Brian Potter @_brianpotter
Writes Construction Physics. Senior infrastructure fellow at @IFP constructionphysics.substack.com Joined January 2022-
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When Ford introduced the Model T in 1908 for $850, no other car offered so many features for the same price. And it kept getting cheaper; by 1916 it was selling for just $360. This week on Construction Physics, I look at the birth of the Model T. construction-physics.com/p/ford-and-the…
Reminder: one of China's biggest fears is that someday we might actually fix our broken immigration system (instead of actively making it worse).
Reminder: one of China's biggest fears is that someday we might actually fix our broken immigration system (instead of actively making it worse). https://t.co/FDyMYCl5By
The US uses around 322 billion gallons of water each day. This week on Construction Physics, I look at where it all goes. construction-physics.com/p/how-does-the…
I became a minister and set up a website where I would absolve people's sins over the internet for $1.
I became a minister and set up a website where I would absolve people's sins over the internet for $1.
Storing natural gas is nearly free, 1000x cheaper than batteries per kilowatt-hour. Solar PV needs storage that cheap. I'm leading Standard Thermal to do this. Our testing over 2 years has overcome some of the biggest barriers, so I wrote about it. austinvernon.substack.com/p/building-ult…
How was penicillin able to eliminate 80% of WWII battlefield deaths? Why did nails once make up 0.4% of US GDP? In The Origins of Efficiency, @_brianpotter unpacks how production efficiency happens, and why it is of civilizational importance. Preorder: press.stripe.com/origins-of-eff…
My book, "The Origins of Efficiency", is now officially available for preorder. construction-physics.com/p/my-book-the-…
This week on Construction Physics I look at Group Technology, a little known industrial improvement system that emerged from the Soviet Union in the 1950s. construction-physics.com/p/group-techno…
Great example of Simpson's paradox here: The marriage + homeownership rate has collapsed, but within each marital group, homeownership has increased since 1990!
Great example of Simpson's paradox here: The marriage + homeownership rate has collapsed, but within each marital group, homeownership has increased since 1990! https://t.co/zTXKTQfVKH
The totally groundless firing of Dr. Erika McEntarfer, my successor as Commissioner of Labor Statistics at BLS, sets a dangerous precedent and undermines the statistical mission of the Bureau. For a full statement opposing this move, read: friendsofbls.org/updates/2025/8…
This wonderful project has sparked excitement as an example of affordable housing in an expensive European city. However, an exploration of the project and its costs reveals that it isn't cheap. Let's take a tour.
This wonderful project has sparked excitement as an example of affordable housing in an expensive European city. However, an exploration of the project and its costs reveals that it isn't cheap. Let's take a tour.
Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future, out August 26 danwang.co/breakneck/
Prototyping Manufacturing Guide :🧵 You have CAD and an idea, cool. Now make the first 10... I'll talk Capex, Supply Chain, Early design validation, and how to manage design risk, cost, quality, and schedule Let's dive in! (1/17)
Thread: This Construction Physics blog post is a must read for anyone trying to understand how the PRC outpaced the United States in shipbuilding – and anyone who wants to understand how to catch up and keep our edge in other critical industries.
Thread: This Construction Physics blog post is a must read for anyone trying to understand how the PRC outpaced the United States in shipbuilding – and anyone who wants to understand how to catch up and keep our edge in other critical industries.
This week on Construction Physics: where are vacation homes in the US? construction-physics.com/p/where-are-va…
Superb history of #China #shipbuilding by @_brianpotter! Glad tables from @NavalWarCollege/@ChinaMaritime volume on "Chinese Naval Shipbuilding" with @NavalInstitute/@USNIBooks were useful... amazon.com/Chinese-Naval-… ...as well as from CMSI's very first "Red Book" monograph!…
Superb history of #China #shipbuilding by @_brianpotter! Glad tables from @NavalWarCollege/@ChinaMaritime volume on "Chinese Naval Shipbuilding" with @NavalInstitute/@USNIBooks were useful... amazon.com/Chinese-Naval-… ...as well as from CMSI's very first "Red Book" monograph!…
The People's Republic of China first began to build ships for export in 1975. By 2010, it had become the largest shipbuilder in the world, a title it still holds today. This week on Construction Physics, I look at the history of Chinese shipbuilding. construction-physics.com/p/how-china-be…
I was talking to a SpaceX engineer ~8 years ago, asking about his day to day work, which just wasn’t making sense what I knew from my days in physical product development (Solidworks, etc). I finally asked what tool he used most when he sat down to do work – “Python” was his…
I was talking to a SpaceX engineer ~8 years ago, asking about his day to day work, which just wasn’t making sense what I knew from my days in physical product development (Solidworks, etc). I finally asked what tool he used most when he sat down to do work – “Python” was his…

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