Engineering

In anticipation of future space projects involving giant structures in orbit and on the Moon, DARPA has announced the start of its Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials and Mass-efficient Design (NOM4D) program.

What connects the America's Cup, a dinner in Egypt and a house with no knocker? The answer is a man called Robert, born 216 years ago today, and his ill-fated sail boat: a schooner by the name of Titania.

The Australian National Maritime Museum has installed the country's largest lightweight solar roof on its Heritage Centre. By using flexible, glass-free solar panels from SunMan Energy, buildings traditionally unsuitable for solar panels can now take part in the renewable energy revolution.

A new footbridge has been installed at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, England, that replaces a land bridge lost over 500 years ago. The project consists of two sections of bridge that don't quite meet in the middle, creating a small gap at the center.

According to a recent study by Newcastle University, if you want to build a replica of Stonehenge, get some lard. By studying neolithic pottery from a site near the ancient stone circle, archaeologists suggest that pig fat was used as a lubricant to help move the gigantic megaliths.

To develop a new artificial muscle for robots MIT researchers are taking inspiration from an unlikely source – the cucumber. It's not the fruit of the plant, but the tendrils that wrap themselves around solid objects to support the growing plant by coiling and pulling with surprising force.

Heat loss is wasted energy. If we're to successfully create smaller, more efficient technology, then the thermal energy that our gadgets waste needs to be put to better use. This new device, which works at the nanoscale where the theoretical "blackbody limit" falls apart, could be the answer.

Researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, and the University of Bath are developing a technique that uses satellite radar imaging to monitor the safety of bridges and other large-scale infrastructure.

A London-based design team has combined a love of engineering, drawing and cameras to create one of the most elegant tools for drawing circles seen to date. Dubbed "Iris," this ingenious compass is part objet d’art, part engineering wonder, and part Spirograph for grown-ups.

​Ram Truck unveiled new chassis cab heavy-duty work truck models at the Chicago Auto Show in February. With towing maxing at over 35,000 pounds, it’s clear that something is happening with these trucks. We’ve had a chance to get more up close and learned that the secret is in chassis engineering.

What do you do when you've got a crack team of F1 engineering experts with time on their hands, as well as dream-level facilities for aerodynamics, carbon composites, electrification and low-volume manufacturing? All sorts of things, as it turns out. We spoke to WAE Technical Director Paul McNamara.

The winners of the Structural Awards 2018 have been announced. This year’s top prize was awarded to the sleek and elegant Tamina Canyon Crossing in Switzerland, while the rest of the honors went to an assortment of outstanding bridges, stadiums, and other buildings.