Unprofessional Engineering

Do you have a favorite pair of jeans that you always wear? Maybe you're like Luke and only change your jeans once a month. Yeah, gross. If you happen to be wearing a pair of Levi's, you're basically walking around in a part of history. We not only take you through the history of Levi's jeans and how Levi Strauss (sort of, but not really) created them, as well as the process jeans go through to get into the store for you to buy. If you're lucky, you might even learn how the best jeans of all time, acid washed, are made!

Everyone knows about the plans that NASA and SpaceX have for getting us to Mars (mostly because we already explained that to you), but did you know that NASA also has been playing with the idea of colonizing Venus? No, not on the extremely hot surface of "Earth's twin," but floating 50km in the clouds. That's right! Floating Venus cloud cities! Yes, I know it should be Venusian, but SEO likes the word Venus a lot more, so deal with it. Take a few (roughly 30) minutes to learn all about how operation HAVOC is going to get humans floating around Venus in no time...in theory...

Let's look at the facts: Bill Nye has his BS in Mechanical Engineering, just like me. Bill Nye hosts shows that educate young and old alike about science and technology, just like me. Bill Nye is extremely funny, just like me. We're practically the same person, so does that make me a "science guy" as well?! I think not!! But if you dig a little bit deeper, there is a lot more to Mr. William Sanford Nye. He has a couple patents, has written a couple books, helped NASA with a sundial going to Mars, designed parts for the Boeing 747 and hurt himself on Dancing with the Stars. All of these really do point to the fact that he is a science guy! It isn't his fault that he was smart enough to get out of engineering and do something he loves.

Can you remember a technological marvel that you thought would never be replaced, and the next thing you know it was obsolete? We're taking a look at some of the most amazing technology that changed the world, yet is now nothing more than an afterthought. Some of the items we discuss include: Encyclopedias, CRT TV, watches, answering machines, typewriters, the postal service, steam engines, pay phones and more!

The world's population is going to exceed 10 billion by 2050. Yeah, that's a lot, and we don't have enough food to feed all these mouths! Fortunately for us, there are a lot of smart people out there creating ways to solve this problem. Vertical gardening in giant warehouses, underwater growing bubbles, vertical farming of kelp, scallops, and other delicious seafood and even traditional food alternatives live Soylent. Warning: steak may be at a premium.

What is the history of chocolate? Where does chocolate come from? How was it made? Why Valentine’s Day? Will we ever run out? Is it really good for you? We'll answer all these questions and more today on Unprofessional Engineering.

Another great inventor, another college drop out. Then again, it looks like the drug aided spiritual journey worked out for Steve Jobs, as nearly everything he touched seemed to turn to gold. From starting Apple, to helping Pixar become a reality and resurrecting Apple from an all-time low to new heights (after they basically kicked him out as CEO), this man was successful.

Do you remember watching Total Recall and thinking, "we'll never live on Mars." Well, we might not, but that doesn't mean that humans won't. In fact, we're probably a lot closer to making it happen than you think. Our friends at SpaceX think they will be sending humans to Mars in just 6 years, and NASA is planning on doing so in under 20. All that being said, what is it going to take to make Mars habitable? And what technology needs to be in place to get us there? Of course we've summed it all up in just over 30 minutes for your listening pleasure!

There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to the different units of measure, but let's be honest, there's a wrong answer. All of 3 (or so) countries use English units which are confusing and hard to convert, and the rest of the world uses the same metric system. How could they all be wrong?! We walk you through the history of units of measure, how the English system showed up, why the French hated America and didn't invite them to the metric party, and even discuss what a butt load is. Yes, it is a real thing.

Have you ever wondered how satellites stay in orbit around the Earth? Or how they are able to communicate from thousands of miles away? Or what happens to them after they are no longer functioning or needed? We have all these answers and more! Take a listen to a brief history of satellites, what they are made from, how many are floating around us (literally) and more!

Everyone knows that the Earth is a sphere, right? Not so fast! There is a small, but vocal, group of people out there that believe the Earth is flat. Yup... fall off the edge flat. But don't worry, there is a big ice wall circa Game of Thrones holding in our oceans and keeping us safe. We're walking you through exactly what the flat Earthers believe to be the truth, how NASA is guarding the wall, the reasons gravity doesn't exist and so much more! Who knows? Maybe you'll become a true believer after this.

Are you looking for a sure-fire way to become a millionaire over night? Well bitcoin mining is not for you! In fact, it is likely that you won't even make any money doing it. But that doesn't mean that the craze is over. There are still tons of other cryptocurrency options out there, or even mining pools that you can get into to still dig for bitcoin if you're interested. We're walking you through the basics of crytocurrency, how to get ready to mine on your own, and even providing some great suggestions of things to do on the dark web. Check it out!

There has been so much amazing engineering in 2017 that it is hard to remember it all, but lucky for you, we're doing all the work! From things as simple as healthy ice cream, to IoT, all the way to Tesla and SpaceX and NASA heading to Mars again, it has been a great year! Sit back and enjoy an amazing year in technology.

I think we can all agree that Santa is for sure, 100% real, but have you ever thought about the math behind his amazing journey?!? Here are just a few things for you to think about: How fast Santa's sleigh is traveling The amount of force against the sleigh exerted by Santa How many reindeer it would actually take to pull a sleigh carrying so many presents The caloric intake of all those cookies How does the time space continuum come into play We have the answers for all of this and more! Now put down the eggnog, gather around the Christmas tree and listen to what is sure to be the best present you get this year.

After the huge success of How It's Made: Toys part one (talking about LEGO, Crayola Crayons, Etch-A-Sketch and Play-Doh) we're back with even more great toys! We answer what's inside Stretch Armstrong, walk through the epic story of the Super Soaker, talk about the wonderful toy that is the Slinky and teach you to make Silly Putty at home.

Every engineer likes to dream about cars they'll never be able to afford (come on, you're engineers after all...), but there are some that stand out above the rest. We explain just what makes a supercar so super, tell you about the most expensive and fastest cars around, and have even put together a quick list of affordable "supercars" that you might actually be able to get your hands on. Missing one? Let us hear about it!

As engineers, or just as humans, we all love toys, right?? But have you taken the time to see how they are made? We take a look at the history and the manufacturing process behind some of the most popular toys of all time, including: Lego Play-Doh Etch-a-sketch Crayola crayons Do you have more toys that you would like us to investigate? Emails us at UnprofessionalEngineering@gmail.com and we'll get them added to the next "How It's Made" episode!

Do you want to make this Thanksgiving the best ever?! You won't be able to if you don't get that turkey just right. We're here to teach you about the different ways that you can cook a turkey (from smoking to grilling, deep frying to roasting) as well as break down the math behind engineering the most delicious, juicy bird possible.

When you think about James Dyson, you probably think he is just a guy that invented an expensive vacuum cleaner, and you would almost be right. That being said, that invention got him a net worth of roughly $4.4 billion! BILLION! To his inventor cred, he also created that disgusting air blade to dry your hands and a handful of other inventions. Really cool though, Dyson is the biggest supporter of robotics in the UK! He is way more interesting than one would think, so take a half hour and hear why.

There are so many great movies out there that use engineering in amazing and creative ways! In fact, some people become engineers based on movies they watched (like Luke with E.T.). We've put our brains together to comprise the top 10 movies loosely based on engineering. Some have ingenious contraptions, some have slightly less realistic engineering, but all of them are a great watch!