Data & Eggs
Volume 260
In this week’s edition: the future of the night sky, the decline of the city grid, and the potential extinction of 1 million species.
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Starlink satellite trains: Is this the future of the night sky?
While most of the news about Elon Musk revolves around Twitter these days, one of his other projects — SpaceX — has quietly forged ahead at remarkable pace. In the last three years alone, SpaceX has gone from having 60 satellites in space to launching over 3,500 Starlinks to date. But as more and more Starlinks find their way into our skies, they’re outshining other stars and making some wonder whether we need to dim their brightness.
02
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The decline of the city grid
If you visit Chicago, you’ll almost certainly notice one thing: a lot of 90° turns. That’s because Chicago has the world’s most consistent, orderly grid layout. Contrast that with a city like London, when Renaissance-era urban planners favored radial cities, and the experience is night and day. This piece from The Economist allows you to explore the major metros across the globe that closely adhere to a perfect grid.
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On the brink
A crisis is brewing in the natural world, as nearly 1 million species are on the brink of extinction. When a species is lost, a whole set of characteristics disappears along with it — genes, behaviors, activities, interactions — and deprives its ecosystem of its potentially vital contribution. An important global deal struck late last year has the potential to help, but only if the world’s nations stick to their end of the bargain.
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Why the super rich are inevitable
Why do extremely rich people exist in our society? Is it because some individuals are just more financially savvy than others? That may be part of it; but as some mathematicians have argued in recent years, fundamental aspects of our economy play an important role too. Alvin Chang from The Pudding walks us through what the “yard sale” model can tell us about how inequality develops at scale.
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Twelve European countries broke temperature records in 2022
An analysis by The Guardian shows that 12 European countries recorded their highest ever temperature anomaly for at least one month in 2022. The largest temperature increases were recorded towards the end of the year, with countries like Austria, France, Croatia, and Greece setting records in October and December. Globally, 2022 was the fifth warmest year on record according to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Services.