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Bacteria And Tunnels

2026-03-02 · 16:01 UTC ·The Browser ·3 min read

Brief

The Browser’s 2 March 2026 newsletter “Bacteria And Tunnels” highlights two long-form pieces: Régine Debatty’s 27 Feb 2026 review (We Make Money Not Art) of a book reframing architectural history around microbes — claiming hospitals, parks, sewers and bathrooms evolved as responses to microbial risks and ecosystems (≈1,000 words) — and Grady Hillhouse’s 17 Feb 2026 Practical Engineering feature on the rise of hobby tunnelling (≈3,000 words), including a notable amateur tunnel under a Toronto carpark that provoked terrorism concerns until the digger surfaced. Hillhouse offers practical engineering cautions (permits, spoil disposal, fire risk). The edition, edited by Caroline Crampton, promotes The Browser’s paid daily recommendations and links to the full pieces and author pages.

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Bacteria And Tunnels

By Caroline Crampton • 2 Mar 2026 | View in browser

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We The Bacteria

Régine Debatty | We Make Money Not Art | 27th February 2026Review of a book offering an "alternative history of architecture from the point of view of microbes". It argues that our entire built environment was created in service to microbial ecosystems. From plague hospitals to urban parks, via sewage systems and indoor bathrooms, the way we build structures has been influenced by microbes, the diseases they can bring, and our fears of infection (1,000 words)

Puzzle: Play Nomido, the Browser’s daily word game.

So You Want To Build A Tunnel...

Grady Hillhouse | Practical Engineering | 17th February 2026

"Hobby tunnelling" is increasingly popular. Amateur engineers, captivated by the idea of carving their own passageways into a subterranean wilderness, are just getting on with it. One example under a Toronto carpark sparked fears of terrorist plots until the maker came forward: "It was just a guy who liked digging." Tips for diggers: check your permits, think about spoil disposal, and watch out for fires (3,000 words)

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Caroline Crampton , Editor-In-Chief; Robert Cottrell , Founding Editor; Kaamya Sharma , Editor; Sylvia Bishop , Assistant Publisher; Jodi Ettenberg , Associate Editor; Uri Bram , CEO & Publisher; Al Breach , Founding Director

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