Ivan vs. the Big Easy
The cone of probability for Hurricane Ivan’s strike on the southeastern U.S. now includes New Orleans, and at least one computer model now has the storm going straight over the Big Easy. A Category 5 hurricane strike on New Orleans would be an unmitigated disaster; New Orleans sits in a bowl well below sea level, and hasn’t suffered a major storm–here defined as one with winds over 111 mph–since 1969. Ivan is currently at 160 mph, with storm surges in Cuba of 8 feet, and has already killed 68 people. Should the storm reach landfall in New Orleans, that city could be in for a world of hurt unlike anything it’s seen in modern times.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
The worst technology of 2021
Face filters, billionaires in space, and home-buying algorithms that overpay all made our annual list of technology gone wrong.
A horrifying new AI app swaps women into porn videos with a click
Deepfake researchers have long feared the day this would arrive.
Meet Altos Labs, Silicon Valley’s latest wild bet on living forever
Funders of a deep-pocketed new "rejuvenation" startup are said to include Jeff Bezos and Yuri Milner.
A gene-edited pig’s heart has been transplanted into a human for the first time
The procedure is a one-off, and highly experimental, but the technique could help reduce transplant waiting lists in the future.
Stay connected
Illustration by Rose WongGet the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.