Engineering

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

Latest in Engineering

Common cuttlefish

Technology

Cuttlefish tentacles and origami inspired a new robotic claw Cuttlefish tentacles and origami inspired a new robotic claw

Illustration of atomic Fresnel lens

Science

This lens is just three atoms thick and works like a quantum lighthouse This lens is just three atoms thick and works like a quantum lighthouse

Close-up of three cows

Agriculture

Cow poop might make cleaner hydrogen gas a reality Cow poop might make cleaner hydrogen gas a reality

Metamaterial film on glass

Engineering

New material looks like frosted glass but lets in more light than a window New material looks like frosted glass but lets in more light than a window

Underwater image of Titanic wreckage

Conservation

Billionaire plans to ride $20 million submersible to the Titanic Billionaire plans to ride $20 million submersible to the Titanic

Robot solving Rubik's cube

AI

In blink of an eye, robot sets new Rubik’s cube Guinness World Record In blink of an eye, robot sets new Rubik’s cube Guinness World Record

Concept art of EarthCARE satellite scanning clouds above Earth

Climate Change

The ‘White Dragon’ satellite will keep watch over our clouds The ‘White Dragon’ satellite will keep watch over our clouds

B-21 Raider stealth bomber in flight

Air Force

See the B-21 nuclear stealth bomber’s first official flight photos See the B-21 nuclear stealth bomber’s first official flight photos

Factory worker overseeing steel forge

Climate Change

Zero-emission ‘electric cement’ is an ‘absolute miracle’ Zero-emission ‘electric cement’ is an ‘absolute miracle’

Hand holding Neuralink implant

Health

85% of Neuralink implant wires are already detached, says patient 85% of Neuralink implant wires are already detached, says patient

Concept art of lunar base with floating train path alongside astronauts

Engineering

Wild NASA proposal envisions magnetic hover trains on the moon Wild NASA proposal envisions magnetic hover trains on the moon

Three 3D printed polypills

Health

One 3D-printed ‘polypill’ could fit an entire day’s medications One 3D-printed ‘polypill’ could fit an entire day’s medications

Chicken looking at camera against black background

Environment

Chicken fat supercapacitors could store green energy of the future Chicken fat supercapacitors could store green energy of the future

A father and son designed the world’s fastest quadcopter drone

Technology

A father and son designed the world’s fastest quadcopter drone A father and son designed the world’s fastest quadcopter drone

Project 821 hydrogen fuel superyacht in port

Environment

Welcome aboard the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht Welcome aboard the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell superyacht

Factory of the Future 1.0 3D printer with man standing in front of it

Technology

Makers of the world’s largest 3D printer just beat their own record Makers of the world’s largest 3D printer just beat their own record

ACS3 solar sail concept art above Earth

Science

NASA will unfurl a 860-square-foot solar sail from within a microwave-sized cube NASA will unfurl a 860-square-foot solar sail from within a microwave-sized cube

An artist’s concept of NASA’s Voyager 1 traveling through interstellar space–or the space between stars.

Science

Greetings, Earth! NASA can understand Voyager 1 again Greetings, Earth! NASA can understand Voyager 1 again

By Laura Baisas

SpaceHopper robot in midair during parabolic flight test

Technology

Watch a tripod robot test its asteroid leaping skills Watch a tripod robot test its asteroid leaping skills

Cargo Ship in Panama Canal

Environment

A new solution proposed for drought-stricken Panama Canal goes around it A new solution proposed for drought-stricken Panama Canal goes around it

Toyota concept art for lunar RV

Science

Japan and NASA plan a historic lunar RV roadtrip together Japan and NASA plan a historic lunar RV roadtrip together

Two robots playing soccer

Technology

Watch two tiny, AI-powered robots play soccer Watch two tiny, AI-powered robots play soccer

Smuggled gold disguised as machine parts

Technology

Smugglers melted and spray painted $10 million in gold to look like machine parts Smugglers melted and spray painted $10 million in gold to look like machine parts

Researchers developed a 3D printer that can automatically identify the parameters of an unknown material on its own. The advance could help make 3D printing more sustainable, enabling printing with renewable or recyclable materials that are difficult to characterize.

Technology

3D printers just got a big, eco-friendly upgrade (in the lab) 3D printers just got a big, eco-friendly upgrade (in the lab)

Close up of shark head

Technology

Shark skin and owl feathers could inspire quieter underwater sonar Shark skin and owl feathers could inspire quieter underwater sonar

MUSE stellarator fusion reactor

Environment

Stellarator fusion reactor gets new life thanks to a creative magnet workaround Stellarator fusion reactor gets new life thanks to a creative magnet workaround

NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle concept art

Science

It’s on! Three finalists will design a lunar rover for Artemis It’s on! Three finalists will design a lunar rover for Artemis

Shoe made from bacterial cellulose

Environment

Would you wear this ‘shoe-like vessel’ made from genetically engineered bacteria? Would you wear this ‘shoe-like vessel’ made from genetically engineered bacteria?

Buzz Aldrin on the moon next to American flag.

Science

NASA is designing a time zone just for the moon NASA is designing a time zone just for the moon

LSST Camera Deputy Project Manager Travis Lange shines a flashlight into the LSST Camera.

Science

A 3,200-megapixel digital camera is ready for its cosmic photoshoot A 3,200-megapixel digital camera is ready for its cosmic photoshoot

Arctic ice flow

Technology

Melting ice makes Arctic a target for a new deep sea internet cable Melting ice makes Arctic a target for a new deep sea internet cable

Dr Ian Phillips with the wavelength management device

Technology

Researchers unlock fiber optic connection 1.2 million times faster than broadband Researchers unlock fiber optic connection 1.2 million times faster than broadband

Image taken of JAXA SLIM lunar lander on moon upside down

Science

Japan’s SLIM moon lander survives a second brutal lunar night Japan’s SLIM moon lander survives a second brutal lunar night

Microscopic image of virus cell impaled on silicon wafer needles

Technology

New material neutralizes 96-percent of virus cells using nanospikes New material neutralizes 96-percent of virus cells using nanospikes

Bladder sensor next to smartphone displaying its app

Health

This implant will tell a smartphone app when you need to pee This implant will tell a smartphone app when you need to pee

Boom Supersonic's XB-1 test plane taking off

Technology

Boom Supersonic’s prototype jet sets off on first flight Boom Supersonic’s prototype jet sets off on first flight

Aerial view of Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdown

Environment

Drones offer a glimpse inside Fukushima nuclear reactor 13 years after disaster Drones offer a glimpse inside Fukushima nuclear reactor 13 years after disaster

Brewintosh Plus next to original Mac Plus

Technology

A designer 3D printed a working clone of the iconic Mac Plus A designer 3D printed a working clone of the iconic Mac Plus

Engineers constructing structure using their origami module materias

Technology

Flexible, resilient origami-inspired bridges could help navigate disaster zones Flexible, resilient origami-inspired bridges could help navigate disaster zones

Pyxis Ocean shipping vessel with two WindWing sails

Technology

A cargo ship’s ‘WindWing’ sails saved it up to 12 tons of fuel per day A cargo ship’s ‘WindWing’ sails saved it up to 12 tons of fuel per day

Traffic light flashing yellow signal

Technology

Researchers propose fourth traffic signal light for hypothetical self-driving car future Researchers propose fourth traffic signal light for hypothetical self-driving car future

CorPower C4 buoy turbine in ocean

Technology

Huge 60-foot-tall buoy uses ocean waves to create clean energy Huge 60-foot-tall buoy uses ocean waves to create clean energy

Oh good, the humanoid robots are running even faster now

Technology

Oh good, the humanoid robots are running even faster now Oh good, the humanoid robots are running even faster now

Varda W-1 capsule reentry video screenshot

Science

Watch the plasma fly in space capsule’s dramatic fall to Earth Watch the plasma fly in space capsule’s dramatic fall to Earth

Odie the lunar lander is not dead yet

Science

Odie the lunar lander is not dead yet Odie the lunar lander is not dead yet

Technology

The Apple Car is dead The Apple Car is dead

Hand holding cube of 3D printed titanium allow metamaterial

Technology

A 3D-printed titanium ‘metamaterial’ design solved a longtime engineering issue A 3D-printed titanium ‘metamaterial’ design solved a longtime engineering issue

Image taken of JAXA SLIM lunar lander on moon upside down

Science

SLIM lives! Japan’s upside-down lander is online after a brutal lunar night SLIM lives! Japan’s upside-down lander is online after a brutal lunar night

Close up of laser etching optical disk

Technology

This DVD-sized disk can store a massive 125,000 gigabytes of data This DVD-sized disk can store a massive 125,000 gigabytes of data

Concept art of NASA Mars habitat

Science

How to apply for NASA’s next Mars habitat simulation How to apply for NASA’s next Mars habitat simulation

Edible soft robot on table

Technology

This edible, wriggling robot mimics experience of eating moving food This edible, wriggling robot mimics experience of eating moving food

Minesto Dragon 4 undersea kite turbine traveling atop water

Environment

Huge underwater ‘kite’ turbine powered 1,000 homes in the Faroe Islands Huge underwater ‘kite’ turbine powered 1,000 homes in the Faroe Islands

pleurocystitid soft robot

Technology

A sea creature extinct for half a billion years inspired a new soft robot A sea creature extinct for half a billion years inspired a new soft robot

Interior of JET fusion reactor with plasma superimposed

Technology

Aging reactor sets new fusion energy record in last hurrah Aging reactor sets new fusion energy record in last hurrah

Abandoned car in aluminum red mud spill

Technology

Aluminum’s notorious, toxic red mud could one day help make ‘green steel’ Aluminum’s notorious, toxic red mud could one day help make ‘green steel’

Antique zimingzhong mechanical clock

Technology

It’s time to check out these incredible antique musical clocks It’s time to check out these incredible antique musical clocks

Screenshot showing shaded rendering of Doom via E. Coli bacteria display

Science

Running ‘Doom’ on E. coli cells… very, very slowly Running ‘Doom’ on E. coli cells… very, very slowly

Ingenuity rotocopter on Mars

Science

RIP Mars Ingenuity, the ‘little helicopter that could’ RIP Mars Ingenuity, the ‘little helicopter that could’

GIF of Sierra Space LIFE module exploding during pressure test

Technology

Watch a giant, inflatable space station prototype explode during its intentional ‘ultimate burst’ Watch a giant, inflatable space station prototype explode during its intentional ‘ultimate burst’

A colorized view of the DOLCE structure finalizing its uncoiling process, as seen from the boom camera, over Antarctica, on August 22, 2023.

Technology

The first-ever space solar power tests are finished after a year in orbit The first-ever space solar power tests are finished after a year in orbit

John Deere 8R Autonomous Tractor in field

Technology

John Deere and Starlink partner to provide satellite internet for rural farmers John Deere and Starlink partner to provide satellite internet for rural farmers

Interior of Boeing 737-9 Max with emergency passenger door plug blown off

Technology

Boeing faces FAA audit after its 737 Max 9 plane’s door plug blew off mid-air Boeing faces FAA audit after its 737 Max 9 plane’s door plug blew off mid-air

GIF of Ouroboros-3 test rocket igniting

Technology

Watch this rocket ‘eat’ its own body for fuel Watch this rocket ‘eat’ its own body for fuel

Microscopic view of Oikopleura dioica

Science

This tiny sea creature builds a ‘snot palace’ to capture food This tiny sea creature builds a ‘snot palace’ to capture food