🌉 9 Bridge Facts You Didn't Know

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Hello Fellow Engineers!

This week’s newsletter is packed with everything from life-sized LEGO bikes to accidentally “strong” interchanges and, of course, a fresh Bridge Review that'll have you thinking twice before getting your feet wet at the Moses Bridge.

We’re diving into 9 surprising bridge facts, featuring a civil engineering wonder, and showcasing Paddy’s new wood-carving hobby—because clearly, he’s been watching me play too much Timberborn! Plus, don't miss this week's Indie Game of the Week, where I made some questionable profits selling fake Pokémon cards.

Grab your hard hats and read on!

Let’s dive into it 👇

Before we dive in, a huge thank you to everyone who entered the Turmoil giveaway! 🥳

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for...

🥁 Drumroll, please… 🥁

The winners of the 11 copies of Turmoil and all the DLCs are...

…deep breath…

Archie F., Samuel J G., Stefan B., Jean T., Micric, Rahim F., Phil D., Natalie M., Harry S., Dennis G., and Jess D.! 🎉

Check your emails for your Steam keys—you’ll be striking oil and digging deep in no time! 🛢️🚂

Stay tuned for more giveaways and don’t forget to submit an engineering project in today’s poll for a chance to win next week’s big game giveaway - I’ve got THREE copies of Dungeon Tycoon ready and waiting!

⚡ Cool Links

🚴‍♀️ Life Size 3D Printed LEGO Bike
Matt Denton just 3D printed a life-sized LEGO bike, and honestly, LEGO should start selling more kits in this size. I wouldn’t want to step on those pieces!

👀 This Reddit User accidentally built the strongest interchange I’ve seen on CS2…
Over on the Cities: Skylines 2 subreddit, one Reddit user built a strong looking interchange. One of us, one of us…

🌉 9 Facts About Bridges You Probably Don’t Know
There are 600,000 bridges in the U.S., and millions cross them every day—yet most people know more about Netflix recommendations than these marvels of engineering. Get ready for 9 bridge facts that'll make you double-check that support beam next time!

🤯 The “Notre Dam” in Timberborn!
Reddit User, u/SilverHeart_101 just built the Notre Dame in Timberborn, and honestly, it’s better than half the work some architects put out! Beavers might have a better grasp on design than we thought!

👷‍♂️ Truss Me, I’m an Engineer…

The Itaipú Dam

This week’s civil engineering masterpiece is none other than the Itaipú Dam, which the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World—and for good reason. It’s a structure so powerful it could probably run all your gaming rigs and keep your fridge stocked with cold drinks for years. Built by Paraguay and Brazil, this beast stretches nearly 5 miles across the Alto Paraná River, and it’s not here to mess around.

With 20 massive turbines generating a casual 14,000 megawatts of electricity, Itaipú is one of the largest hydroelectric projects in the world. Basically, it's the Chuck Norris of dams—delivering enough power to keep your local city lights on while still having some juice leftover to run Brazil's espresso machines.

Oh, and did I mention it’s 643 feet tall? You'd need a serious ladder to fix a lightbulb up there. Built between 1975 and 1982, this gravity-defying structure even submerged the famous Guaíra Falls. But hey, when you’re creating enough energy to power multiple countries, something’s gotta give, right?

Itaipú Dam is what happens when engineers say, "It can't be done? Hold my blueprint."

🐕‍🦺 Paddy’s Corner

Paddy Takes Up Wood Carving…

So it turns out Paddy has been watching me play way too much Timberborn because now he’s taken up wood carving—just like a beaver!

In this video, my apprentice is biting into some serious woodworking projects (literally). I think he’s trying to show off his beaver skills, but honestly, I’m worried he’s aiming for my job. 😆

👾 Indie Game of the Week:

This week, I got sucked into TCG Card Shop Simulator, where I sold fake Pokémon cards for profit! My editor, @TheSuitedBird, clearly had a master plan: recommend a game that gets me addicted to opening packs, so I’d stop noticing his escape attempts from the basement.

Mission accomplished - it worked.

In this game, you run your own card shop, stock it with the latest packs, set prices, hire staff, and host events. It’s like living out your dream of becoming a “Pokémon” card tycoon, minus the actual cardboard!

Watch me rake in the profits here:

It’s time for a Bridge Review!

Today we’re looking at the Moses Bridge in the Netherlands—a clever piece of engineering that lets you literally walk through the water like you're auditioning for a biblical remake. You know, because why build a bridge over water when you can make it ten times harder by cutting through it?

The concept is super cool, but I can’t help but wonder how many engineers had to stand there and say, “No, Steve, it won’t flood... probably.”

Points for creativity, but next time, maybe consider a bridge that doesn’t double as a swimming lesson.

Score: 7.2/10—cool design, but points off for needing a lifeguard to cross a bridge!

🏗 r/realcivilengineer Spotlight

This LEGO Ideas bridge set is just awesome—it’s already got over 4,000 supporters, and we featured it in the last newsletter! Let’s help get it to the 10,000 votes it needs to become an official set. Check it out and cast your vote! 🧱💪

We need this set of bridges in LEGO form—it's literally an engineer’s dream! Imagine geeking out over all these different bridge designs on your desk.