INTRODUCTION So I am in the mechanical team of Edinsolar - the University of Edinburgh's solar vehicle and I have spent this semester primarily focusing on the brake design. Although I have had a vague interest in the workings of tyres as I investigated them while designing tread patterns for my OneStep project, I had … Continue reading Brief Guide To Types Of Brakes
UK School STEM Competition Directory
Science Technology Engineering & Maths (STEM) The list of STEM competitions, events and awards available to pre-university students in the UK. If you know of any that I have not included in the list then comment and let me know! I am hoping to update soon to include tags on the competitions if they are … Continue reading UK School STEM Competition Directory
Fictional Things Now Fact
Okay so are actually also a lot of things that we can actually build that we used to portray in fiction in general popular culture that for a very long time we would laugh at and secretly wish we could actually build and own for ourselves. Actually thanks to a combination of lots of clever … Continue reading Fictional Things Now Fact
How To Engineer Iconic Sci-Fi / Fantasy
So after writing a while ago about my daydreams to build the mechanical owl Bubo from Clash of the Titans I wondered what other iconic 'objects' in fiction could actually possibly be built and was there any evidence of this? There is lot of discussion out there about fiction predicting future technology in a kind … Continue reading How To Engineer Iconic Sci-Fi / Fantasy
Sense And Sensor-history (An Idea)
Having written several times now about the place of engineering in culture, how I feel it is currently perceived in the UK or internationally and how I feel it should/could be perceived, it is no surprise to anyone that I've come around to engineering documentaries. This post is not going to be a rant however … Continue reading Sense And Sensor-history (An Idea)
Iconic Engineering Images
Following on from fictional engineers I couldn't help wondering whether the iconic 'things' of a subject have any influence on the stereotypes? You see, when people say biology then the iconic DNA double helix appears in my head and similarly the LHC or space for physics. Yet for some reason we are not really as … Continue reading Iconic Engineering Images
The Superconductivity Song
Many know that Electricity flows and There's often resistance according to Ohm Some of these conductors though Dropping to temperatures below Critical temp go: SUPERCONDUCTING. Chorus: It doesn't mean that perfect conductors are in existence Though they have zero resistance, For the magnetic fields are kicked out And have to wrap themselves round about This … Continue reading The Superconductivity Song
Fictional Engineers in Popular Culture
Recently, my little 10 year old cousin Olivia asked me what I was studying at university and I promptly told her engineering. She looked at me and said that that was really boring because it just made her think of a car mechanic. I rolled my eyes, this of course being a common misconception that … Continue reading Fictional Engineers in Popular Culture
Blue Pigeons 