Military

From constructing bridges to blowing them up, combat engineers must have a head for spatial thinking and a heart that isn't faint. Ready to learn about these military enlistees who are as much action as they are equation?

By Kate Kershner

Students at the actual TOPGUN school aren't as cocky as the characters in the movies, but the fictional version gets a lot of other things right.

By Patrick J. Kiger

You probably have no idea what explosives smell like. But dogs can be trained to detect that distinctive smell, even if it's just wafting through the air.

By Susan L. Nasr

Why the skies aren't exactly so friendly for drone pilots.

By Chris Opfer

Military types are looking to drones to fly the deadly skies.

By Chris Opfer

If you're traveling during the winter time, there's a good chance that your flight may be delayed because the plane needs deicing. Why do they wait until the last minute to do this?

By Karen Kirkpatrick

We know how drone strikes are supposed to work: After careful monitoring, the bad guy is targeted and taken out. The reality is often much hazier — and deadlier.

By Clint Pumphrey

Israel's Iron Dome defense system is capable of intercepting — and destroying — thousands of incoming rockets targeting civilian areas. Here's how the sophisticated system works.

By John Donovan

The 2001 anthrax attacks, the first bioterrorist attacks in the United States, took five lives. Mail was stopped in several cities and it cost more than $1 billion to clean up the spores. So where does the U.S. stand if it's attacked again?

By Marshall Brain & Susan L. Nasr

Companies are reporting waiting lists for gas masks. Learn how these devices work and what they can actually protect you from.

By Marshall Brain

The invention of the machine gun forever changed the battlefield. While soldiers once had to reload after a single shot, they now can fire hundreds of rounds per minute without a single pause.

By Stephanie Watson & Tom Harris

When humans discovered fire, they learned to cook their food in a controlled environment. What came next? Flamethrowers, of course. What do flamethrowers have in common with their living counterpart -- fire breathers?

By Tom Harris

Grenades are a devastatingly effective weapon on the battlefield. Find out what happens when a soldier pulls the pin and tosses one of these miniature bombs at the enemy.

By Tom Harris

On a television drama last week, the plot involved photos taken of a Russian missile silo, and the characters mentioned a "keyhole satellite." What is a keyhole satellite and what can it really spy on?

Body armor is essential for many people in high-risk professions. The strange thing is, the most common armor is actually a high-tech, soft netting. Learn how modern armor technologies stop bullets.

By Tom Harris

Gathering reconnaissance during battle typically puts small teams of soldiers in harm's way. Tiny robotic flyers, called micro air vehicles (MAVs), could do away with this danger. Learn all about spy flies.

By Kevin Bonsor

Camouflage is critical in military operations. Learn about different types of camouflage and see how the art of blending in is keeping up with modern detection systems.

By Tom Harris

The film "Pearl Harbor" is now playing. Look at the aircraft involved in that battle, technological marvels for their time.

By Jeff Tyson

Landmines are a deadly legacy of 20th century warfare. Independent sources report that since 1975, landmines have killed or maimed more than 1 million people during peace time. Learn about the technology of landmines and their deactivation.

By Kevin Bonsor

The U.S. Navy's new subs will use photonics masts instead of periscopes. Learn how these imaging devices will work.

By Kevin Bonsor

If you're a fan of Iron Man comic books and movies, you probably wish you had a flight-capable suit of armor to battle evildoers. Well, you might just be in luck.

By Kevin Bonsor & Patrick J. Kiger

Weapons in space that can knock down missiles have been under development for years and are starting to look realistic. Learn how they will work!

By Kevin Bonsor

Nine countries hold the 13,000 nuclear weapons in the global stockpile. That's less than during the Cold War but it doesn't change the fact that these bombs are still a threat to global humanity. So how do they work and are we close to nuclear war?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D. & Patrick J. Kiger

What once was "Star Wars" under Reagan is now National Missile Defense under Bush. Learn more about the technology behind the system.

By Kevin Bonsor

The Osprey is a unique aircraft. How does it work? And what has caused its recent failures? Get an in-depth look at the aircraft's systems and design.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.