Unprofessional Engineering

You don't get much more cutting edge engineering and technology than with military vehicles. From tanks to planes and everything in-between (what does a hovercraft even even count as??), the military develops some of the coolest tech around. Luke and James searched through the archives to come up with their top 10 military vehicles of all time. Ranging from the Challenger 2 battle tanks, to the Black Hawk helicopter, and even including some more unique creations like the AAV-7A1 Amphibious Assault Vehicle, there is something for everyone. Which will be crowned the coolest of all time? Nobody knows, and the criteria it is picked on is hazy at best, but one thing is for sure; these vehicles are awesome!

With the new year almost here, and it likely that many of you are going to overindulge in celebration, it felt like the perfect time to investigate the science behind two horrible things: hiccups and hangovers! We've looked into what causes both hiccups and hangovers (no, not just "alcohol," but the process that results from alcohol consumption) and researched what the most likely cures are, if any. We also share some of our favorite home remedies that probably don't work as well! There might also be a hangover story or two in there... Happy New Year!!

As a special holiday gift, we dove into the engineering behind a modern'ish Christmas classic: Home Alone!! Kevin McCallister, less well known as Macaulay Culkin, sets up tons of traps for two less than capable burglars to bumble through as he protects his house. But would these traps actually work? And just how dangerous are they? We looked into all of them (OK, only the ones we deemed interesting enough) to see what the math says to help us engineer this Christmas favorite.

It's the most wonderful time of the year!! The Unprofessional Engineering Christmas gifts episode for those hard to shop for engineers in your life!!! Whether you are shopping for the pinnacle of engineers, the Mechanical Engineer, all the way down to the Civil Engineers playing in the dirt, we have a gift recommendation that they would love, from stocking stuffer to giant presents if they've been really good this year. In addition, we've picked out some of our favorite gift ideas for the aspiring engineer of nearly all ages. OK, so maybe not a two year old, but can we really tell they will be an engineer? Are we better than Santa? Probably. But either way, at least we can help you pick out a great gift for any engineer!

We spend a lot of time discussing how great engineering is and all of the amazing successes that have come from it over the years. Not all engineering projects are a success, though. We have looked back in time and picked out some of the greatest engineering disasters of all time. Some, like the Titanic or Challenger disaster, are well known, but others like the molasses flood of Boston or gas explosion in Cleveland are less talked about. How do you not talk about a molasses flood?! Join us to learn about some of the biggest engineering failures of all time and the oversights that caused these to occur.

When you discuss top engineering universities in the United States, Carnegie Mellon University will almost certainly come up regardless of the engineering (or computer science) discipline. If you are thinking about getting a degree in engineering, want to relive your glory days from college, or maybe you're just curious about what sets one university apart from another, this episode and series are for you! Learn how Carnegie Mellon University ranks across the various engineering disciplines, just how smart you have to be to get in, some tips to stand out amongst the crowds, how much it costs to get your degree, and the top reasons to go to CMU!

Sometimes even what seems to be the simplest invention has a long and interesting history, and certainly isn't an instant success. That was the case with one of the most well known materials around today; Velcro! It all started when George de Mestral noticed some annoying burrs on his dog after a walk, and unknowingly used biomimicry to recreate this over time, creating Velcro! Of course, NASA gets credit for the invention much of the time, but in reality, they only made it a cool and futuristic item to have at home. Learn about the rest of the Velcro history, how it is mass produced, some unique uses for it, and much more!

If you're thinking about getting into engineering, finding a new job in your field, or curious how much you should be getting paid, you don't want to miss this series on different fields of engineering. This time, we are focused on "What is Control Systems Engineering." Or Controls Engineering. Or Systems Engineering.... OK, you get the point. We've reviewed the top US and global universities for a Control Systems Engineering degree, the classes that you take (warning, there is a lot of Electrical Engineering and Comp Sci going on here), who likes to hire your, how much you'll get paid, and so much more!

The B-2 Stealth Bomber, also known as the Northrup Grumman Spirit, is a long-range US bomber. It might be the most well-known plane in the US military, but much about its technology and capabilities is still unknown to the public. Designed during the Cold War, the Stealth Bomber is the world's first first low-observation (or stealth) bomber. In addition to being crazy sneaky, it also holds the record for longest flight time! What can't this thing do?! Learn everything that there is to know (for the public, at least) about the B-2 Bomber, from history to famous movies that it has appeared in.

Pennsylvania State University (otherwise known as Penn State) has a long history as a top engineering school in the United States. In our new series on great engineering universities, we decided to focus on Penn State, not only because James is an alum, but because it is actually a great school as well! Starting as a land grant school back in the 1800s, Penn State was one of the first universities to focus on engineering as a stand-alone major, and eventually became the first university with a nuclear reactor to support its nuclear engineering program. Learn all about how the school got started, how it's engineering programs rank, how much you can expect to make as a Penn State graduate, and some famous Penn State engineers that you may have heard of.

It turns out that the first automobiles were not exactly the safest things to be motoring down the road (or what passed as roads) in. Imagine driving in a metal box, no seat belts, no air bags, no crumple zones... it doesn't paint a pretty picture! But how did these changes come about? We looked back at the history of vehicle safety to understand where vehicles started, how they have improved over the years, and what compelling events lead to the implementation of previously unused items like safety belts, ABS, dashboards, airbags, and more.

Kevlar is widely known for its use in "bullet proof vests," but there is a lot more to it! In addition to this life-saving use, it is used for a number of other items thanks to its high heat resistance and high tensile strength. We looked into how Kevlar was created by Stephanie Kwolek while working at DuPont, the science behind its production, the different types of Kevlar out there, and a number of other uses including tires, tennis racket strings, and more.

As we continue our series on companies that built the world, we look at the history of one of the most valuable companies in the world: ExxonMobil. Known as part of "Big Oil" along with Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell, Total SE, and BP, ExxonMobil makes up a large percentage of the oil industry around the world. In addition to the long history of Exxon, started way back with John D. Rockefeller, we also explore how Exxon has used engineering and technology to improve their techniques and keep costs down (or profits up?). Sit back and enjoy this quick look at ExxonMobil, and learn how they grew into one of the most valuable companies in the world.

How exciting can driving in a straight line be? Well, when you're going over 300 miles per hour, it can get pretty intense!! Unprofessional Engineering dug into the sport of drag racing to better understand the rules, but more importantly, to understand the engineering and technology that goes into making these some of the fastest vehicles on Earth. Take a listen to how these drag racing vehicles can be tweaked to save a fraction of a second, making all of the difference!

Coca Cola is one of the most recognizable brands across the world, and the "natural flavors" included in each bottle or can is one of the most closely kept secrets, as well. We looked into the part that Coca Cola actually plays in the process of making this tasty treat (spoiler: it isn't a huge role), what the "brewing" process looks like, how bottling works, and some amazingly fun facts about this iconic company. Join us for the journey from thick sugar syrup to the delicious Coke (or Diet Coke, or Coke Zero...you get it) ending up in your hand.

If you look out your window right now, you'll probably be able to see a tree of some sort out there somewhere. Depending on the time of year, it might be full of beautiful green leaves, or under the right conditions, you could be looking at a rainbow of autumn colors in front of you. But do you know why a tree's leaves change colors? There is a lot of science that goes into this process, and the end result can vary drastically based on a number of factors. We've looked into what causes leaves colors to change, and eventually fall to the ground (in most cases) but also what the science is behind these changes, and a few ways that you might be able to predict what colors you can expect to see this autumn.

Blacksmithing has gone from the backbone of medieval towns to an artisan craft revitalized over the past few years. We have looked into the history of blacksmithing, from the rudimentary crafts done thousands of years ago, to the development of the first nail, and now to the modern take on this ancient profession. In addition to the history of blacksmithing, we discuss the very basics to get you started. From equipment like the anvil, various hammers, tongs, and aprons (safety first!), to the methods and the four stages of blacksmithing: heating, holding, hitting and shaping. Sit back and enjoy blacksmithing 101 while you daydream about what you will forge in your garage!

If you want to get into engineering but don't know where to start, our "What Is" series is for you. In this episode, we focus on one of the newer engineering degrees, biomedical engineering. A combination of biology and engineering, this is a perfect fit for someone who doesn't know if they want to be an engineer or a doctor! Sure, you don't get paid like a doctor, but you don't have to go to college for a decade either, so that's something. Plus, biomedical engineering is one of the fastest growing engineering fields, so there should be no shortage of jobs. Take a listen and learn what a biomedical engineer does for various companies, the courses you take in school, and of course, how much you can expect to make if you land a job in this field.

Do you want to have some fun with your kids while teaching them something as well? You've come to the right place! We have gathered up some of our favorite science experiments that you can do at home while teaching important STEM principles. From instant freezing water to a baking soda volcano, making your own rock candy and watching water walk, you'll have hours of fun and education that can easily be done at home. We even have a few STEM experiments that you should probably avoid.

When two robots step into the ring, or roll in, or are placed their by their designers, one thing is for certain; only one will come out victorious!!! Unless there is a tie, then I guess neither robot wins. That isn't the point!! The point is that there is a new contestant on Discovery's hit show Battlebots, Riptide! Not only is Riptide a force in the ring, but their engineering skills with the support of the distributed manufacturing network of Xometry and design in Autodesk Fusion 360 means they are optimized for success. Almost all of Riptide was designed in Autodesk Fusion 360, with the parts being manufactured by Xometry with a simple click in the CAD interface. Within days, the parts arrived, ready to use. Learn not only how Xometry makes Riptide able to be updated, repaired, and modified in no time, but get the inside scoop on this fierce new competitor.