Engineering(Page 7)

A guide to the structures, machines, and systems that power and connect our world.

Latest in Engineering

drone on branch

It’s not a UFO—this drone is scooping animal DNA from the tops of trees It’s not a UFO—this drone is scooping animal DNA from the tops of trees

By Charlotte Hu

A night vision view of a C-17 pilot in the airplane's cockpit.

The illuminating tech inside night vision goggles, explained The illuminating tech inside night vision goggles, explained

high rise buildings in new york

This startup plans to collect carbon pollution from buildings before it’s emitted This startup plans to collect carbon pollution from buildings before it’s emitted

By Charlotte Hu

Will ‘flying cars’ cause traffic jams in the sky?

Will ‘flying cars’ cause traffic jams in the sky? Will ‘flying cars’ cause traffic jams in the sky?

By Andrew Zaleski

an aerial view of an intersection

What can ‘smart intersections’ do for a city? Chattanooga aims to find out. What can ‘smart intersections’ do for a city? Chattanooga aims to find out.

Hand wiping up liquid spill on table with a paper towel

New hydrogel sheets could one day replace paper towels New hydrogel sheets could one day replace paper towels

15 rocket launches from SpaceX, NASA, Blue Origin, and more in a collage

Rocket fuel might be polluting the Earth’s upper atmosphere Rocket fuel might be polluting the Earth’s upper atmosphere

One of Ford's battery modules

Ford used a quantum computer to explore EV battery materials Ford used a quantum computer to explore EV battery materials

By Harry Guinness

the surface of the moon revealing beautiful craters

This map-making AI could be the first step towards GPS on the moon This map-making AI could be the first step towards GPS on the moon

By Tatyana Woodall

Macro photo of a silkworm eating a mulberry leaf

Silkworm-inspired weaving techniques can produce better nanofibers Silkworm-inspired weaving techniques can produce better nanofibers

LUMI supercomputer

Why European researchers hooked up a quantum machine to a supercomputer Why European researchers hooked up a quantum machine to a supercomputer

By Harry Guinness

Three Tmsuk spider robots meant for sewer system inspections and repairs

Spider robots could soon be swarming Japan’s aging sewer systems Spider robots could soon be swarming Japan’s aging sewer systems

Magnetic microrobots could zap the bacteria out of your cold glass of milk Magnetic microrobots could zap the bacteria out of your cold glass of milk

By Charlotte Hu

the B-21 raider bomber

Our first look at the Air Force’s new B-21 stealth bomber was just a careful teaser Our first look at the Air Force’s new B-21 stealth bomber was just a careful teaser

The most ingenious engineering feats of 2022

The most ingenious engineering feats of 2022 The most ingenious engineering feats of 2022

By Andrew Rosenblum

A representative of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Logistics Science and Technology briefs distinguished visitors on the Atmospheric Portable-water Sustainment Unit and Lightweight Water Purification System at Marine Corps Base Hawaii,

This device will allow the marines to make drinking water from thin air This device will allow the marines to make drinking water from thin air

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A jellyfish-like sea creature that's classified as a siphonophore

What this jellyfish-like sea creature can teach us about underwater vehicles of the future What this jellyfish-like sea creature can teach us about underwater vehicles of the future

By Charlotte Hu

6 architectural facts about history’s tallest buildings

6 architectural facts about history’s tallest buildings 6 architectural facts about history’s tallest buildings

By John Kennedy

people walking in front of clock

The leap second’s time will be up in 2035—and tech companies are thrilled The leap second’s time will be up in 2035—and tech companies are thrilled

By Harry Guinness

sheet music on piano

How Spotify trained an AI to transcribe music How Spotify trained an AI to transcribe music

By Charlotte Hu

gray puffy clouds cover the sky

The ocean’s iodine helps create clouds, but high levels burn through the ozone layer The ocean’s iodine helps create clouds, but high levels burn through the ozone layer

By Tatyana Woodall

Invinity's power system installed in Scotland

‘Workhorse of batteries’ could give California tribe’s new clean-energy microgrid a jolt ‘Workhorse of batteries’ could give California tribe’s new clean-energy microgrid a jolt

By Colleen Hagerty

a timelapse of batteries discharging and transforming from yellow to dark red in the process

How a design tweak could help pacemaker batteries last longer How a design tweak could help pacemaker batteries last longer

By Helen Bradshaw

new flex wiring in the cryogenic quantum computer infrastructure

IBM’s biggest quantum chip yet could help solve the trickiest math problems IBM’s biggest quantum chip yet could help solve the trickiest math problems

By Charlotte Hu

How drones are helping monitor Kyrgyzstan’s radioactive legacy

How drones are helping monitor Kyrgyzstan’s radioactive legacy How drones are helping monitor Kyrgyzstan’s radioactive legacy

By Kelsey D. Atherton

a stage filled with lights and music equipment

This AI can harness sound to reveal the structure of unseen spaces This AI can harness sound to reveal the structure of unseen spaces

By Charlotte Hu

Inside the ambitious project to turn a 1961 Volvo into a powerful modern hybrid

Inside the ambitious project to turn a 1961 Volvo into a powerful modern hybrid Inside the ambitious project to turn a 1961 Volvo into a powerful modern hybrid

By Kristin Shaw

Empty parking lot underneath blue sky with clouds

Elon Musk’s Hyperloop is being demolished for more SpaceX parking spots Elon Musk’s Hyperloop is being demolished for more SpaceX parking spots

A drone made out of sticks? In the UAV space, anything flies. A drone made out of sticks? In the UAV space, anything flies.

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A new silicone tire sealant stops nails in their tracks

A new silicone tire sealant stops nails in their tracks A new silicone tire sealant stops nails in their tracks

By Kristin Shaw

Swiss train crossing bridge in Alps

Switzerland sets world record for longest passenger train—and it’s electric Switzerland sets world record for longest passenger train—and it’s electric

a star wars action figure

How I turned myself into a Star Wars action figure How I turned myself into a Star Wars action figure

By Chelsey B. Coombs

Lunar surface with stars in the sky

NASA could build a future lunar base from 3D-printed moon-dust bricks NASA could build a future lunar base from 3D-printed moon-dust bricks

battery equipment

Scientists are getting energized about a massive battery ‘genome’ project Scientists are getting energized about a massive battery ‘genome’ project

Harvard robotic arm with tentacle filaments gripping succulent plant

This spooky robot uses inflatable tentacles to grab delicate items This spooky robot uses inflatable tentacles to grab delicate items

Roofgarden in Rotterdam, Netherlands

Pumping carbon dioxide waste to rooftop gardens boosts crop yields Pumping carbon dioxide waste to rooftop gardens boosts crop yields

brain cells on a multi-electrode array

What Pong-playing brain cells can teach us about better medicine and AI What Pong-playing brain cells can teach us about better medicine and AI

By Charlotte Hu

Medium-sized shark swimming through dark waters

Shark skin is nearly impossible to engineer. A 3D look shows why. Shark skin is nearly impossible to engineer. A 3D look shows why.

By Marina Wang / Hakai Magazine

ibm diamondback tape storage library

Why a tech giant is embracing old-school magnetic tape storage Why a tech giant is embracing old-school magnetic tape storage

By Charlotte Hu

illustrations of a person being teleported in a 1960s style

Could quantum physics unlock teleportation? Could quantum physics unlock teleportation?

By Bill Gourgey

brilliant-10-2022

The Brilliant 10: The top up-and-coming minds in science The Brilliant 10: The top up-and-coming minds in science

By Mara Grunbaum, Yasmin Tayag

As California plans for a new desalination plant, take a look at how these facilities work As California plans for a new desalination plant, take a look at how these facilities work

By Charlotte Hu

Siemens Gamesa wind turbine against blue sky backdrop

A wind turbine just smashed a global energy record—and it’s recyclable A wind turbine just smashed a global energy record—and it’s recyclable

Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility

The US’s first utility-scale renewable energy triple threat is online in Oregon The US’s first utility-scale renewable energy triple threat is online in Oregon

By Sara Kiley Watson

a bundle of charging cables

USB-C is on track to become the charging cable standard in the EU USB-C is on track to become the charging cable standard in the EU

By Harry Guinness

a high speed rail train in black and white over a map of US rail lines in purple in the background

High-speed rail trains are stalled in the US—and that might not change for a while High-speed rail trains are stalled in the US—and that might not change for a while

By Bill Gourgey

bella hadid's spray on dress at paris fashion week

Bella Hadid’s spray-on dress was inspired by the science of silly string Bella Hadid’s spray-on dress was inspired by the science of silly string

By Charlotte Hu

depiction of dna as library bookshelves

Can these government efforts crack the code for DNA storage? Can these government efforts crack the code for DNA storage?

By Sarah Scoles

Air Company and US Air Force's SAF test flight.

Sustainable jet fuel is taking off with commercial airlines Sustainable jet fuel is taking off with commercial airlines

By Charlotte Hu

Worries of disaster follow blast close to a second Ukrainian nuclear power plant

Worries of disaster follow blast close to a second Ukrainian nuclear power plant Worries of disaster follow blast close to a second Ukrainian nuclear power plant

A century ago, wind power was a farming norm. What happened?

A century ago, wind power was a farming norm. What happened? A century ago, wind power was a farming norm. What happened?

By Hal Harvey & Justin Gillis

an art rendering of a disk shaped probe in space

When Voyager 1 goes dark, what comes next? When Voyager 1 goes dark, what comes next?

By Tatyana Woodall

Why do nuclear power plants need electricity to stay safe?

Why do nuclear power plants need electricity to stay safe? Why do nuclear power plants need electricity to stay safe?

harvard university campus

We have quantum computers—now Amazon and Harvard want a quantum internet We have quantum computers—now Amazon and Harvard want a quantum internet

By Charlotte Hu

Iran grabbed two of the Navy’s Saildrones earlier this month. Why?

Iran grabbed two of the Navy’s Saildrones earlier this month. Why? Iran grabbed two of the Navy’s Saildrones earlier this month. Why?

By Kelsey D. Atherton

playable video games at a new MoMA exhibit

Dive into the wonderful and wistful world of video game design Dive into the wonderful and wistful world of video game design

By Charlotte Hu

a t-shaped module space station in orbit above the earth

How Tiangong station will make China a force in the space race How Tiangong station will make China a force in the space race

By Tatyana Woodall

Apple’s two big new safety features, explained

Apple’s two big new safety features, explained Apple’s two big new safety features, explained

quantum computer dilution fridge

In photos: Journey to the center of a quantum computer In photos: Journey to the center of a quantum computer

By Charlotte Hu

This Florida teen is making a business out of rebuilding old-school auto tech

This Florida teen is making a business out of rebuilding old-school auto tech This Florida teen is making a business out of rebuilding old-school auto tech

By Kristin Shaw

Solar PV panel up close.

Are solar panels headed for space? Are solar panels headed for space?

the three pyramids of giza under a sunny day

A dried-up arm of the Nile provides another clue to how Egyptians built the pyramids A dried-up arm of the Nile provides another clue to how Egyptians built the pyramids

By Jocelyn Solis-Moreira

How a ‘digital twin’ of an Apache helicopter could help keep these old birds flying

How a ‘digital twin’ of an Apache helicopter could help keep these old birds flying How a ‘digital twin’ of an Apache helicopter could help keep these old birds flying

Fujitsu’s quantum computers could beat rival machines to the market Fujitsu’s quantum computers could beat rival machines to the market

By Charlotte Hu