They're on the way. But not in the US, or at least, not in New York.

And you won't get me into one of them.

If Liftport or Black Line Ascension have their way, there will be a 60 thousand mile high skyscraper.

Like Ed, I was going to say that carbon nanotube technology will allow for contruction of structures way taller than a mile. If they can build a 60,000 mile high beanstock, they can certainly put up something 2-3 miles high (and 2-3 miles deep to sit on the ocean floor, depending on how resistant nanotube are to sea water corrosion).

In any case, the economics of most places do not justify such high buildings. Based on stuff like ventilation and utility constraints, the economic break points of high-rise construction are at around 11-12 floors, 40 floors, and around 70-75 floors. This is why most place have a lot of building around these heights and few higher.

Nonetheless, we all know that tall buildings, like Ferrari sports cars, are the substitute phallises of choice. Its the old "mine's bigger than yours" thing. So, developers will continue to build them higher and higher as long as someone is willing to pay for them.

Does Brad Edwards start a new space elevator company every other year? How many is he up to now?

Of course, it doesn't exactly hurt that the tower currently under construction most likely to take the crown is in a country that the terrorists come from, not attack.

I think the towers of Diaspar were more than a mile high, possibly two miles.

There is plent y of internal terrorism inside arab countries.

Shitte vs sunni, Islamists vs royalists,

Nationalists vs monarchists

heck, jewish terrorists blew up rabin,
but Simberg won't ever talk about that.

And yet strangely, with all the terrorists, Burj Al Arab is still standing.

Perhaps al-Qaeda appreciates good architecture?

Reason to worry about the US: At one time, any child could proudly tell you that the Empire State Building was the world's tallest. Even King Kong could find it! Today most Americans don't know, much less care that the tallest building is made in Taiwan. (My pictures of Taipei 101 appeared June 19-20)

That's because Taipei 101 is quite possibly the single most ugly skyscraper ever built.

Adrasteia:

I was thinking the same thing! That is one butt-ugly building. The others pictured in the linked article are a mixed bag -- Sears is also the kind of building which attracts tenants so they won't have to see it from their windows, but some of the others are quite elegant. The Federation Tower and the Korean project both have a really appealing world-of-tomorrow look.

Heck, a Palestinian terrorist assassinated RFK, but anonymous won't ever talk about that.

A mile high building? They'll have to bite the bullet and make provisions for organized BASE jumping, or else they'll have to spend $$$ on extra security. Those folks are nutz.