Interesting Facts
Engineers do some amazing things!
Here are some interesting facts about engineers and engineering.
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Lipstick contains fishscales...
...well, some lipsticks do anyway! "Pearl essence" or "pearlescence" is the silvery stuff found in fish scales that is used in some lipsticks as well as nail polishes and ceramic glazes to make them shimmery. Pearl essence is obtained primarily from herrings and is one of many by-products of large-scale commercial fish processing. Synthetic versions have been developed and these are used by engineers in printed products, industrial coatings and car paints. Source: July 2008
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The thinnest part of a tin can wall...
...measures only 0.07mm. That's thinner than a human hair! Source: www.recycle-more.co.uk, August 2008
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In the 1960s engineer Sherman Poppen glued two skis together to create...
...a snowboard. His invention was created, with a rope attached for balance and steering, so his daughter could ride down a hill standing up.
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In London the longest continuous underground tunnel...
...forms part of the Northern Line. From East Finchley to Morden it is 27.8 km (17.25 miles) long. Source: TFL Facts and Figures, December 2003
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The UK has 1% of the world's population, but...
...20% of the world's CCTV cameras! Source: www.thecctvcompany.co.uk August 2008
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Water slides wouldn't exist without...
...engineers! Engineers apply physics to almost every component of a water slide, from the water pumping system that pushes water to the top of a slide, to regulating the flow, to the design and materials used in the slide itself.
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The Morgan safety hood now known as ...
...the gas mask was invented by African American Garrett Morgan in 1914 . Source: www.inventors.about.com, August 2008
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It takes approximately 400 cacao beans...
...to make one pound of chocolate. Creating your favourite chocolate bar involves engineers in a complicated process which begins with grinding cacao beans and combining them with other raw ingredients to form a coarse brown powder called crumb which is refined into a paste then formed into chocolate bars after conching for up to six days and tempering to give the chocolate that melt in the mouth quality. Source: www.engineergirl.org, July 2008
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Chemical engineers are amongst the highest paid...
...in the engineering field! Newly qualified UK graduate chemical engineers can expect to earn about £24,988 rising to £31,564 by the time they're 29. Source: Institution of Chemical Engineers, July 2008
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Medical engineering benefits millions of people...
...every year enabling healthcare providers and hospitals to supply better care and treatment to patients. They are responsible for scanners, surgical technology, bionics, life support systems and much more. A career in medical engineering is dynamic, interesting, exciting, challenging, and directly affects the quality of our lives. Source: www.science-engineering.net, July 2008
