Unprofessional Engineering

Latest Episodes:

Coolest Military Vehicles EVER - Episode 281 Jan 05, 2022

Show notes

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!

Hiccups and Hangovers - Episode 280 Dec 29, 2021

Show notes

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!!

Home Alone Traps: Would They Work? - Episode 279 Dec 22, 2021

Show notes

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.

Christmas Gifts for Engineers: 2021 - Episode 278 Dec 15, 2021

Show notes

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!

Engineering Disasters - Episode 277 Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

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.

Great Engineering Universities: Carnegie Mellon - Episode 276 Dec 01, 2021

Show notes

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!

Everything Velcro - Episode 275 Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

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!

What Is Control Systems Engineering - Episode 274 Nov 17, 2021

Show notes

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!

B-2 Stealth Bomber - Episode 273 Nov 08, 2021

Show notes

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.

Great Engineering Universities: Penn State - Episode 272 Nov 03, 2021

Show notes

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.

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