Benchmark Blog

Valuing rooftop solar is tricky

How much is rooftop solar worth? This simple question has stimulated a raging debate between electric utilities and solar advocates.

Blame and vertical integration

The screen displayed when Windows crashes features a particularly frustrating problem: It is difficult to know who is to blame for the crash.

Is data nonrivalrous?

Rivalry describes goods where one person’s use subtracts from or prevents the use of that good by another.

Re-thinking nuclear waste disposal

There is a widely held narrative in the US that nuclear waste can never be anything less than life-threatening. This is factually inaccurate.

DIY vaccines and citizen science

Smallpox was one of the deadliest, most harmful diseases in human history, until Lady Montagu created a vaccine.

What The Office teaches us about immigrants

Policymakers should lead the way in considering how they can recognize credentials and experience from outside of the US.

Xeriscaping the West

Sweltering days with soaring temperatures mean high rates of water use. And the future will likely bring even more demand for water.

Let’s become a nation of bettors

There will always be demand for fake news and charlatans who confirm one’s priors. To save our democracy, we need betting markets.

A modernized approach to nuclear energy

The US Department of Energy (DOE) wants to help colonize space, and they want to do it with nuclear energy.

Tracing the impact of automation on workers and firms

Workers and policyworkers worry that after the pandemic, they’ll find even more robots in the workplace. Those fears are overblown.

Round 2 of Cash vs. Covid-19

Lawmakers are still negotiating on an aid package to help us cope with the economic effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

What can we expect at the tech antitrust hearing, an FAQ

This hearing will vary dramatically in the key questions and policy remedies posed to each company. This helps cut through the noise.

Everybody in politics hates how social media works

This article discusses how conservatives and liberals accuse social media platforms of censorship, focusing on bias in content moderation.

The problem with today’s tech hearing, in 6 charts

A New CGO/YouGov poll measures how people viewed tech companies, their impact on their lives, and the prospects of breaking them up.

Children don’t belong in immigrant detention centers

Recent reports exposed how bad life is for the children in detention centers along our southern border. They don't belong there.

Towards an era of human-oriented computing

Power relationships can be deceptive, even those with inanimate objects. Who is in charge, you or your computer?

Consumers value Facebook to the tune of $1 trillion a year

Having an honest conversation about social media regulation needs to begin with an honest conversation about the value that they provide.

Remotely satisfied

Technology has eroded the barriers to long-distance communications. What is so powerful about remote experiences?

Working from home is benefiting the environment

As employers continue to reap the benefits of higher productivity and engagement, remote workers will also continue to benefit.

The Post-COVID world needs micromobility

We expect the number of cars on the streets to rise as cities begin to open up because fewer people will use public transportation.

Micromobility in a post-COVID world

Micromobility presents alternative options for commuters going to work, and cities are backing it to prevent "Carmageddon."

How sanctuary saves lives

Sanctuary controversy arises because some see the policy as a security risk and others see it as a vital form of integration.

It may finally be time for unstoppable social media platforms

Twitter’s fact check of our esteemed President last week reignited a tricky debate over a law called Section 230.

A dangerous game

People from both sides of the aisle despise content moderation decisions that social media platforms make. Leave the law as it stands.

The surprising leaders in the fight against climate change

With companies internally pricing carbon and reducing emissions, the private sector has a vital role in addressing climate change.

Remote work and the screen-time debate

Should we worry about mental health and sleep patterns of the remote workers who are now spending more time on their electronic devices?

Which jobs and industries are most affected by COVID-19?

We investigate four characteristics that can shed light on the groups of jobs and workers that have been most adversely affected by COVID-19.

The Apple Google API is a supplement to manual tracing, not a substitute

The API has faced a spat of criticism, with concerns about effectiveness and privacy. But this API is the best possible framework.

The value of sanctuary

Research shows that there are no public safety risks from sanctuary policy. Ultimately, sanctuary might make communities safer.

We’re finally doing telehealth the right way

Telehealth offers solutions in bringing care to patients while removing the risks associated with a sick patient entering a medical facility.