Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World (in a Big Way)

by Roma Agrawal Narrated by Roma Agrawal

Overview

A structural engineer examines the seven most basic building blocks of engineering that have shaped the modern world.



Some of engineering's mightiest achievements are small in scale, even hidden-and yet, without them, the complex machinery on which our modern world runs would not exist. In Nuts and Bolts, Roma Agrawal examines seven of these extraordinary elements: the nail, the wheel, the spring, the lens, the magnet, the string, and the pump.



From the physics behind both Roman nails and modern skyscrapers to rudimentary springs that inspired lithium batteries, Agrawal shows us how even the most sophisticated items are built on the foundations of these ancient and fundamental breakthroughs in engineering. Agrawal explores an array of intricate technologies-dishwashers, spacesuits, microscopes, suspension bridges, breast pumps-making surprising connections and explaining how they work. Along the way, she recounts the stories of remarkable scientists and engineers from all over the world, and reveals how engineering has fundamentally changed the way we live.

Editorial Reviews

FEBRUARY 2024 - AudioFile

Structural engineer Roma Agrawal cheerfully tells listeners that she was the type of kid who snapped crayons to see their insides. Narrating in an accent that blends India and Britain, she good-humoredly shows listeners she still is that kid. Her joviality and personal touches make her stories of important inventions relatable. She slips in puns and jokes, and makes light of her own efforts at the potter's wheel. Agrawal also reminds listeners of makers' diversity. For example, making nails was once a woman's job, and Mahatma Gandhi made his own clothes to protest a British ban on spinning wheels. Although she discusses her experience with breast-milk pumps, most topics are everyday science that even kids will be familiar with. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940159422644
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	11/07/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged
Sales rank:	769,379

Videos