When components leak, sizing them up for repairs can be extremely difficult. This isn’t just due to distance and locale—many are underground or underwater—but also safety issues. If components carry hazardous substances, manual measurement is inherently riskier than noncontact alternatives. Visibility can also be an issue, with steam or process plumes blocking faulty pipes from view.

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Meritocracy—the idea that individuals should advance based on their talent and hard work—appeals to our sense of fairness. However, despite its noble intentions, meritocracy often fails in practice.

Emilio J. Castilla’s The Meritocracy Paradox (Columbia University Press, 2025) highlights how unconscious biases and systemic barriers undermine this ideal, especially in hiring,…

One hour after takeoff from London’s Heathrow Airport on an intercontinental flight to the U.S., the pilot announced the aircraft was returning, “because my windshield just shattered.” After gasps from passengers, he calmly announced there was no danger, but there would be a long delay to secure and load a different aircraft. 

Once safely on the Heathrow tarmac, the pilot…