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The eccentric engineer: the law of unintended consequences

Members'-only content Justin Pollard — Wed 18 Oct 2023 — updated 6 Nov 2023

As we stand perhaps on the cusp of an AI revolution that will change the way we work, we look back to another engineering invention that changed the world in untold ways and still affects us today.

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Project watch: a look at Sizewell C and the Thames Tideway Tunnel

Thu 12 Oct 2023
Around the world, many great projects are changing the built environment and our infrastructure – however, progress can appear slow. Each issue, Tim Fryer takes a quick look at notable recent developments in some of these major projects.
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Gadgets review: Acer’s e-assist bike, EZVIZ PS300 Portable Power Station and more

Thu 12 Oct 2023
The latest tech makes it easy to enjoy stargazing, cycling, making pizza, playing chess, watching TV with distant friends and going camping
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Fintech brings banking to the unbanked in developing countries

Wed 11 Oct 2023
As digitally enabled banking becomes more widespread in Africa and Asia, a recent white paper has suggested that challenger bank fintech services could play a major role in promoting financial inclusion, provided more is done to introduce robust cyber protection.
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Cream of the crop: meet the finalists for the IET Excellence and Innovation Awards

Tue 10 Oct 2023
Another year and a new batch of people, projects and products have been revealed as finalists in the IET Excellence and Innovation Awards.
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Pet tech boom: biometrics and AI gain favour among cat and dog owners

Mon 9 Oct 2023
From biometric ID to predictive diagnostics, AI is helping pet owners and veterinarians improve the quality of life of our burgeoning population of dogs and cats.
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The drones and cameras that could keep homes secure

Thu 5 Oct 2023
Domestic surveillance gadgets are here to stay, and likely to become even more sophisticated.
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Engineering workforce skill gap threatens UK’s net zero goals

Tue 3 Oct 2023
The engineering sector has an infamous skills shortage that could hamper the delivery of the UK’s net zero ambitions. Why haven’t countless industry-led programmes plugged the gap?
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Extreme weather: the technologies used to combat climate change

Mon 2 Oct 2023
Extremes of weather and unseasonal meteorological patterns have been experienced around the globe in 2023, but each phenomenon has localised effects.
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The eccentric engineer: The darkest days in Rjukan

Fri 16 Jun 2023

This is the story of Norwegian engineer Sam Eyde, whose discovery of a waterfall led to the creation of a town with a place in the history books.
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The eccentric engineer: The biggest kit in the world

Fri 14 Apr 2023

Long before online shopping, people living far from city centres could order goods from catalogues. The range of available items could put even a modern internet retailer to shame.
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Eccentric Engineer: How the golf ball got its dimples

Thu 16 Mar 2023

This month, we look at the way the design of golf balls evolved, with their aerodynamic properties contributing to the sport’s enduring popularity.
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The eccentric engineer: The forgotten great American inventor

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‘Credit where credit’s due’ is not a phrase that rang true for Granville T Woods. The man who would go on to be known as the ‘Black Edison’ didn’t have the easiest start in life for an engineer.
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From the archives - Old Berwick Bridge

Mon 29 Apr 2024
Like the newfound Anglo-Scottish unity it symbolised, constructing Berwick Old Bridge was not without its teething problems, writes Jack Loughran
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E+T Expert Engineering: Taj Mahal

Thu 4 Apr 2024
The Taj Mahal, India’s most recognisable landmark, was originally commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife in 1632.
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Underwater drone discovers and explores 100-year-old shipwreck

Wed 3 Apr 2024
An underwater drone known as Hydrus has been used to explore a shipwreck that has been at the bottom of the Indian Ocean for over 100 years.
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The inspiration for great toys can come from many areas – but can you think of one inspired by money?
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Mon 22 Apr 2024
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Spirograph - wheel within a wheel

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The eccentric engineer: The darkest days in Rjukan

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The eccentric engineer: America’s most unlikely measurement

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Tue 7 May 2024
Decarbonisation depends on electric vehicles – and on the huge plants that churn out lithium-ion batteries.
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Project Watch - The gulf railway

Fri 3 May 2024
Around the world, many great projects are changing the built environment and our infrastructure – but sometimes progress is slow and they slip off the radar. This column follows their development
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From the archives - Old Berwick Bridge

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