons, memes, and jokes to loved ones. If a daily chuckle is keeping you sane during these bizarre and frustrating times, you’re not alone. Humor is a remarkably powerful tool for overcoming Read More...
Senate approves additional Paycheck Protection Program funding
The initial $349 billion fund allocated for economic relief for small businesses facing COVID-19 challenges ran out in just two weeks, but an additional $320 billion in funding was approved by the Senate Tuesday afternoon and is set to pass through the House. The money will go towards the Read More...
How reforestation could help prevent another pandemic
The big question right now is “how do we prevent another pandemic from occurring?” As governments and medical professionals grapple with how to keep future generations healthy, the answer could be found among environmentalists. Infectious diseases are on the rise and the Center for Disease Read More...