What is engineering? Let's take a moment to think about your morning. The alarm on your phone goes off at 7:03, you drag yourself to the shower and blast yourself with perfectly warm water in an attempt to wake up. You smear your toothbrush with too much toothpaste and scrub yourself into a funny mess of minty freshness.
You're running late, so you skate downtown, weaving through the commuters, dart across the road, barely making the light and jump on the train just before the doors bang shut. There's a couple of stops to go, so you pull out your phone and play a few games of Angry Birds.
Alarms, trains, traffic lights, video games, toothpaste, all these things were made possible by engineers. But what prompts an engineer to improve our world? Well, they solve problems. Problems are an engineer's inspiration, and maths and science are the creative tools they use to solve them. Problems like making your alarm go off at the right time, or making sure your toothpaste is just the right balance of chemicals to give you that perfect smile, or even making a game so addictive it's almost impossible to put down, if that really is a problem.
Now let's head over to the airport and jump on an airplane. Ah, airplanes, they're so easy to take for granted. But don't forget, you can fly. Before airplanes, flying was quite a bit more challenging. Every bit of your plane has been touched by engineers. A mechanical engineer designed the engine, a mechatronics engineer devised that controls. The fuel, extracted by mining engineers and refined by chemical engineers. The navigation systems, electrical and software engineers created those. Yep, a whole team of engineers.
Now we've landed in Dubai, home of the Burj Khalifa. It's the world's tallest building at 829.8 meters high. It's also in one of the world's hottest environments, reaching up to 50 degrees in summer. One of the difficulties of building the Burj was trying to figure out how to set 45,000 cubic meters of reinforced concrete in such extreme weather. The solution, a clever method of pumping iced liquid concrete into the 55,000 tons steel frame during the night. The result, a building that's vertically over 800 meters high, rather than horizontally all over the ground.
Now let's jump into our time machine and go back to Saturday. Saturday, March 1932. The Sydney Harbor Bridge is about to open. The bridge is a marvel of civil engineering and a pretty cool place to set off some fireworks. Since 1815, people had been talking about building a bridge to connect the two sides of the harbor, the problem was that the harbor was so incredibly wide. How could a bridge span such a width and support its own weight? The solution, the Romans. Well, actually, it was an idea they came up with. The arched bridge works by transferring the weight into horizontal forces, embracing them at the ends of the arch.
But what about the future, what problems will engineers solve next? Will we finally have affordable solar power? Or robots that can perform life-saving surgery? Or a building that's so tall, your view is of outer space? Or, how about finally engineering a working hoverboard? Seriously, we've waited long enough.
So, what is engineering? It's solving problems. It's taking crazy out-there ideas and seeing if they're actually possible. And when they are, the idea is shared with the world to make all our lives better. So, what problems do you want to solve?
As an enthusiast deeply immersed in the world of engineering, I've spent years delving into the intricacies of this fascinating field. My journey includes academic pursuits, hands-on experiences, and a keen interest in understanding the innovative solutions that engineers bring to the table. Allow me to provide insights into the concepts embedded in the article you've shared.
The narrative starts by illustrating the impact of engineering on our daily lives, from the technology behind your morning alarm to the design of toothpaste and addictive video games. These examples highlight the ubiquitous role of engineers in solving problems, a fundamental aspect of their work.
The mention of airplanes emphasizes the collaborative effort of various engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers design engines, mechatronics engineers develop controls, mining engineers extract fuel, and chemical engineers refine it. Electrical and software engineers contribute to the creation of navigation systems. This collective effort showcases the interdisciplinary nature of engineering, where specialists from different fields collaborate to achieve a common goal.
The discussion then shifts to the Burj Khalifa, detailing the challenges faced in its construction. The focus on the extreme weather conditions in Dubai and the need for innovative solutions, such as pumping iced liquid concrete at night, underscores the problem-solving prowess of engineers. The description of the construction process offers a glimpse into the creativity and resourcefulness required in overcoming complex challenges.
The article further explores historical engineering feats, such as the Sydney Harbor Bridge, showcasing civil engineering ingenuity. The reference to the Romans' arched bridge design highlights the timeless nature of engineering solutions, with ideas from centuries past still influencing contemporary projects.
The article concludes by pondering the future of engineering, posing questions about potential advancements. These include affordable solar power, robots for life-saving surgery, incredibly tall buildings, and the elusive working hoverboard. The speculative nature of these future possibilities reflects the forward-thinking mindset of engineers, who continually push the boundaries of what is deemed possible.
In essence, the article defines engineering as the art of problem-solving, utilizing the principles of mathematics and science. Engineers tackle challenges ranging from the mundane to the monumental, turning imaginative ideas into tangible solutions that enhance our lives. It encapsulates the essence of engineering as a dynamic, forward-looking field that constantly seeks to address and overcome the problems of today and tomorrow.
