Engineering

Gothic architecture first appeared in France in the late Middle Ages. Some of the world's most stunning cathedrals were built using its key architectural elements.

By Lauren David

Smart traffic lights monitor traffic and continuously adjust their timing to improve flow, and can even help disabled or elderly pedestrians navigate crosswalks. Could they be a solution to the problems of traffic stress and road rage?

By Patrick J. Kiger

Drinking fountains have faced a challenge from bottled water, but they seem to be making a comeback. By the way, we throw away over 60 million PET water bottles every day in the U.S. alone.

By Patrick J. Kiger

It's always been a dilemma for humans: how to move that super-heavy object to a new place. But we always seem to find a way, don't we?

By Patrick J. Kiger

If you've traveled recently, you probably raised your arms above your head and waited for a millimeter wave scanner to do its screening thing. During those 10 seconds or so, did you ever wonder exactly how the device produced your image?

By William Harris

Nope, these advanced imaging technologies are not the same. So whether you're concerned about privacy, safety or time as you're shuffling through the airport security line, we can tell you how these two types of scanners stack up against each other.

By William Harris

Environmental engineering existed long before it had a name. It began at the dawn of civilization when we started changing our surroundings to meet our needs.

By Bernadette Johnson

Some architects and engineers go big. Others get fancy. And yet others aim squarely for the completely bizarre. These imagination-bending, gravity-defying products may induce more than a few OMGs.

By William Harris

It's a recipe for disaster: Venice is sinking, and the waters around it are rising. Can the controversial MOSE project save Italy's famous city with a series of aqua gates?

By Nathan Chandler

This not-so-new material looks like a hologram and could play a valuable role in the future of insulation, electronics, oil spill cleanup and green energy. So why don't aerogels have the A-list name recognition they deserve?

By Heather Quinlan

Versatile and efficient, electroluminescent (EL) wire is widely used by artists to illuminate clothing, bicycle spokes, turntables and even cars. But how does this cool product work with so little power and without a visible energy source?

By Joanna Burgess

Obelisks can be found in cities throughout the world, from Washington, D.C., to Paris, France. But what is the origin of these massive structures?

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

All steel is not the same, and Damascus steel has a reputation for being the best. But is today's Damascus steel the same as that forged centuries ago?

By Carrie Whitney, Ph.D.

This dragon is illuminated every night, spitting out both fire and water on weekends and holidays, as it sways its way over the Han River in Da Nang.

By Jesslyn Shields

Crumpling is a physical process that occurs when a thin sheet is forced to adapt to a smaller space and is seen in everything from DNA packing in a cell nucleus to the formation of mountains.

By Patrick J. Kiger

St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow is an architectural oddball, but travel company RealRussia decided to imagine what it would look like in seven more conventional architectural styles.

By Jesslyn Shields

Michelangelo was not only a great sculptor; he was also a master builder. He loved cities over nature and although had many architectural feats under his name, he often declared that he was not an architect. See the famous buildings of Michelangelo.

By Lauren Mitchell Ruehring

We may finally know how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids.

By Laurie L. Dove

CAT scans take X-ray imaging to a whole new level. Find out how a CAT scan machine uses "slices" to form a 3-D computer model of a patient's insides.

By Tom Harris

Abandoned mine shafts may look romantic with their clapboarded entrances and rusting pickaxes, but they can be deadly. So who ensures that these dangerous sites are properly closed up? You may find the answer a little unsettling.

By Josh Clark

This nonlethal weapon doesn't cause any lasting damage, but it may cause you to pray to the porcelains gods if an officer shines one in your eyes long enough to subdue you.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

Steel is getting more expensive because the prices of iron and coal are rising. Are there alternatives to steel that can do the same job -- or better -- for less?

By Becky Striepe

A Google engineer made headlines for claiming that an AI called LaMDA had become sentient or conscious. While many AI scientists disagreed, what would it take for an AI to ever become sentient?

By Chris Pollette

Move over, Gaudi, Gehry and Wright. There are some new architectural players on the scene, and they're shaping our world in unique and innovative ways.

By Shanna Freeman

Wind tunnels are the unsung heroes of aerodynamics. Thanks to these breezy devices, we have safer planes, cars and space vehicles.They even provide some extreme fun for the adrenaline junkies among us. What's the deal with wind tunnels? Find out in this article.

By Nathan Chandler