Unprofessional Engineering

Are you interested in how one of the richest men in the world got to where he is? We walk through the life of our close, personal friend, Bill Gates. Everything from his childhood, to dropping out of college (like all millionaires it seems), all the way to why he is giving away all of his hard earned cash!

After our smash hit success of an episode, "How Paper Currency Is Made" we figured we should follow it up on how coins are minted. We discuss how coins used to be created using a screw press, the decades that the USA let other countries coins be spent since they couldn't produce enough of their own, and how coins are pumped out today. We also discuss the most valuable coins around, the mystery of the 1943 penny, and James plays a game with Luke to test his knowledge of mint location marks.

I'm thinking we all know the end result of the Manhattan Project, but not everyone knows the means to that end. From petitioning the president to unknown laboratories around the country (and world!), there are endless secrets to unpack. And hey...why is it even named the Manhattan Project when the work happened in Los Alamos?? We break down how the Manhattan Project came to be, leaks of national secrets, the cost associated, and so much more!

It is hard to believe how much it costs to make money! From the hand engraving to the numerous security features, it can take years to have the final prints ready for a new bill. Once they are ready to start printing though, it doesn't stop! Millions of dollars worth of cold hard cash is printed each day from the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Interested in learning more about how currency is made? Join us for a detailed breakdown.

Looking for a new hobby that will likely catch you on fire, blow you up, or at the very least make the neighbors concerned about their house? Model rockets are for you! We walk through the basics of how a model rocket works, the different parts, the stages of flight, how close they are to the real deal, engine types, and we answer the age old question of do the fins really matter? Take a few minutes and join us to learn all about what might be our next hobby and what kills us.

We spend a lot of time time and episodes talking about the great inventors that changed the world, most of which designed and patented numbers creations. But what about those who didn't hog all the good ideas and only came up with 1 to make them rich and famous? In this episode, we take a look at the top 1 hit wonder engineers, like Willis Carrier who invented the air conditioner, or Margaret Knight, the woman who invented the paper bag (even though a man tried to claim he did, since "a woman can't invent things"). Of course, there's also the story of the bendy straw... Did we miss a one hit wonder of engineering? Let us know!

Do you consider yourself a video game expert? Are your Fortnite skills unmatched? Can you beat anyone at Mario Kart? What about your knowledge of where those games evolved from and how video game consoles were first created and how they have evolved over the years? In this episode, we explore the first console (the "brown box"), how we evolved past Pong, to the Atari, when Nintendo took over, why the industry changed from cartridges to discs, and why cartridges might be back again!

Thinking about getting into Electrical Engineering? Wondering what jobs are out there for you when you graduate or looking to change up your career? Curious if you are making enough money as an EE (per Glassdoor)? We're here for you! We take a look at a number of the subcategories of Electrical Engineering to help understand what it is they actually do, the classwork necessary to get a degree, the money you should expect to make, and so much more! Sure, they're not as cool as Mechanical Engineers, but we won't hold that against them.

For those who don't know, Hubs help engineers worldwide to cost-effectively source custom parts. Upload your parts to their online platform to get an instant quote and send your parts into production in less than five minutes. Their main manufacturing technologies are 3D printing, CNC machining, and Injection Molding. We were lucky enough to sit down with Ben Redwood, the Director of Supply Chain at 3D Hubs and the author of the 3D Printing Handbook, to discuss how Hubs is revolutionizing manufacturing. We talk all about 3D printing, CNC machining and milling, and injection molding, all available through Hubs! We also have a special offer!! Head over to https://www.unprofessionalengineering.com/manufacturing-with-3d-hubs and pick up your free sample of The 3D Printing Handbook!!

It's Mardi Gras time!!! And what's Mardi Gras without amazing floats?! Thanks to the design and engineering of Kern Studios and the money of the various Mardi Gras Krewes you can enjoy some of the most amazing floats and parades right in the streets of New Orleans. Want to learn about the history of Mardi Gras, how the float design process has changed over the years, or how to land a spot in a parade next year? Take a few minutes and take a listen!

Welding is a skill that every engineer should know at least a little something about. In fact, most amazing universities like Penn State require MEs take a class to get you some hands on time with the various types of welding technology out there. In this episode, we take a look at TIG, MIG, flux and any other type of welding you might be interested in! Wondering which welding option is right for you at home? We talk about that too! Plus, we'll even tell you how much a setup will cost you.

Anyone who listens to Unprofessional Engineering probably is thinking, "Yup, James and Luke are pretty much the epitome of public speaking excellence." And you would be right. That being said, we might not be the best people to go to if you are looking to improve your own public speaking. That's where our friend Neil Thompson, founder of Teach the Geek and author of Teach the Geek to Speak, comes in. Neil Thompson is a speaker, writer, and entrepreneur. He started out his career as a product development engineer, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees.Currently Neil has his own ideas on what makes an effective speaker, specifically for STEM professionals like himself. He has presented at SCORE San Diego, the Society for Biomaterials, and the Biomedical Engineering Society, among others. In addition to his public speaking appearances, Neil also hosts a podcast that focuses on public speaking, and he writes a weekly blog on public speaking topics. Learn More: https://teachthegeek.thinkific.com/courses/teach-the-geek-to-speak

It's here! Our first female great inventor (sorry it took so long). And how can it get any better?! Not only did Marie Curie (if that really is her name) win the Nobel Prize in Physics, but she also won it for Chemistry!! AND, her daughter bagged a Nobel Prize as well! Wow! In this episode, we walk you through her tough childhood, what got her to France in the first place, her award winning discoveries, the role she (and her daughter) played in saving lives in the World War and how her legacy lives on today.

Do you ever wonder how the weather person can get their predictions wrong half the time and still keep a job? Well, when you actually take a at all of the different science and technology that goes into those predictions, you might be a little more forgiving. Just a little. Meteorology is actually a complex field of study that requires more than just standing in front of a green screen and guessing if it will rain. I mean, some people just do that, but actual meteorologists are hardcore scientists. Satellites, radar, barometers, and even chaos theory come into play in their field of work. We take a look at everything that goes into predicting the weather, the way it was done in the past, and if we will ever get past the accuracy of Groundhog Phil.

Did you know that over 1.5 billion cell phones were purchased last year? Or that we're making over 45 tons of e-waste each year?! What is even worse, only 20% of this waste was disposed of properly. In this episode, we take a look at the options you have to recycle your electronic products, companies that will help, the current recycling process, the adverse effects that the hazardous chemicals in electronics have on your health, and how you can turn your pile of electronic junk into a fortune of gold, right at home!

We have all heard about the Challenger disaster, about something as small as a gasket failing and resulting in the explosion. But do we really know what went on in the backrooms before the disaster happened? Thanks to movie writer and director Nathan VonMinden, we get a chance to see how things shook out. Even better, TV's superman (Dean Cain) and national championship winning coach Les Miles join you for the journey! We got the chance to sit down with Nathan to learn more about The Challenger Disaster, what he learned from creating the movie, and how an engineer can turn into a director. Go check out The Challenger Disaster on demand now to get a better understanding of this piece of history.

Perhaps the most significant engineering feat in the past decade, the Mars Insight Lander has successfully landed on Mars. But what's next? We take a look at what the lander has been up to in the weeks since it made it to Mars, and the plans that NASA has for it while it hangs out on the red planet.

Why do some cities seem to have a vibrant downtown while others seem to close up after the work day is over? It is become some cities are more livable than others. What does this mean? It is a combination of being pedestrian friendly, walkable, safe, great public transportation, city housing and more. In this episode, we take a look at how euclidean planning destroyed the concept of a neighborhood and what we need to do to make cities livable once more.

As Unprofessional Engineering is liking going to win a Nobel Prize at some point, we thought it would be a good idea to investigate what goes into the process, as well as look back on the man who created the prize. From physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, peace and economics, there are countless amazing winners of the Nobel Prize. Well, not countless...more like 900 some. But still, way more brain power than one can appreciate. Learn how Alfred Nobel earned all his money to fund the prizes, how the winners are selected, and some of the biggest winners and snubs in history.

George Westinghouse is an underappreciated inventor, making major strides in the railway and electricity industries. His creation of the railway air brake was probably his greatest invention, but electricity really set him apart as an amazing industrialist. Plus, he got to take advantage of Tesla, which is pretty cool! Learn everything you've ever wanted to know about the life of George Westinghouse, right here!

We take a look back at the month of December, 2018, to investigate some of the coolest happenings of the past 30 or so days. Some of these include finding water on an asteroid, creating the substance that filled the universe seconds after the big bang, and a mechanical device that farts glitter on unsuspecting present thieves. What more could you be looking for?!

Are you excited for Aquaman?! Us too! In preparation for the DC release, we have decided to take a look at the history and efforts to find his home; the lost city of Atlantis! From the original stories from Plato, all the way up to Google Ocean trying to find the city, we investigate the top theories, and James even provides his own theory on what happened to Atlantis.

We all love the sounds of jingle bells around the holidays, and hanging candy canes on the Christmas tree, but do you ever take the time to think about the manufacturing process that goes into making these things? Of course not! You're too busy enjoying your eggnog and fruit cake. In this episode of Unprofessional Engineering, we take a look at how some of our holiday favorites are created, including the candy cane, nut crackers, jingle bells, eggnog and fruit cake!

Are you looking to put a little technology under the tree this Christmas? Or maybe you want to get your kids into STEM for Hanukkah? We've picked out some of our favorite tech gifts of the year for people of all ages! From Nest thermostats to LEGO robots, all the way to dog tree launching cameras, there is a little something for everyone!

We're kicking off a new series here at Unprofessional Engineering where we look at the most amazing technology of the past month. In November of 2018 we lucked out with a ton of great engineering and technology topics to discuss such as the Mars Insight Lander successfully traveling over 300 million miles to land on Mars, prosthetics that not only allow someone to use their hand but feel what they are grabbing, record setting Black Friday sales, electricity producing mushrooms with the thanks of 3D printing, and much more!

One of the greatest inventors of all time, as well as being one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin had a pretty good run at it. But come on, who goes by Benjamin and not Ben?? That's like going by James and not Jim... wait a minute... He helped to draft the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, and even ended the Revolutionary War with the 1783 Treaty of Paris, but what we really care about are the things he invented, and those he gets credit for that he didn't really have create. Some of his more famous inventions include the Franklin Stove, the lightning rod, and bifocals, where as he gets credit for the first street lights, the odometer and daylight savings time. Take a listen to learn more about his amazing life.

We got the chance to sit down with Mr. Neil Cross of TFI CAD Tips, live at Autodesk University, to discuss everything CAD. Stretching back to the early versions of AutoCAD up through CAD in the cloud and future looking predictions, we have it all! No matter the CAD package you use, this will be for you.

Making the Mississippi what it is today. Overseeing the Panama Canal. Constructing the Pentagon. Creating the King Khalid Military city. These are just some of the major contributions from the Army Corps of Engineers over the years. In this episode, we walk through civilian and military personal included in the Corps, work they do around the world, as well as the various wars that they played a key part of including the Revolutionary War and both World Wars!

Next time you're filling your car up with gas, take a minute to think about all the work it took to get it to the pump for you. Better yet, why not take 30 minutes and listen to us explain the entire process?! From upstream exploration and production processes, to collection and transportation, all the way to downstream chemical processing, refining, and distribution, we cover it all!

Have you ever gotten a glass of water and taken the time to think about the love that goes into each drop? Probably not, and it might be best if you don't think about it too much. In this AMAZING episode, we take a look at how water goes from your toilet, through the purification process and back into your house. For you city planners out there, we also discuss pump houses, why we still have water towers all over the place, as well as a little bit about the pipes going into your house and through your walls for the DIY'ers out there. Interested in learning more and impressing your friends? Take a listen!

Are you interested in taking a trip into space? Maybe spend a week or two floating around the moon in a 5 star space hotel? Or just a quick flight up to feel what life is like without gravity? We might not be too far away! Companies like Blue Origin, Virgin and SpaceX (as well as many others) are well on their way to making space tourism a reality, and some are already sending people up for a quick trip. Interested in learning where it is all going, what options you will have in the next few years, and just how much it will cost? Take a listen!

One of the most important inventions of all time, the printing press has changed the world forever. From its humble beginnings in China, to the design of Johannes Gutenberg that we've all heard about, we wouldn't have the civil rights and freedoms we now have without it, or the wealth of books. Moving a little further into the modern era, we now have presses that can run thousands of pages per hour to keep up with the demand of newspapers and magazines. Sure, most people read them online now, but for some reason we still print them. Interesting in learning more about how it was designed, how it works and how it changed the world? Here you go!

Continuing with inventors we love, we've finally hit on a guy that was an amazing engineer and inventor but just terrible at marketing and entrepreneurship in general. Enter Nikola Tesla. Without him, we basically would still be living in the dark, or with a powerhouse ever mile to turn the lights on. Sure, he wasn't real good at the business side of things, and he did end up going crazy and talking to pigeons, but that doesn't mean he didn't have a huge impact on the world. Did I mention that he was thought to be working on a death ray as well?! Yeah, you'll probably want to learn all about his life right here.

In the third part of our civilization smack down, we head to ancient Egypt to see what type of engineering and technology that the Egyptians created for the world. Since we all know about how amazing the Sphinx is, and of course the Great Pyramid, we spend some extra time on their invention of paper, hieroglyphs, advanced mathematics, and some of their crazy complex tools for their time such as the tubular drill and lathe. We also discuss how they were able to make perfectly symmetric designs such as the statues of Ramses II. Curious how they stack up against the Aztec and Mayan civilizations? Take a listen!

In part 2 of our civilization smack down, we take a look at the engineering contributions of the Mayan civilization. Or is it Maya? Mayan? Hmm…well, whatever it is, they had some amazing engineering. One example would be the written language of the Mayans. Unlike English, it is created from 800 or so glyphs representing a syllable or word. Sure, this means most words could be spelled a few different ways, but how many languages have you created? They also nailed the 365 day calendar and created tens of thousands of paper books. Masters of hydrology and the blast furnace, in many ways the Maya were ahead of their time, even if they decided that the wheel was of no real value. Interested in learning more about their history? Take a listen!

Welcome to the civilization smack down!! Over the next 3 episodes, we'll be looking into how 3 great civilizations (Aztec, Mayan and Egyptian) contributed to engineering, the impact of their discoveries, and how they have withstood the test of time. The first civilization that we will look into is the Aztecs. Some of their notable contributions include: required education for all, advanced astronomy, the canoe, drills, and floating gardens. Want to learn more about what they created and what is left for us to go see? Take a listen!

Are you thinking about getting into engineering but don't know what flavor is right for you? The answer is simple: Mechanical Engineering. Sure, just because we are a couple of ME's might make us biased, but it does make sense. Job opportunity is high, pay is good, work is interesting...or at least it potentially can be. NASA, Boeing, SpaceX. They all need Mechanical Engineers! In this episode we break down what it takes to be a ME, looking through the courses you would have to take, the types of jobs you would land, the pay you could expect, and settle the debate once and for all that ME is the superior engineering degree.

If you haven't been living in a cave for the past decade, you know who Neil deGrasse Tyson is. What you might not know is what that guy ever did to become such a well-known personality in the science community. Other than some obnoxious tweeting and always having something to say about how inaccurate your most beloved space movies are, he must have done something, right? Well, maybe not all that much. This isn't to say NDT isn't way smarter than us; it is just that he has had a different focus in life. Instead of using that massive brain of his to explore the mysteries of the universe, he has been using it, and a dash of personality, to bring awareness to science topics that would otherwise go unnoticed. Sounds kinda like what we do here at Unprofessional Engineering. Maybe he isn't the worst after all...

A huge focus has been placed on making buildings more energy efficient and eco-friendly. From the materials used to construct skyscrapers down to the amount of natural light they receive, LEED and BREEAM certified buildings are changing the game, and not just in the US! Countries all around the world are working hard to create a green cradle to grave construction projects. Engineering green structures don't just stop at large buildings, though. There are some ways that you can turn your home into an environmentally friendly house. Although the upfront cost might be a bit high, often the investments such as solar panels, led lights, and wind turbines pay for themselves. In this episode, we'll walk you through how to turn your house into the greenest home in the neighborhood and the costs associated with it. We'll also give you examples of some of the best in class structures out there when it comes to LEED certification.

You might not think that there's a lot of engineering or technology that goes into a tennis shoe, but that is not the case. From rubber and canvas to PVE cushioned mid soles, much has changed over the years. And now, with the advancements in 3d printing, 3d scanning, virtual reality and more, shoes are going to take their next step into perfection. See what I did there? Shoes...taking their next step! HA!!!

You might be surprised to find out that there is a lot of engineering that goes into the dairy farming process. Yeah, I didn't believe it either! But dairy farming has come a long way from milking cows in the barn by hand. Today's farmers use a lot of advanced technology to make sure that they are producing the most milk possible while ensuring the health of their herd. Automated milking systems, RFI tags, and even robots that can milk cows, determine their health and reject contaminated milk are all part of the modern day farmers tool set.

We've made it to our 100th episode!! I know, I can hardly believe anyone still listens to this podcast either, but we're still going strong! Today, we take a look back on the journey that got us to episode 100, discussing our favorite episodes, which ones we could have done without, and even correcting some of the mistakes that Luke...er...we made throughout the two years of Unprofessional Engineering. Sit back and enjoy! Who knows, you may even hear yourself getting a shout out for being one of our amazing listeners.

People have been using 2D drawings for thousands and thousands of years to depict everything from creatures they have seen (on cave walls) to detailed design plans. In this episode, we bring in our friend and 2D drawing expert, Paul Munford, to help us unwrap the history of the 2D drawing and why it is still so critical in the design and manufacturing process today.

Have you ever thought about how much the invention of steel has changed the way the world works? From construction to every day appliances, steel is all around us. But how is it created? In this episode, we'll look into the engineering, or black magic, behind transforming iron into steel. We'll also take a look at some of the history of steel, including the Bessemer process, Andrew Carnegie's fortune from steel, and even the historic Carrie blast furnace of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Perhaps the greatest inventor of all time, Leonardo da Vinci created a number of amazing works, and theorized even more that technology needed to catch up to. Oh, he was a pretty OK artist too... In addition to engineering and art, he also liked to diagram the human body to pass the time. Who doesn't dig up the dead and sketch what their bits look like? From defiling graves and painting the Mona Lisa, to aerial screws and giant crossbows of war(way cooler sounding than helicopters), Leonardo da Vinci may have the most all around impressive life of work ever, or that will ever happen.

We all like to think that we know our way around the grill, but do you really know how to cook the perfect steak? Continuing our series on engineering the perfect food (did you already check out how to engineer the perfect turkey?), we will walk you through a number of methods to achieve perfection the next time you're making steak. Not only will you learn to be a better cook, we're going to teach you the science behind the Maillard reaction (browning the steak), the laws of thermodynamics, the difference between conduction, convection and radiation, as so much more! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it...

Let's face it, folks. The end of the world is coming, and we're likely going to be the cause. Robots might destroy us, we may end up polluting the world out of existence, or perhaps a breed of super cyborg pigs that have been breed not to fart as much will take over. That is exactly what we're exploring today. OK, maybe not EXACTLY that, but humanity has made some creepily impressive ventures into cyborg animals. Bees that can detect bombs, viewing the world through the eyes of a cat, and even super computers that are powered with the brains of a leech. And that is just the tip of the iceberg (speaking of which, have you seen the spinach that has been turned into heart tissue?!?).

Dams are a critical part of modern civilization, providing water to those in need, irrigating farms, preventing floods and generating 17% of the world's electricity. But there is another side of dams that we should consider. What are they doing to the environment, and what can engineers do to fix this problem? In order for us to keep benefiting from all of the great things dams bring to us, we'll need to learn to protect the environment as well.

We all know about 3D printing in the workplace by now, (at least you should since we've already talked about it) but did you know that there are companies out there ready to 3D print houses?! That's right! And it is fast, too! In just 24 hours you could have a 650 sq foot structure ready to finish up. Just add a roof, electric, plumbing, windows...OK, so there is still a lot of work to do, but this is a huge step in the right direction. These structures are significantly less expensive, extremely customizable, and perfect for helping out nations hit by natural disasters, which is exactly what ICON and New Story are teaming up to do. If you're interested in learning more about having a 3D printed house, printing a lunar space base and more, we have it all ready for you.

The Eiffel Tower is more than an ugly metal tower in the heart of Paris. It has ugly elevators and viewing platforms as well! What is truly impressive about Gustave Eiffel's (stolen) dream is the timeline for constructing the tallest structure in the world, at that time. How does something like that stay on track?! Even more interesting is the hate that it received from civilians, and that engineering and science is the only thing that saved it from being torn down many decades ago.