The part of the computational science article that uses bridges as examples contains a marginal error regarding the Széchenyi (note the correct spelling) Chain Bridge in Budapest. That bridge opened for traffic on 20 November 1849. Post and Votta write, “Although the retreating Germans blew it up in 1945, the bridge has since been rebuilt according to its original design.” But that is not really the case.

The Széchenyi Chain Bridge was completely rebuilt from 1913 to 1915 and is essentially the same today as it was right after that reconstruction. During that rebuild, the biggest changes involved significantly strengthening the pillars and replacing the chains with new high-strength steel ones. Each element of the new chain was roughly double the size of the original. Both types of elements were on display for many years in the hallways of the Technical University of Budapest and still may be there. A wonderful history of the bridge (in Hungarian but with many pictures) is available at http://www.idg.hu/expo/lanc.

I understand that the points made by Post and Votta do not in any way hinge on the accuracy of this minute detail. Yet it is an opportunity to marvel at the ingenuity of earlier generations of engineers. We owe it to them to get it right.