Structural Engineering

First, there was only mud. Now there’s transparent aluminum, self-healing concrete and a swarm of nanobots to build your home. Meet your dwelling of the future.

By Dave Roos

Why are blueprints blue and not some other color? There's a specific chemical process behind it, and its discovery has all the elements of a dark fairy tale.

By Laurie L. Dove

One of the most travelled stretches of U.S. highway was designed by a woman who loved mathematics and wasn't interested in being a teacher. Who was she, and where is it?

By Terri Briseno

Steel-framed skyscrapers are common sights in any city skyline these days. But someone had to be the first to build up, up, up. Find out where this architectural standard was born.

By Wesley Fenlon

You might associate green architecture with plastic rain barrels or ugly solar panels, but green design has come a long way. Green architecture can be gorgeous, as we'll see in this article.

By Becky Striepe

It took years to construct the 110-story World Trade Center towers and less than an hour to bring them down to rubble. What ultimately caused the towers to collapse on Sept. 11, 2001?

By Clint Pumphrey

Over the centuries, some of the most breathtaking buildings on Earth have been restored many times. Whether they were to make necessary repairs, update designs or adjust to changing needs, all these projects required big bucks.

By Sara Elliott

Bridges move cars, trains, bikes and people, among other things. These 10 may even move your soul with their engineering ingenuity and beauty. So which 10 make the cut?

By William Harris

Have you ever passed by an abandoned warehouse or gas station and wondered why the government doesn't just tear it down? Well, it may be a brownfield.

By Echo Surina

Bridges are amazing displays of scientific engineering. This collection of pictures highlights some of the most spectacular structures ever created.

Hefting a sofa up a flight of stairs can take a lot of logistics. So what does moving thousand-ton buildings across cities -- or even oceans -- entail?

By Molly Edmonds & Laurie L. Dove

The Hoover Dam holds back 10 trillion gallons of water. That's enough to cover the entire state of Connecticut. How much damage would be done if the dam broke?

By Patty Rasmussen

The twin towers of the World Trade Center were true originals -- their history is one of innovation, persistence and grand ideas.

By Tom Harris & Yara Simón

EPCOT was Walt Disney's "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow." But it didn't actually turn out the way he had envisioned it.

By Alex Krieger

Smart buildings have technology embedded inside them, allowing unprecedented levels of interaction between a building and its occupants. Some would call it "unprecedented levels of snooping."

By Patrick Lecomte

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

Water towers can be found in just about every town and city in America. Have you ever wondered if they freeze in the winter?

Safe, professional building implosions combine mathematics, intuition and sheer explosive power. Find out how the experts bring down huge structures without damaging the buildings nearby.

By Tom Harris

When the heat sets in, there's nothing like a day at the water park to cool things down -- water parks and their massive wave pools are a huge weekend attraction. Ever wonder what kind of machinery it takes to produce a wave? Learn exactly how an oce

By Tom Harris

It's a leap of faith onto a curvy steep wet chute... Discover how water slides work and what draws thrill-seekers to them.

By Tom Harris

The world's first floating city is absolutely gigantic, fully loaded with amenities and necessities and could set sail in about three years. Find out what the Freedom Ship has in store for its lucky residents.

By Kevin Bonsor

Smart Structures will completely change the way buildings react to earthquakes! See how they will work!

By Kevin Bonsor

People build skyscrapers primarily because they are convenient -- you can create a lot of real estate out of a relatively small ground area. They're also awe-inspiring. Skyscrapers capture our imagination -- how high can we build them? Learn about the architecture and design of these monumental buildings.

By Tom Harris

They don't have engines, brakes or accelerators. No, these amazing machines rely on physical, centripetal and gravitational forces to urge thrills, screams and that sinking stomach feeling we all love (and hate). Read more about the science of fun.

By Tom Harris & Cherise Threewitt

Is there an easy way to measure the height of a cell phone tower in my neighborhood?