Science and Technology - Abilities of technological design

  • Space Science: By Human or Robot?

    Space shuttle Columbia has crashed, raising questions about research on the space shuttle and the International Space Station. Should we do space science by robots or manned vehicles?


    Thursday, February 13th, 2003
  • Composite Materials: Technology Behind the Magic

    Airbus crashes in New York — composite material fails and tail fin falls off. Why are composites (usually) so strong? How are they used in roads, bikes and planes?


    Thursday, December 13th, 2001
  • Archaeological Salvage Work

    Before some building projects, salvage archaeologists save what they can. What can you learn with a quick-and-dirty dig? Is it worth the hassle?


    Thursday, July 5th, 2001
  • Filtering Pollution: Intriguing Invention

    Organic solvents are handy hydrocarbon chemicals used to carry coatings — typically paint — to objects. New invention could filter these solvents out at the factory, reducing air pollution.


    Thursday, October 26th, 2000
  • Spaceship Problems: Why so Many?

    Mars Polar Orbiter: Lost in space. What else goes wrong in the great blue yonder, and what could we do to prevent more problems?


    Thursday, December 16th, 1999
  • Kites: A Cut-Rate Scientific Tool

    Scientific kites are back, flying payloads high into the atmosphere and delivering data at a fraction of the cost of satellites and specialized planes.


    Thursday, December 9th, 1999
  • Oil can flow through porous rock like this. Drillers love it.
    Drilling for Oil: Where Does Petroleum Come From?

    How do we find and produce oil and natural gas? Give credit to the ancient plants that make oil and natural gas. Why do oil companies whack the Earth? What is a horizontal drill good for?


    Thursday, December 2nd, 1999
  • Missile Defense: State of the “Art”

    Missile defense: Protective shield, or dangerous myth? New tests do little to solve the problem.


    Friday, June 18th, 1999
  • Computer Animation: Tricks of the Trade

    Computer animation powers A Bug’s Life to the box office. What is wire-frame animation? What other techniques are used to bring pixels to life in the movies?


    Thursday, December 17th, 1998
  • Renewable Energy

    New push for renewable energy: Solar hydrogen, wind farms and fuel cells all have potential — and problems.


    Thursday, August 20th, 1998


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