Engineering is a rapidly growing field of science that encompasses numerous areas of innovation, invention, and research. From spacecrafts to bridges to robots to vehicles, engineers are building the future. Learn more about this exciting field with these facts.
6 Engineering Facts
1. Engineers created the water slide. (Source)
Sometimes engineering is all fun and games! Engineers are responsible for the rides at our favorite theme parks, including the water slide. A civil engineer designed the water pumping system that precisely controls the amount of water to carry us down the slide at a safe yet thrilling speed. Without the work of engineers, water slides and roller coasters would be very dangerous or nothing more than a figment of imagination.
2. Engineers make the special effects in our favorite movies feel real. (Source)
Movie special effects are created through computer animation, practical robotic effects, and optical illusions. What do these things have in common? Engineers create them all! Beloved movies like Jurassic Park, Forrest Gump, and Interview with the Vampire all included engineers on the crew to make their special effects. Nearly every film requires an FX engineer to enhance the movie’s visual quality in post-production.
3. The first engineer created the Pyramids in Egypt. (Source)
Many people credit Imhotep as the first engineer. He is thought to have planned the Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the Step Pyramid, in Saqqara. Such a feat was an astounding work of engineering that required ingenuity and physics to figure out how human beings could move such large materials. Ancient Egyptians utilized physics concepts, such as planes and slopes, to aid in the movement of large pyramid blocks.
4. Aerospace engineers tend to be the highest paid in the field. (Source)
If you’re looking to make a lot of money in engineering, consider the field of aerospace. Studies show that aerospace engineers have a 427% return on investment for their four-year engineering degree. Aerospace engineers are designers and builders of spacecraft, satellites, missiles, aircraft, drones, and more. If the technology is airborne, it was designed by an aerospace engineer.
5. Some engineers solve mysteries and prevent disasters. (Source)
Forensic engineers study accidents and disasters. Their work helps improve public safety. This is most common in disasters that involve crowd control, massive fires, building collapses, car and plane crashes, floods, and other similar events. This might be a morbid area of engineering, but it can help save lives.
6. Engineers of all kinds are trying to save the natural world. (Source)
Sustainability is a crucial area of focus worldwide. The field pushes technology that will create environmentally friendly energy solutions, lowering emissions and helping to prevent climate change. Many different types of engineering contribute to sustainability, including civil engineering, mechanical engineering, environmental engineering, electrical engineering, and more. Sustainability unites engineers across different fields and disciplines, inspiring inventions that will lead to a better future for humans everywhere.
Featured image photo credit: ThisIsEngineering.
