Engineering(Page 4)

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

Latest in Engineering

ACS3 solar sail concept art above Earth

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.

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

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

Cargo Ship in Panama Canal

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

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

Two robots playing soccer

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

Smuggled gold disguised as machine parts

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.

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

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

MUSE stellarator fusion reactor

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Apple Car is dead The Apple Car is dead

Hand holding cube of 3D printed titanium allow metamaterial

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ingenuity rotocopter on Mars

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Microscopic view of Oikopleura dioica

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

Closeup of carbon nitride material

This new synthetic material is nearly as durable as diamonds This new synthetic material is nearly as durable as diamonds

Illustration of biofiber within cracked concrete

Bacterial ‘blood’ could heal cracks in concrete Bacterial ‘blood’ could heal cracks in concrete

Completed JT-60SA experimental nuclear fusion facility in Japan

The world’s largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor is up and running The world’s largest experimental tokamak nuclear fusion reactor is up and running

A cicada sitting on a green leaf. The insect has bright orange eyes and large wings. Cicadas live underground for 13 or 17 years, before emerging to mate.

Fiber optic cables can pick up cicadas’ droning din Fiber optic cables can pick up cicadas’ droning din

By Laura Baisas

Google and Fervo's geothermal power plant in Nevada at dusk

Geothermal energy now helps power Google’s desert data centers Geothermal energy now helps power Google’s desert data centers

Army ants building living bridge between two ledges in lab

Army ants could teach robots a thing or two Army ants could teach robots a thing or two

Robot dog at Hyundai factory working on car

Hyundai’s robot-heavy EV factory in Singapore is fully operational Hyundai’s robot-heavy EV factory in Singapore is fully operational

A detailed view of a drain cover on the track as seen from the McLaren VISTA during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 16, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Formula One race car cracks a drain cover during Las Vegas Grand Prix practice run Formula One race car cracks a drain cover during Las Vegas Grand Prix practice run

Computer simulation of Apollo 12 lunar lander effects on lunar surface

Watch NASA’s supercomputer simulation of the Apollo 12 lunar landing Watch NASA’s supercomputer simulation of the Apollo 12 lunar landing

Side by side of 3D printed robot hand gripping pen and bottle

This 3D-printed soft robotic hand has ‘bones,’ ‘ligaments,’ and ‘tendons’ This 3D-printed soft robotic hand has ‘bones,’ ‘ligaments,’ and ‘tendons’

a Ford Mach-E electric car parked in front of the woods in autumn

How do electric cars work? By harnessing the magic of magnetism. How do electric cars work? By harnessing the magic of magnetism.

Why scientists used these radio transmitters to create artificial auroras Why scientists used these radio transmitters to create artificial auroras

By Charlotte Hu

Pathfinder 1 outside of Hangar 2

Giant electric airships could one day deliver humanitarian aid Giant electric airships could one day deliver humanitarian aid

By Harry Guinness

NASA's Super Guppy rocket transport prop plane landing on tarmac in Alabama

Watch NASA’s bizarre and bulbous Super Guppy cargo plane touch down in Alabama Watch NASA’s bizarre and bulbous Super Guppy cargo plane touch down in Alabama

Rimac Nevera hypercar action shot driving in reverse

Rimac’s electric speed demon tore through a world record in reverse Rimac’s electric speed demon tore through a world record in reverse

California Forever concept art of utopian cityscape

Billionaire-backed company has bought all the land it needs for its ‘city of yesterday’ Billionaire-backed company has bought all the land it needs for its ‘city of yesterday’