Impossible Engineering
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Kingda Ka redefines thrill rides with record-breaking speed and height.
00:50
Impossible Engineering
The Fastest Coaster in America
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Upstop wheels apply friction under the tracks to prevent roller coasters from derailing during zero-G drops and turns.
01:33
Impossible Engineering
Why Don't Roller Coasters Fly Off the Tracks?
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A hidden catapult launch system propels the 10-ton coaster up a 90-degree incline.
02:02
Impossible Engineering
How Kingda Ka Catapulted to the Title of World's Tallest Roller Coaster
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Kevlar's strands form hydrogen bonds that stick like glue.
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Impossible Engineering
Why Kevlar is Stronger than Steel
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Special chemicals give even water what looks like magical properties.
01:32
Impossible Engineering
How Fiber Optic Cable Bends Light
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How the ISS can help us explore and colonize the solar system.
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Impossible Engineering
Interesting Facts About the International Space Station
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Using advanced robotics and 6,000 workers, Tesla's factory can produce 2,000 electric cars per week.
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Impossible Engineering
Tesla Gives the Factory Assembly Line a 21st Century Upgrade
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The "Tortoise" was built by William Grey Walter in 1948 and used sensors for light and movement to form a simple nervous system.
02:07
Impossible Engineering
The World's First Decision-Making Robot
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The US Navy's new coastal vessels use the latest technology to achieve amazing speed and agility.
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Impossible Engineering
7 Facts about Littoral Combat Ships
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Instead of a propeller and a rudder, LCS ships use high-powered water jets for propulsion and maneuvering.
02:30
Impossible Engineering
Water Jet Engines Give Navy LCS Ships Incredible Maneuverability
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The new Littoral Combat Ships use a trimaran design for greater speed, agility, and stability.
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Impossible Engineering
The USS Indepedence is the Navy's first high-performance trimaran combat ship
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Amazing statistics about the world's tallest free-standing tower.
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Impossible Engineering
Five Amazing Facts About the Tokyo Skytree
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The tower is almost double the height of Chicago's Hancock Center -- but on a footprint 51% smaller.
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Impossible Engineering
How the Tokyo Skytree Became the Tallest Free-Standing Tower in the World
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Sound mirrors helped Great Britain detect enemy aircraft during World War One.
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Impossible Engineering
Sound Mirrors Can Detect Enemy Planes
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Located in Cornwall, England, these biomes are home to many diverse climates and environments.
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Impossible Engineering
These Domes Are Home to Multiple Ecosystems
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Did you know billiard balls were originally made of ivory?
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Impossible Engineering
How are Billiard Balls Made?
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Robert Goddard built his rockets using liquid propulsion, a mixture of gasoline and oxygen. The higher the temperature, the greater the thrust.
02:55
Impossible Engineering
Goddard’s Rocket Innovations
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Orion’s ginormous solid rocket motor generates 3.6 million pounds of thrust! That’s the equivalent of 14 jumbo jets operating at maximum power.
02:49
Impossible Engineering
Orion’s Space Launch System is the Most Powerful Yet
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These specialized ships help create paths by pushing into ice pockets.
01:50
Impossible Engineering
How Do Icebreaker Ships Work?
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As we travel farther up through the atmosphere, air gets harder to breath because pressure goes down and the oxygen molecules are more spread out.
01:51
Impossible Engineering
How Do High Altitudes Affect Your Body?
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The Severn Bridge is one of Britain’s most iconic engineering marvels. Its key to combating high winds is its unique bridge deck shape.
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Impossible Engineering
How Do Bridges Withstand High Winds
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The tower is almost double the height of Chicago's Hancock Center -- but on a footprint 51% smaller.
02:01
Impossible Engineering
How the Tokyo Skytree Became the Tallest Free-Standing Tower in the World
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The Millau Viaduct is the tallest bridge on Earth. It measures 1,125 feet tall, 1.5 miles long, and the bridge deck sits nearly 900 feet above the ground.
01:53
Impossible Engineering
Top 3 Facts About the World's Tallest Bridge
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Polytetrafluoroethylene also known as PTFE is the non-stick coating used on pans. This demonstration shows how PTFE can help reduce friction.
03:00
Impossible Engineering
How Does PTFE Make Things Slippery?
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Oil dampers, modeled on the ones on NASA's launch towers, allow the Skytree to sway instead of collapse.
02:59
Impossible Engineering
The Tokyo Skytree Can Survive Earthquakes and Typhoons
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The Millau Viaduct was built over one of the deepest, widest, and windiest canyons in the world. The two ginormous bridge deck pieces were slid together and assembled like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
02:55
Impossible Engineering
Assembling the World's Tallest Bridge
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Reusing spacecraft means landing them on the ground -- and using airbags to protect the crew on impact.
02:41
Impossible Engineering
Airbags Can Also Save Lives in Space
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Engineer Gustave Eiffel completely revolutionized bridges when he proposed an arch that sat underneath the bridge deck. The design was later a key part of his most famous creation, the Eiffel Tower.
02:41
Impossible Engineering
This is the Innovation that Changed Bridges Forever
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The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module is small and light to launch, and then expands once in orbit.
02:56
Impossible Engineering
The Future of the Space Station is Inflatable
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The stadium’s twin arches soar over 300 ft above the playing field. Together, they distribute 19 million pounds of thrust into four concrete abutments.
03:02
Impossible Engineering
How was this Incredible Football Stadium Constructed?
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Instead of a propeller and a rudder, LCS ships use high-powered water jets for propulsion and maneuvering.
02:30
Impossible Engineering
Water Jet Engines Give Navy LCS Ships Incredible Maneuverability
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When it was originally built, the Hoover Dam was the largest concrete structure in the world. It weighs 6.6 million tons and stands 700 ft tall. The biggest challenge engineers faced while building the dam was the extreme heat.
02:54
Impossible Engineering
Constructing the Hoover Dam
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