DK Findout! Engineering - Emily Hunt

A cable-stayed bridge has one or more towers. Suspension
From this tower, lots of support cables stretch
to the bridge below. The cables fan out from The road part of a suspension bridge hangs
the top of the tower to balance the weight from two tall towers. The tall towers are
of the bridge. secured deep under the water or ground
below, which keeps them strong. Long steel
cables connect the towers and the bridge.

! WOW!

Cantilever The Golden Gate
Bridge in San
A cantilever is a structure that is only supported at Francisco, CA,
one end. A cantilever bridge is lots of these structures put
together to make a crossing. They weighs 887,000
are easier to build than other tons (804,673
bridges because they don’t need metric tons).
to be supported when they are
being put together.

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Meet the expert

We put some questions to Dr. Lucy Rogers,
a Chartered Engineer, writer, and maker from
the UK. Dr. Rogers writes, experiments, makes
engineering videos, and appears on engineering
television shows.

Q: We know it is something to Q: What made you decide to become
do with engineering, but what is your an engineer?
actual job? A: At school I really enjoyed making things.
A: I solve problems. Sometimes I calculate We had a “Great Egg Race” club, where we
the probability of spacecraft being hit by would have to solve problems. I also liked
space debris. Sometimes I make robot math and physics, so engineering was ideal.
dinosaurs at a theme park react to visitors. Q: Do you have a favorite thing that you
I write articles for the European Space have built?
Agency, national newspapers, and A: My latest project is often my favorite—
magazines. I work with engineering currently my light-up gold boots. Anyone can
companies and make how-to videos. I am change the color of the lights by tweeting
also a judge on BBC Robot Wars. “#Cheerlights” and their favorite color of
the rainbow.

Dr. Rogers enjoys working on experiments Dr. Rogers’ latest project—light-up gold boots

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Q: Do you use any special Lathe
equipment? Shapes metal and wood by spinning the
A: My hands and imagination are material fast, and using a cutting tool over
the tools I value most. To make the surface in a regular pattern.
things, I use tools such as a lathe
for shaping wood or metal, a keeping my eye on Twitter and my emails,
welder for sticking metal together, too—this is how I talk to potential,
and a 3D printer for making small current, and past colleagues and clients.
plastic items. I also use a Q: What are the best and worst things
computer. This helps me draw about your job?
things, calculate things, write A: The best thing is learning new stuff
stuff, and also ask the Internet every day. I use my skills to make things
for help. The Maker Community and solve problems. The worst thing is
(people all around the world who being a beginner at new stuff every day—I
make things) are also always want to skip the “learning” bit and
willing to help and share ideas. immediately become an expert. Sadly, I
Q: What do you love most have found no short cuts.
about engineering?
A: The buzz I get when I solve a problem for
someone or something. Although most of my
projects are fun, they demonstrate useful
ideas. These ideas can be used in industry or
in the home. For example, my gold boots
could be 100 machines in a factory that need
to be controlled or checked all at once. This
could be done not just from the factory, but
even from another country.
Q: What is a usual work day for you?
A: I don’t have a “usual” day—especially if I
am on site, visiting factories, filming, or at a
conference. Other times, I work from
home—I don’t have to be in an office. I like
to get up early and do some writing before
breakfast. This could be preparing a speech,
writing a report, or writing part of a book.
After lunch I usually go into my workshop
and make things. I spend a lot of the day

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Bioengineering ! WOW!

Bioengineers work on changes to the natural The Ancient
world. They research how our bodies work to Egyptians made
create new medicines, and design inventions the first prosthetic
called prosthetics to replace missing body —a wooden toe.
parts. Some bioengineers investigate farming
and food technology.

Lab-grown meat

In 2013, the world’s first
lab-grown burger was created.
Engineers are working on ways
to make it in larger batches and
more cheaply—the burger cost
$330,000 (£267,500) to create!
The meat has the right texture
but doesn’t taste very good yet.

This meat was made
from stem cells from a
cow’s shoulder.

Mechanical hand

Biomechanics is the science of how
our bodies perform. Engineers can
create mechanical body parts that are
able to move and hold objects. They
have also built running blades for
athletes with missing feet or legs.

Mechanical parts
can replace hands
lost in accidents.

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Artificial heart Some parts of the
heart can already
Bioengineers are working be replaced by
to create an entire artificial surgeons.
heart that can beat like a
real one. This is a huge
challenge—the human
heart beats around 35
million times a year so a
replacement heart must be
very strong and reliable.

Food technology This calf was born
to cloned parents.
Genetic engineers are creating animals
and plants that are more nutritious to eat Cloned cows
and can fight back against disease and
pests. Helping farmers grow more food Researchers from Texas
on the same amount of land could help have cloned cows that
end hunger around the world. make more, better-quality
meat than average cows.
Clones are identical copies

of animals.

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Going green

Engineers come up with ideas that will help the
planet and our natural environment. They find new
and creative ways to get rid of waste and save energy.
Engineers also work on making new products that
do not damage the world around us.

Landfill repair
This site was once where
all of the garbage from
New York was dumped. It
has now been cleaned up
and specially engineered
into a big park. Trees have
been planted and lakes
created to make the area
more attractive, healthier,
and safer.

Fresh Kills landfill site, Staten Island, New York

Water straws The LifeStraw lets
A company in Switzerland has made a you drink dirty
drinking straw that makes dirty water water safely.
clean enough to drink. The straw has
tiny fibers inside, which trap dirt,
letting only clean water through. The
straw is used by people who live in or
explore areas without clean water.

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Planting trees
In China, engineers
have created a
natural barrier
against damaging
dust storms. This
“Great Wall” of trees is
being planted on
land that was once
used to grow crops.

New forest in China

Wind farm in Australia

Powerful wind turbines
Each wind turbine can power around 750
homes. Wind power is a form of renewable
energy, or energy that can be used again,
which doesn’t harm the environment.

Solar ovens Food cooking in a solar oven
The heat of the Sun is so powerful it can be used to
cook food. Silver-colored reflectors can be used to 55
focus the Sun’s rays on a particular spot. It takes a long
time to cook anything using this method, but it’s better
for the environment than using gas or electricity.

Robot suits Bug snacks Edible insec

These suits help Insects are high in
injured people walk protein and easy to farm
again. The suit has several because they don’t take
“walk modes” so patients can up much space. Bugs are a
gradually recover from
food of the future!
their injuries. ts e the car
Robot suit Insect
protein bars

Future
engineering

Engineers are always looking for
new ways to create things that will
help people. These are some new
and exciting ideas that may soon

become everyday sights.

There are n o driving controls insid

Self-driving
cars

These cars are designed to drive
themselves. They have computer
sensors that monitor all sides so
that they can drive safely without

being controlled by anyone.

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Solar roadways Solar roadway

This road surface 3D printed object
works like a solar panel. It
collects energy from the
Sun that can be turned into
electricity without harming

the environment.

3D printing

This process takes a
computer design and
turns it into a 3D object.
The object is made by
printing lots of layers on
top of each other, using
materials like plastic.

Space houses Design for homes on Mars

Space engineers have
created designs for houses
that could one day allow people
to live on Mars. These designs

are still being tested.

57

Engineering
facts and figures

The world of engineering is full of amazing
things. Here are some weird and wonderful
facts and figures that you may not know.

The Pan-American OHFUNPEDORPELDESAMupmpuahsechrihliecul adtP,obaibclroocuhcuilknudsditnohthfePesectriytoueyn,aoSrefo1u4t5h0. THE WORLD’S TALLEST WIND TURBINE
Highway is the IS OVER 722 FT (200 M) HIGH.
longest road in the
world. It is 30,000
miles (48,000 km)
long and connects
North and South
America.

LORNOGAEDST!

25,572 mph (350 kph)
is the top
speed of trains
in China.

strands of wire make up the cables of
San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

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15 billion 20 year s

cans of aerosol areThe world’s highest outdoor elevator is Bailong in China, 1,070 ft (326 m) tall.creaantidoonefnsocgfiietnhneeteiHfriiucnbrgebslleeedaTrtecolhethsecope.
produced worldwide

every year.

Dumbaani’s-mPaalmdeIsislalanndsdsarientthheebwigorgleds. t

1863 is the angle of the
Leaning Tower of Pisa.
was the year the first Its foundations were laid
underground railroad in soft soil that could not
opened, in London. support its weight, so it
It was called the tipped to one side.
Metropolitan Railroad.

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Glossary debris Bits of broken up and
loose material
Here are the meanings of some words that are design To plan and work out
useful for you to know when learning all about how something will work
engineering, from bridges to spaceships. and what it will look like
drone Flying machine with
accelerate To speed up automatic Something that no pilot
aerospace engineering works on its own without eco To do with not harming
Projects to do with aircraft human help the natural environment
and spacecraft bioengineering energy Source of power
android Robot with a Technology that is used to such as electrical energy or
human face help the human body heat energy
astronaut Someone who is cantilever Structure that is environment Area that
trained to travel and work in only supported at one end someone lives in, or a
a spacecraft chemical Substance made machine works in
atom Smallest part of by a reaction between environmental engineering
something that can take part particles such as atoms Projects to do with the world
in a chemical reaction chemical engineering around us
Science that uses chemicals fiberoptic Cables that are
Civil engineering includes roads to make new products used to move light signals
civil engineering fossil fuels Fuels made from
Designing man-made animals and plants that died
projects such as bridges millions of years ago, for
and roads example coal
combustion Process geothermal Heat that
of burning comes from inside the Earth
composites Something humanoid Robot that is
made from several parts looks and moves like a human
or materials hydraulic power When
coolant Liquid or gas that something is moved by water
cools things down or another liquid

International Space A humanoid software Programs and
Station (ISS) Large space robot. instructions that are used
station and laboratory that by a computer
orbits the Earth prosthetic Artificial body structure Building that is
machine Something that is part to replace one that is made up of several parts
powered by energy and is missing sustainable Energy or
used to carry out a task renewable Type of energy materials that can keep
manufactured Made by that can be produced going for a long time
humans rather than grown without polluting the air or synthetic Something that is
naturally water, such as solar power man-made
material Substance that robot Machine that is technology Using
is used to make or build programmed by a computer scientific knowledge to
things to do different tasks create machinery and
mechanical Something satellite Any object that goes devices, such as computers
that is controlled by a around the Earth, but often thrust Forward motion
machine a man-made machine that transfer When energy is
mechanical engineering collects scientific information moved from one object to
Engineering that makes another, or an object moves
and designs machines from one place to another
nanotechnology Science transform When
that deals with making something turns into
technology very small something else, for example
nuclear-powered Action changing shape
that is powered by nuclear turbine Wheel or rotor that
energy is turned to make power
particle Something that is wind tunnel Tunnel that
very small, such as a proton lets engineers see the effect
or electron of wind on objects such as
power source Energy that cars or bikes
is used to make a machine
work, such as electricity

61

Index

3D printing 57 chemicals 38–39 feelings 21
civil engineers 40 fiberoptic cables 43
A clones 53 flying machines 28–29, 30–31,
clothes 12, 39
aerosols 59 coal 18–19, 39 32–33
Agrawal, Roma 23 composite materials 13, 28 food technology 38, 52, 53, 56
aircraft 4, 25, 28–29, 30–31, computers 51 fossil fuels 18–19
concrete 13 foundations, buildings 47
32–33 cows, cloned 53 future engineering 56–57
aircraft carriers 25 cranes 14, 25, 46
androids 20 G
animals 53 D
aqueducts 11 gantry cranes 25
aquifers 43 dams 18, 19, 41 gas 18, 39
arch bridges 48 diggers 14–15 gas pipes 43
astronauts 37 drains 43 genetic engineers 53
drills 24 geothermal power 18–19, 43
B drinking water 10, 54 Gilbreth, Lillian Moller 22
driverless vehicles 15, 56 gliders 31
bacteria 34 drones 29 Golden Gate Bridge, San
bandages 34 Dubai 14, 59
bascule bridges 48 Francisco 49, 58
batteries 17 E graphene 35
beam bridges 48
Bell, Alexander Graham 23 Eiffel, Gustave 45 H
bioengineering 52–53 Eiffel Tower, Paris 44–45
biomechanics 52 electric cars 17 Hadron Collider 25
body parts, prosthetic 21, 22, 52 electricity 10, 13, 18–19, 41, hands, prosthetic 21, 22, 52
bridges 41, 48–49, 58 heart, artificial 53
Brunel, Isambard Kingdom 22 43, 57 helicopters 29
buildings 11, 23, 41, 46–47, electricity cables 42, 43 houses, on Mars 57
elevators 44, 46, 59 Hubble Telescope 59
55, 58 engineers 8–9, 22–23 Hudson Yards, New York 11
engines, jet 32–33 humanoid robots 20
C environment 38, 54–55 hydraulic power 14
extreme machines 24–25 hydroelectricity 19, 41
cables 5, 42, 43
cable-stayed bridges 49 F I
canals 40
cantilever bridges 49 fabrics 12, 35 insects 56
carbon 35 factories 20 International Space Station
cars 16–17, 56 farming 15, 52, 53
ceramics 12 (ISS) 36
Internet 43

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ironwork 44 pipes 42–43 submarines 24
islands, artificial 59 plants 53, 55 subways 42–43
plastics 12, 39, 57 sun protection 34
J power plants 18–19 suspension bridges 49
problem solving 4, 10–11, synthetic chemicals 38
jet aircraft 28, 32–33
jetpacks 14 50–51 T
jumbo jets 32–33 prosthetics 21, 22, 52
public transportation 42 telephones 10, 23, 43
K pylons, electricity 18 telescopes 5, 59
television 10, 43
kitchens 22 R tires 16, 17
tiltrotor aircraft 29
L railroads 23, 41, 43, 48, 58 towers 44–45, 48, 49, 59
refrigerators 10 tractors, driverless 15
landfill sites 54 renewable energy 55 trains 23, 41, 43, 48, 58
lathes 51 roads 24, 40, 57, 58 transportation 40–41, 42, 43,
Leaning Tower of Pisa 59 road trains 24
Leonardo da Vinci 8–9 robotic arms 15, 36 56
levers 7 robots 20–21, 50 trucks 24
robot suits 56 truss bridges 48
M rockets 37 tunnels 24, 40, 42
Rogers, Dr. Lucy 50–51 turbines 10, 18–19, 55, 58
machines 14–15 roller coasters 26–27 turbofans 33
Machu Picchu, Peru 58 rovers, space 37
Mars 4, 37, 57 U
materials 12–13, 35, 36, 39 S
Matsuoka, Yoky 22 underground railroads 42, 43,
meat 52, 53 satellites 10 59
medicine 34, 38, 52–53 self-driving vehicles 15, 56
metals 13 sewers 21, 43 underground systems 42–43
The Shard, London 23, 46–47
N ships 22, 25 W
silicone 35
nanotechnology 34–35 skyscrapers 11, 46–47 Walkie Talkie building 11
NASA 25 solar power 18–19, 36, 39, 57 waste pipes 43
nuclear power 18–19 Soyuz space craft 11 water 10, 11
nuclear submarines 24 spacecraft 11, 37, 50 water mains 43
space engineers 23, 36–37 water power 14, 18–19, 41
O space houses 57 waterproof fabrics 35, 39
spacesuits 37 water straws 54
oil 18 speed 16, 17, 58 wave power 18
steam power 18, 43 weapons 9
P steel 47 wind power 10, 18–19, 39, 55,
Stephenson, George 23
Palm Islands, Dubai 59 58
Pan-American Highway 40, 58 wood 13
parachutes 9 Wright brothers 28, 30–31
particle accelerators 25

63

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank her friend and fellow engineer, Benton Allen, for all of his great
ideas and help. The publisher would like to thank the following people for their assistance in the
preparation of this book: Dan Crisp for illustrations; Bettina Myklebust Stovne for design assistance;
Caroline Hunt for proofreading; Hilary Bird for compiling the index; and Dr. Lucy Rogers for her
“Meet the expert” interview.

The publisher would like to thank the following WireImage (br). 27 Getty Images: Topical Press Fotofeeling c; Dreamstime.com: Anton Samsonov /
for their kind permission to reproduce their Agency (bc). 28 Alamy Stock Photo: Bailey-Cooper iMac® is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the
photographs: Photography (cb); Susan & Allan Parker (cr). Dorling U.S. and other countries bc, Nataliya Hora cr; NASA:
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