Approaching the topic of coal as a serviceable fuel is fraught with the danger of severe criticism. So while the concept of "clean coal" has been a topic of debate and much controversy, and much is being done to reduce certain emissions associated with coal combustion, the term can be misl...
It’s perhaps demeaning to know that although we may design an ingenious solution to a difficult problem, there is something scuttling underfoot – something we might stamp on without a backward glance – which has already done it.
Studying insects is nothing new for engineers who have long envied some ...
There’s no doubt that reviewing human engineering progress without including the momentous invention of rail would leave a hole big enough to drive a train through (excuse pun). The advent of rail introduced speed across a variety of terrains, the potential for bulk materi...
When a computer does its amazing magic and executes the exact actions you expect, you should be thanking a software engineer. From business operating systems to network control to computer games to banking solutions and a vast host of working platforms, our lives are made easier, faster, and more ef...
No matter what kind of business you operate, with the growing expense, and complexity of running any modern operation, comes the management headache: how to manage a wide range of specialist functions while remaining efficient, cost-effective and on top of processes. As an organisation evolves, mana...
After the medical profession, engineers must be the next group who have most significantly contributed to the lifestyle and comfort we enjoy today. From massive projects such as roads and bridges to smaller everyday articles such as washing machines, toasters and hairdryers – engineers are the peopl...
Any idea, plan or endeavour has to follow a focused path of action in order to come to fruition successfully. This is particularly applicable to an engineering project because from concept to conclusion, control and competency are vital. It’s not like knitting a scarf and finding a hole in it, and t...
Mining is one of our most important endeavours. We have been engaged in mining since time immemorial. And naturally it’s about money and wealth – because anything we dig in, dig up, or dig out, is related to something someone desperately wants. Mines provide the natural resources that create the eve...
It’s a term that evokes a shiver of excitement – or equally of caution. Genetic modification in the early days caused much concern, and yet today most of the food we consume has been modified for improvement, strength and flavour. GM foods are an established map of cross breeding between various pla...
