What is Engineering?

Summary

This script celebrates the unsung heroes of daily life: engineers. It illustrates how engineers use math and science to solve problems, from perfecting the morning routine with alarms and toothpaste to creating addictive games. The script highlights engineering marvels like airplanes, the Burj Khalifa, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, showcasing the innovative solutions behind these feats. It ends with a call to action, asking what future problems engineers will tackle, such as affordable solar power, life-saving robots, or perhaps a working hoverboard, emphasizing the role of engineering in improving our world.

Takeaways

• 🛏️ Morning routines are often facilitated by engineering, from alarms to toothpaste.
• 🚀 Engineers are problem solvers, using math and science as their creative tools.
• 🕒 The precision of an alarm clock is an example of an engineering problem solved to improve daily life.
• 🦷 The formulation of toothpaste is a result of chemical engineering to achieve the right balance for oral hygiene.
• 🎮 Video games like Angry Birds are designed by engineers to be addictive and entertaining.
• ✈️ Aeroplanes are a testament to the collaborative efforts of various engineering disciplines.
• 🏗️ The Burj Khalifa showcases innovative engineering solutions to construct tall buildings in extreme climates.
• 🌐 Engineers are responsible for the extraction, refinement, and navigation systems in modern transportation.
• 🌉 The Sydney Harbour Bridge is an example of historical engineering innovation using the arched bridge design.
• 🔍 The future of engineering holds the potential for advancements in renewable energy, medical robotics, and even space-age architecture.
• 🛠️ Engineering is about turning imaginative ideas into reality, improving the world through problem-solving.

Q & A

What is the role of an engineer in our daily lives according to the script?

Engineers play a crucial role in our daily lives by solving problems and creating solutions that make our lives easier and more efficient. They are behind the design and functionality of many everyday items and systems, such as alarm clocks, toothpaste, traffic lights, video games, and transportation.

Why are maths and science important to engineers?

Maths and science are the creative tools that engineers use to solve problems. They provide the foundational knowledge and analytical skills necessary to develop and improve technologies and systems.

What is one example of an engineering challenge mentioned in the script?

One example of an engineering challenge mentioned is setting forty-five thousand cubic meters of reinforced concrete in extreme weather conditions while building the Burj Khalifa.

How did engineers solve the problem of setting concrete in extreme heat during the construction of the Burj Khalifa?

Engineers solved this problem by using a method of pumping iced liquid concrete into the steel frame during the night, which allowed the concrete to set properly in the intense heat.

What is the significance of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the context of the script?

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is highlighted as a marvel of civil engineering that showcases the ability of engineers to overcome challenges, such as spanning a wide harbor and supporting its own weight with the use of an arched bridge design.

What historical concept did engineers use to solve the problem of the Sydney Harbour Bridge's construction?

Engineers used the concept of the arched bridge, an idea that originated with the Romans, which transfers weight into horizontal forces and braces them at the ends of the arch.

What does the script suggest about the future of engineering?

The script suggests that the future of engineering will involve solving new and challenging problems, such as developing affordable solar power, creating robots capable of life-saving surgery, building extremely tall structures, or even engineering a working hoverboard.

How does the script describe the process of engineering?

The script describes engineering as the process of solving problems, taking innovative ideas, and determining their feasibility. When these ideas are proven possible, they are shared with the world to improve lives.

What is the role of a mechatronics engineer in the context of the script's discussion about aeroplanes?

In the context of aeroplanes, a mechatronics engineer is responsible for devising the controls, which integrate mechanical and electronic systems for the operation of the aircraft.

Why is the Burj Khalifa an example of engineering innovation according to the script?

The Burj Khalifa is an example of engineering innovation because it is the world's tallest building at 829.8 meters high, constructed in an extremely hot environment, showcasing the application of advanced engineering techniques to overcome construction challenges.

What does the script imply about the importance of problem-solving in the field of engineering?

The script implies that problem-solving is central to engineering, as it is through identifying and addressing problems that engineers drive innovation and create solutions that improve our world.

Outlines

00:00

🛏 Morning Routines and Engineering

This paragraph discusses the mundane activities of a typical morning, from waking up to the alarm to rushing to catch the train, and highlights how these everyday conveniences are the result of engineering. It emphasizes the role of engineers in solving problems and using math and science to improve our world, from the precise timing of an alarm to the formulation of toothpaste and the addictiveness of a mobile game. The paragraph also introduces the idea of traveling by airplane, a feat made possible by various engineering disciplines, and sets the stage for further exploration of engineering achievements.

Keywords

💡Engineers

Engineers are professionals who apply scientific and mathematical principles to design, build, and maintain structures, systems, and processes. In the video's theme, engineers are portrayed as problem solvers who use creativity and scientific tools to improve the world around us. Examples include designing the alarm clock for accurate timekeeping, creating the perfect toothpaste formula, and developing navigation systems for airplanes.

💡Problem Solving

Problem solving is the core activity of engineering, which involves identifying issues and finding practical solutions. The video emphasizes that problems inspire engineers to innovate and improve various aspects of daily life. For instance, engineers had to solve the problem of making toothpaste with the right balance of chemicals for optimal oral hygiene.

💡Mathematics and Science

Mathematics and science are the foundational tools that engineers use to solve problems. They provide the logical and analytical framework necessary for designing and implementing solutions. In the context of the video, these disciplines help engineers to calculate the right time for an alarm to go off or to balance the chemical composition of toothpaste.

💡Innovation

Innovation refers to the process of creating new methods, ideas, or products. The video highlights innovation as a key outcome of engineering, where engineers take 'crazy' ideas and make them a reality, thus enhancing our lives. An example from the script is the creation of addictive video games like Angry Birds.

💡Aeroplanes

Aeroplanes are a significant example of engineering achievements in the video. They represent the culmination of various engineering disciplines, including mechanical, mechatronics, mining, chemical, electrical, and software engineering, all contributing to the complex system that allows humans to fly.

💡Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is mentioned as the world's tallest building, standing at 829.8 meters high. It exemplifies the challenges and solutions in engineering, particularly in extreme weather conditions. The use of iced liquid concrete to set the structure vertically is a testament to engineering ingenuity.

💡Sydney Harbour Bridge

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is highlighted as a marvel of civil engineering. It demonstrates the application of ancient Roman principles in modern construction, specifically the use of the arched bridge design to distribute weight and support the structure's span.

💡Arched Bridge

An arched bridge is a type of bridge design that uses arches to distribute weight into horizontal forces, which are then braced at the ends of the arch. This concept, attributed to the Romans, was crucial in solving the problem of spanning wide distances with bridges, as illustrated by the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

💡Future Engineering

The video speculates on future engineering challenges and solutions, such as affordable solar power, life-saving robots, extremely tall buildings, and the development of a working hoverboard. These examples represent the ongoing quest for innovation and the potential for engineers to solve new problems.

💡Hoverboard

A hoverboard, while not yet a reality, is used in the video to illustrate the aspirations of future engineering. It represents a dream technology that, if engineered successfully, would be a significant leap in transportation and a testament to the power of human ingenuity.

Highlights

Engineers solve problems using maths and science.

Engineering made alarms, trains, traffic lights, video games, and toothpaste possible.

Problems inspire engineers to improve our world.

Mechanical engineers designed aeroplane engines.

Mechatronics engineers devised aeroplane controls.

Mining engineers extracted fuel for aeroplanes.

Chemical engineers refined fuel for aeroplanes.

Electrical and software engineers created navigation systems.

The Burj Khalifa is the world's tallest building at 829.8 meters.

Engineers used iced liquid concrete at night to build the Burj Khalifa.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a marvel of civil engineering.

The arched bridge design transfers weight into horizontal forces.

Engineering can lead to affordable solar power, life-saving robots, or buildings with views of outer space.

Engineering involves taking crazy, out-there ideas and making them possible.

Engineers share their ideas with the world to improve lives.

Transcripts

Let's take a moment to think about your morning

The alarm on your phone goes off at 7:03

you drag yourself to the shower

and blast yourself with perfectly warm water in an attempt to wake up.

You smear your toothbrush with too much toothpaste

and scrub yourself into a foamy mess of minty freshness.

You're running late, so you skate downtown

weaving through the commuters, dart across the road

barely making the lights and jump on the train just before the doors beep shut.

There's a couple of stops to go so you pull out your

phone and play a few games of Angry Birds.

alarms, trains, traffic lights

video games, toothpaste.

All these things were made possible by engineers.

But what prompts an engineer to improve our world?

Well, they solve problems.

Problems are an engineer's inspiration

and maths and science are the creative tools they use to solve them.

Problems like making your alarm go off at the right time,

or making sure your toothpaste is just the right balance of chemicals

to give you that perfect smile.

Or even making a game so addictive it's almost impossible to put down,

if that really is a problem.

Now let's head over to the airport and jump on an aeroplane.

Ahh aeroplanes, they're so easy to take for granted.

But don't forget, you can fly!

Before aeroplanes, flying was quite a bit more challenging.

Every bit of your plane has been touched by engineers.

A mechanical engineer designed the engine,

a mechatronics engineer devised the controls,

the fuel? Extracted by mining engineers

and refined by chemical engineers.

The navigation systems?

Electrical and software engineers created those.

Yep, a whole team of engineers.

Now we've landed in Dubai,

home of the Burj Khalifa.

It's the world's tallest building at 829.8 meters high.

It's also in one of the world's hottest environments,

reaching up to 50 degrees in summer.

One of the difficulties of building the Burj

was trying to figure out how to set forty-five thousand

cubic meters of reinforced concrete in such extreme weather.

The solution?

A clever method of pumping iced liquid concrete

into the 55,000 tonnes steel frame during the night.

The result?

A building that's vertically over 800 meters high,

rather than horizontally all over the ground.

Now let's jump into our time machine and go back to Saturday,

Saturday March 1932.

The Sydney Harbour Bridge is about to open.

the bridge is a marvel of civil engineering,

and a pretty cool place to set off some fireworks.

Since 1815 people had been talking about building a bridge

to connect the two sides of the Harbour.

The problem was that the harbour was so incredibly wide,

how could a bridge span such a width and support its own weight?

The solution?

The Romans!

Well actually it was an idea they came up with.

The arched bridge works by transferring the weight into horizontal forces,

and bracing them at the ends of the arch.

But what about the future?

What problems will engineers solve next?

Will we finally have affordable solar power?

Or robots that can perform life-saving surgery,

or a building that's so tall your view is of outer space.

Or how about finally engineering a working hover board?

Seriously, we've waited long enough.

So what is engineering?

It's solving problems.

It's taking crazy, out there ideas

and seeing if they're actually possible.

And when they are, the idea is shared with the world to make all our lives better

So, what problems do you want to solve?