I don’t think anything the author actually said in the article is too far removed from the current mindset of the average physicist. In fact, as far as I can tell none of the statements the author makes are particularly controversial, although I do find the title a bit click-baity, and the “animal” analogy a bit unwieldy. But if you insist on only listening to people who have made a “revolutionary breakthrough”, feel free to read the article by Nobel laureate Phillip W Anderson that the author cites as support (and which makes a similar, although perhaps not identical point in a better way imo).

It seems you’re misunderstanding the map. It’s how much space each of those categories is taking up as a fraction of the total area of the contiguous US, not where that land use primarily occurs.

Streets aren’t really mentioned either, besides “Rural highways”. I assume other streets and parking spaces are mostly included in “Urban/Rural housing” and/or “Urban commercial” (smaller rural streets might not be counted seperately from the surrounding land).

The article gives another reason:

Authorities say the river will help expand agricultural land and reduce the need to import food and wheat.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year drove a global surge in wheat prices, leaving Egypt struggling as it is the world’s biggest wheat importer.

In addition, in recent years there have been droughts in East Africa as well, which can’t have been good for the amount of water the Nile carries, and the dam you mention just adds to the whole thing.

For those wondering like me where the water is supposed to come from:

Authorities have said that water for the artificial river will come from recycled agricultural drainage and groundwater.

This doesn’t really strike me as a long term solution though, unless Egypt has vast reserves of groundwater.