Designing the Citigroup Skyscraper

This video segment adapted from Thinking Big, Building Small shows how a structural engineer overcame the challenge of building New York's Citigroup skyscraper over a church.

Accessibility features: Caption, Transcript

Design: The Right Tool for the Job

Which tool is the right tool for the job? This collection of images features a series of cutting tools performing the tasks for which they were designed.

The Dome Challenge

In this interactive activity from the Building Big Web site, think like an engineer and use your knowledge of dome design to match the right type of dome to the right location in a fictitious city.

Engineering Career Options

It's a profession that can take you from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space, from within the microscopic structures of the human cell to the top of the tallest skyscrapers. In this stills collage adapted from The American Society for Engineering Education, learn about some of the most popular engineering fields.

Fire Safety in High Rises

This video segment adapted from NOVA explains how the sprinkler revolutionized fire safety and also features developments in fire-safety design for high-rise buildings.

Accessibility features: Caption

Firth of Forth Cantilever Bridge

This video segment from Building Big: "Bridges" demonstrates the basic design of a cantilever bridge by looking at Scotland's Firth of Forth Railway Bridge.

Accessibility features: Caption

Forces Lab

In this interactive activity from the Building Big Web site, select one of the actions of squeezing, stretching, bending, sliding, or twisting to explore the forces of compression, tension, shear, and torsion.

Geodesic Dome

This video segment adapted from Building Big highlights the evolution of the geodesic dome, designed by legendary architect and inventor, Buckminster Fuller.

Accessibility features: Caption

Grass Bridge

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, watch residents of the Peruvian Andes build a suspension bridge made entirely of grass.

Accessibility features: Caption

The Hayward Fault: A Tectonic Timebomb

Earthquakes are part of the geologic fabric of California. In this audio report from QUEST produced by KQED, find out why one East Bay fault line has geologists particularly worried.

Hoover Dam

This video segment from Building Big: "Dams," demonstrates the basic principals at work in the Hoover Dam, a concrete gravity dam that also makes use of the properties of the arch.

Accessibility features: Caption

Inflatable Moon Habitat

Visit an inflatable habitat designed for astronauts to live in on the Moon in this video adapted from NASA 360.

Accessibility features: Caption

Investigating a Suspension Bridge

In this video segment adapted from ZOOM, the cast builds a suspension bridge from a couple of chairs, some cardboard, and rope.

Accessibility features: Caption

It's Cool to Be a Civil Engineer

Who decides how massive structures like skyscrapers are made? This video segment adapted from Thinking Big, Building Small showcases the job of a civil engineer.

Accessibility features: Caption, Transcript

The Leaning Tower: Where It Stands Today

Will the Leaning Tower of Pisa give way to gravity? In this interview from the NOVA Web site, engineer John Burland relates the difficult job of saving the tower.

Lever an Obelisk

Investigate the mechanical advantage of the lever in this interactive activity from the NOVA Web site.

Loads Lab

This interactive activity from the Building Big Web site examines different types of loads and how structures might be reinforced to withstand them.

Materials Lab

This interactive activity from the Building Big Web site explores the properties of different types of building materials.

New Ways to Catch Rays

This interactive resource adapted from NOVA Online explores eight of the latest technological developments designed to harness the energy of the Sun.

Nuclear Reaction: Meltdown

What happens when a nuclear reactor overheats? This video segment adapted from FRONTLINE looks at the nuclear reactor meltdown at Chernobyl, the worst accident of its kind.

Accessibility features: Caption