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How do you plot a course to Mars, from one moving planet to another? What are the impacts of space travel on the body and can human beings survive the trip? Looks at the plans for a flight to the Red Planet.
(Source: DCMP)
The Salk Institute was selected as one of six majestic buildings across the globe that have impacted humankind. Robert Redford, who directs this segment, highlights its unique blend of monastery-like design. The Salk Institute's homage to art, science, and innovation is reflected in the interviews conducted with preeminent research scientists. Part of the "Cathedral of Culture" series.
Follow the history of hydroelectric energy and explore the process of turning the down flow of water into usable energy. Shows the function of the turbine and water level at the hydroelectric dam, as well as the scale of a dam construction.
Steam power and the Industrial Revolution led us into our modern age. Now, society relies on electricity to power our lives. Architects have built skyscrapers and invented the elevator and escalator to help navigate the height of these structures. They have also built up, around, and underneath natural barriers, even reclaiming land from the sea in the Netherlands with a series of dams and flood control.
Engineers and architects are creating bridges that combine the best of both art and design. Bridges are no longer just a tool to get from one side of the river to the other. Some bridges have the goal of being aesthetically pleasing and efficient for pedestrians. Others rely on the cantilever design to span a distance equivalent to three and a half jumbo jets. Bridges are often classified by their structure and how the forces of tension, compression, bending, torsion and shear are distributed. Shows how designs vary depending on the function of the bridge, the environmental factors, the materials, and technology used to construct them.
For centuries, land travel was restricted to how fast and far humans or animals could walk. In the 19th century, the invention of the bicycle transferred human energy to a set of wheels. During the Industrial Revolution, the invention of the steam engine led to the railroad, a change in transportation that created the tourist industry. In the early 20th century, the invention of the automobile forever changed how humans travel, and with the assembly line, Henry Ford forever changed how goods are manufactured.
Solar power is defined as the energy produced by converting sunlight into heat or electricity. It is one of the most abundant and affordable sources of energy available. However, it is difficult to harness (and even impractical) in some parts of the world, so it is important to explore the process of converting sunlight to power. Shows three primary ways to produce solar power on a large scale: solar power–generating plants, photovoltaic cells, and solar thermal heaters.
Part of the "A 3-D Demonstration" series. Explores the basic principles behind the operation of AC and DC motors. Explains how one or more fixed magnets, either permanent or electromagnetic, can cause linear movement or rotation of a current-carrying wire. A hand rule is developed to predict motor force. Motor torque is explained as a prelude to the practical design of a direct current motor. Specific modules include Motors and Magnets, Current and Magnet Interaction, Left-Hand Rule, Motor Force, Motor Torque, and DC Motors. Correlates to all National CTE Organizational Standards (including the provisions of the Perkins Act).
Wind is a natural resource that is readily available and virtually everywhere. Humans have been harnessing the power of the wind for around 2,000 years. The Dutch made the windmill famous. Defines the process of turning the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy. Shows how the large wind turbines are built using a simplistic design and modern technology. Explores how the use of wind power is growing and becoming widely used throughout the world.
Part of the "A 3-D Demonstration" series. Looks at physics principles behind AC and DC generators. Examines the relationship between a changing magnetic field and the induction of electric current. A hand rule is introduced to predict the generator effect in a linear length of conductor exposed to a changing magnetic field. The behavior of a rotating coil in a magnetic field leads to the practical construction of an AC motor. Introduces split-ring commutator generators, as well as the more common alternator as a means of generating DC electricity. Specific modules include Generating Electricity, Inductors, Generator Left-Hand Rule, Generator Electromotive Rule, AC Generators, and DC Generators. Correlates to all National CTE Organizational Standards (including the provisions of the Perkins Act).
Figuring ways to clean up contaminated waters is a huge challenge. But luckily, a simple piece of plastic that mimics fish fat can help. Part of the "Science Out Loud" series.
Scientists at MIT's D-Lab are turning trash into treasure. They are using trash to heat homes and cook in developing countries. Part of the "Science Out Loud" series.
Students explore electric current and the role it plays in electrical circuits. They also compare parallel and series circuits. The video concludes by demonstrating some fundamental concepts of electrical safety. Other important terminology includes resistance, switch, fuse, circuit breaker, short circuit, ground prong, and electric potential difference.
Graphene could make it possible for electricity to move effortlessly through computer chips, thereby allowing computer systems to run faster than ever before. Savings in both heat and energy costs could have graphene replacing silicon as the basis of computer chip construction. Part of the Fast Draw Series.
Part of the "Green Careers" series. Explores the exciting contest underway to design greener products of all sorts. Explains the job responsibilities of an architect, interior designer, industrial engineer, and product designer within a myriad of businesses and fields. This contest will reward those who can envision or help create the "greenest" inventions to use tomorrow. Jobs profiled include the following: architect, interior designer, consultant, and landscape designer
Host Lisa Van Pay visits the scientists and engineers working to make the electric car of the future a reality today. One of the toughest parts is storing enough potential energy in the battery. Graduate student Katharine Stroukoff from the University of Texas-Austin explains how her research may help build a better battery, while Mike Nawrot and Dan Lauber, members of the MIT electric vehicle team, describe the advantages of their fully electric Porsche 914.
In Bruce Logan's lab at Penn State University, researchers are working on developing microbial fuel cells (MFC) that can generate electricity while accomplishing wastewater treatment. In a project supported by NSF, they are researching methods to increase power generation from MFCs while at the same time recovering more of the energy as electricity. Through their research projects, Logan’s team has already proven that they can produce electricity from ordinary domestic wastewater.
Kathryn Johnson, an electrical engineer at the Colorado School of Mines, studies large utility-scale wind turbines. Kathryn’s research aims to make the turbines more efficient in order to capture as much of the wind’s energy as possible. Viewers also visit NSF’s National Center for Atmospheric Research, where scientists are working with local utility companies to create an advanced wind energy prediction system. Using data from sensors mounted on each turbine, the system generates a forecast specific to each turbine on a wind farm. This helps the utility company provide as much energy as possible from clean sources.
Host Lisa Van Pay meets with NSF-funded scientists Yang-Shao Horn and Yogi Surendranath at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as they take on the hydrogen energy challenge.
A green roof can certainly make a building look nicer, but can it lower energy requirements and improve water management? Engineer Jelena Srebric and horticulturist Rob Berghage are working on a project to measure and model how a green roof affects the way buildings use energy and water. The researchers hope that architects will someday use their model to make building designs even greener.
