In winter weather, delays pile up at airports when planes need de-icing. Our current process involves spraying thousands of gallons of chemicals on planes, but these chemicals are easily removed Keep reading
Tag: engineering
Seeking Magma
In 2009, drillers seeking geothermal energy in Iceland accidentally pierced a hidden magma chamber. After a billowing pillar of steam and glass shards poured out from the hole, it created Keep reading
Pressure At The Dam
Hydrostatic pressure in a fluid is based on the fluid’s depth. You’ll rarely see a more dramatic example of that power than with a water release from a dam. Here Keep reading
Zuiderzee Works
Few countries have to contend with water the way the Netherlands does. With 26% of its area and 21% of its population living below sea level, water control is critical. Keep reading
How Sinkholes Form
Growing up in the Ozarks, I explored my fair share of caves and sinkholes. These geological features form when flowing groundwater erodes soil, sand, and even rock underground. The Ozark Keep reading
Breaking Up Is(n’t) Hard to Do
Engineers often need to break a liquid jet up into droplets. To do so quickly, they surround the jet with a ring of fast-moving air in a set-up known as Keep reading
Adhering Through Vibration
This little robot relies on vibration to generate its adhesion. By vibrating its flexible disk, it generates low pressure in the thin air layer between the disk and the surface. Keep reading
How Sewers Work
One of the most important and underappreciated pieces of urban infrastructure is the sewage system. We rely on them to make our waste vanish, as if by magic. In reality, Keep reading
Tokyo 2020: Kasai Canoe Slalom Course
The Kasai Canoe Slalom Course is Japan’s first man-made whitewater venue. To test the design and its multiple configurations, engineers at CTU in Prague built this large-scale hydraulic model. Check Keep reading
Pipe Flow and Pressure
Whether you’re a homeowner or an engineer, at some point you’ll have to deal with pipe flow and the challenges inherent to getting water from Point A to Point B. Keep reading