NEWS

In the Sahara, one of the most effective cooling systems belongs to an ant. The Saharan silver ant, Cataglyphis bombycina, survives in an environment where ground temperatures can become extreme. Its silver appearance is not simply colour. Under a microscope, much of the ant's body is covered in dense, triangular hairs. Research has shown that these structures help manage heat in two ways: they reflect incoming solar radiation and improve the body's ability to release thermal

ENGINEERING INSIGHTS | At Marina Bay Sands, around 1.4 million litres of water sit almost 200 metres above ground, across three towers that do not move in exactly the same way. Supporting that weight is only part of the engineering challenge. The pool also has to accommodate movement. In its technical account of the project, Arup describes how differential movement between the towers had to be considered under gravity, wind and seismic loads. The SkyPark incorporates separate

At some of the world’s highest observatories, fresh air is not necessarily safe air. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, better known as ALMA, operates on Chile’s Chajnantor Plateau at approximately 5,000 metres above sea level. At that altitude, air pressure is roughly half what it is at sea level, meaning every breath delivers far less oxygen to the body. Simple tasks become exhausting, concentration can deteriorate and prolonged exposure may lead to serious a

An operating room does not just need to be clean. Its air needs to behave differently from the air in the rooms around it. Modern operating theatres are carefully controlled environments where ventilation, filtration, temperature, humidity and pressure all form part of the engineering strategy for reducing airborne contamination. One of the most interesting parts is something you cannot see: air pressure. For many operating rooms, the room is maintained at a higher pressure t

Last week, we promised skyscrapers, extreme winds and why stopping a building from moving is not actually the goal. So we thought we should start with the obvious one. Burj Khalifa stands 828 metres above Dubai, but the interesting engineering starts more than 50 metres below it. Before construction moved skyward, engineers tested foundation piles under loads of up to 6,000 tonnes. The completed foundation would eventually rely on 192 reinforced concrete piles beneath a massi

At an Antarctic research station, fire is one of the most serious risks to life and infrastructure. Extreme isolation, dry conditions, limited water resources and critical infrastructure make fire protection a very different engineering challenge. Last week, we followed the water infrastructure at the Amundsen Scott South Pole Station and finished with a dedicated pressurised water tank supplying the station's automatic sprinkler system. That tank is part of a much bigger sto