There are some truly incredible engineering feats out there that deserve to be known and celebrated. From large-scale construction projects to innovative medical breakthroughs, these ten achievements are truly remarkable.
1. The Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco is one of the most iconic bridges in the world, stretching for one mile across the San Francisco Bay to connect the city of San Francisco with Marin County to the north. The bridge was designed by architect Joseph Strauss and chief engineer Leon Moisseiff, and construction began in 1933 and was completed in 1937. It is considered one of the most beautiful bridges in the world and has become a major tourist attraction in San Francisco.
2. The International space station
The International Space Station (ISS) is a remarkable facility. It has been in orbit since 1998. The station’s purpose is to provide a home for astronauts and cosmonauts, and to conduct research in the fields of astronomy, earth science, space biology, human physiology, and human life sciences. It is also a powerful test bed for technologies that can be used to develop future spacecrafts. At more than 240 miles above the Earth, the ISS is in a unique position to observe the changing planet below.
3. 3D printed human heart
Stratasys have developed a 3D printer which can produce functioning human hearts and can be used for planning surgical procedures, mimicking the anatomy of the heart, and the technology has life-saving potential. OpHeart teamed up with Stratasys on a study of the technology. OpHeart Executive Director, Anne Garcia said:
“This study is truly extraordinary, in that it is a ‘village’ effort. Doctors have seen first-hand how 3D printing can save lives, but they have not had the resources to quantifiably substantiate heretofore anecdotal evidence. This study will do that. I am proud to work with such an esteemed group of clinicians and industry leaders to improve the lives of children like my daughter, and I thank Stratasys for their unwavering support.”
4. The Channel Tunnel
The channel tunnel is a great feat of engineering, conceptualised in the early 1800s and finally completed in 1994. The tunnel is just under 20 miles long, and at its deepest point it is over 100 metres below the surface. The tunnel was constructed to transport freight between Britain and France, and while it has been used for this purpose, it has also become a major tourist attraction. Tourists come from all over the world to experience the spectacular journey through the Channel Tunnel.
5. The Dyson vaccum cleaner
Dyson, and inventor James Dyson are best-known around the world for the game-changing Dyson vacuum cleaner. The first Dyson vacuum was launched in May 1993 and made in Chippenham, UK using patented ‘Dual Cyclone’ technology. Born out of James Dyson’s gripe with traditional bag vacuums which were inefficient and prone to clogs, and regular emptying cycles, Dyson invented Dual Cyclone technology for 100% suction, whenever and wherever, due to a bagless system spinning dust and dirt into a canister. In 2017, Dyson launched a revolutionary new hair dryer that cut drying time by 40%. This dryer works by generating ultrasound waves through a high-tech transducer array embedded in a domed housing on the handle. This allows the air to travel through the dryer at supersonic speeds, reducing the time it normally takes to dry hair fully from between seven and fifteen minutes to just three minutes.
6. Shenzhen Bay, Hong Kong
Hong Kong is home to one of the world’s largest port cities, the port city of Shenzhen. This city receives over 30 million visitors a year and is a major commercial hub in Asia. The city expanded massively in the 90s to accommodate this large influx of visitors and workers and there are now around twenty separate areas of the city containing more than 800 skyscrapers. This is all the work of construction company China State Construction Engineering Corporation who undertook the massive task of constructing all these skyscrapers in record time. They completed all of the buildings inside a single year.
7. The Jet Engine
Rolls Royce built the first jet engine in the world back in 1930 and it was designed entirely by the British company Rolls Royce. The company began by producing aircraft engines during World War II and the Jet Engine was born shortly afterwards. It was manufactured until the 1950s and was exported to various countries around the world including Germany and Japan.
8. WEMBLEY STADIUM
Known affectionately by English fans and many outside of the UK as the ‘Home of Football’, the new Wembley stadium was opened in 2007 and is one of the most iconic stadiums in world football. It was built for the home games of the England football team, and with 90,000 seats it is the UK’s largest sports venue, as well as Europe’s second largest stadium. The 133 metre tall arch can be seen all around London and is the largest single span roof support structure in the world. The stadium has hosted men’s and women’s European Championship Finals in 2020 and 2022 respectively, and has hosted more Champions League finals than any other stadiums – and is due to achieve a record eight-times, combined with the old Wembley stadium, when it hosts the 2024 Champions League Final.
9. Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur
Petronas Towers are two identical skyscrapers located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They were constructed during the early 1980s as part of the country’s drive to attract foreign investment into the country and were officially opened in 1996. They are the tallest buildings in the world and are hugely popular with tourists visiting the city. The towers have a distinctive golden colour which reflects the light making them stand out from the surrounding buildings in the city centre.
10. The personal computer
Apple produced the first successful personal computer when it launched the Apple II computer in 1977. It quickly became one of the most popular computers on the market and helped to popularise the PC market in America and beyond. The design was simplistic and easy to use and had a large fan following among consumers. Despite its success the company eventually exited the personal computer market to concentrate on other areas of the business
A Glance at All-BRITISH INVENTIONS
- The Jet Engine was the first jet engine ever made in the world and was invented by the British company Rolls Royce.
- British company, JCB designed and built the first tractor to be made in the UK which is still used today in countries such as the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
- The first plane to fly upside down was invented by a British inventor named William Henson. The plane was based on the design of the hang glider and was intended to save the lives of people who would have otherwise been killed in plane crashes if the plane had collided with an oncoming vehicle while in the air.
- The British were the first to invent the cell phone in 1946 but the USA were quick to develop the technology and begin to manufacture them on a large scale around the world.
