What do you think is the world's greatest engineering marvel? UPDATE

[Pastfinder]

I've been reading several books on the American west recently and I've been thinking about how amazing the construction of the transcontinental railroad was. What do you think is the world's greatest engineering marvel?

UPDATE: I left this question open so as to stimulate the ideas of ATOT. I like the creativity in answers. Pamela Anderson, uh, ok........

 

[BDawg]

I think either the Great Wall, or Hoover Dam.

 

[Maetryx]

This is a really hard one. You'd almost have to break it down into categories or something. I mean, clearly the Romans with their aqueducts and roads conquered the world. That makes their roads and infrastructure some of the "greatest" engineering in the world. But it's not much of a "marvel" in that roads and water distribution systems aren't very glamorous.

Then there is the whole civil vs. mechanical engineering. It seems you're leaning toward civil with your railroad idea (vs. the engines that run on it).

The pyramids of Egypt stand out in my mind. They do not serve much function, but they've been around for *thousands* of years and are essentially unchanged (but cosmetically changed).

[edit]inappropriate apostrophe catastrophe antitrophy[/edit]

 

[Linflas]

I would vote the Apollo program as one of the top ones myself.

 

[Kadarin]

<< I would vote the Apollo program as one of the top ones myself. >>



I was going to mention that.. How about the German V2 program (at Peenemunde) during WWII? Those guys built the first man-made objects that traveled from one point on the earth to another by going into space. If it weren't for them, there wouldn't have been an Apollo program. These guys essentially started from scratch.

The Manhattan Project?

 

[hominid skull]

Kansia airport is the best engineering marvel of recent times, was built off the coast of Japan. They built the island and the airport on it in what was the sea, all in one of the most hazardouse(sp?) places in the world, for earthquakes and typhoons i mean.

take a look here and here.

 

[Doggiedog]

Some people say the Iridium satellite system was one of the most impressive feats of engineering.

Total business failure though.

 

[Zebo]

The wheel. Still in use today and probably forever.

 

[iamwiz82]

Take a look at the ancient ones also. The pyramids are so precise, its amazing.

 

[Linflas]

<< This is a really hard one. You'd almost have to break it down into categories or something. I mean, clearly the Romans with their aqueducts and roads conquered the world. That makes their roads and infrastructure some of the "greatest" engineering in the world. But it's not much of a "marvel" in that roads and water distribution systems aren't very glamorous. >>


They sure amaze me since in some places they are still in use.

 

[fronic2]

How about "The great wall of China"?
The Panama Canal
The Suez Canal


Fronic

 

[DnetMHZ]

The pyramids without a doubt.

 

[Linflas]

<< I was going to mention that.. How about the German V2 program (at Peenemunde) during WWII? Those guys built the first man-made objects that traveled from one point on the earth to another by going into space. If it weren't for them, there wouldn't have been an Apollo program. These guys essentially started from scratch. >>


No doubt the German rocket program was quite amazing with it's collection of talent. They didn't exactly start from scratch though since they built on research done by Robert Goddard. You are correct that without Von Braun and his team Apollo would not have happened.

 

[Kadarin]

<< Some people say the Iridium satellite system was one of the most impressive feats of engineering.

Total business failure though. >>



Good one How about the GPS system?

 

[ttn1]

I would have to say the Three Gorges Dam in China at this point. Alot of controversy surrounding it, but it is an awesome project. At least from a civil engineering standpoint.

If we're talking pushing the envelope of engineering, then I would say something like the National Ignition Facility, aka NIF, is pretty high up there.

The X33 would have been tops on my list if they hadn't canceled it.

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

The lightsaber.

(What do you mean you don't have one? Doesn't everyone?)

 

[shiner]

Pamela Anderson's breasts.

 

[jjones]

Hard to give a definative answer but I'm leaning towards the pocket fisherman.

 

[SagaLore]

<< Kansia airport is the best engineering marvel of recent times, was built off the coast of Japan. They built the island and the airport on it in what was the sea, all in one of the most hazardouse(sp?) places in the world, for earthquakes and typhoons i mean.

take a look here and here. >>



yea, and it's sinking two inches a year...

 

[SagaLore]

The Tower of Bable. I mean, it was so impressive, even God had to stop it from getting finished!

 

[UltraQuiet]

The transistor

 

[cthulhu]

<< This is a really hard one. You'd almost have to break it down into categories or something. I mean, clearly the Romans with their aqueducts and roads conquered the world. That makes their roads and infrastructure some of the "greatest" engineering in the world. But it's not much of a "marvel" in that roads and water distribution systems aren't very glamorous.

The pyramids of Egypt stand out in my mind. They do not serve much function, but they've been around for *thousands* of years and are essentially unchanged (but cosmetically changed). >>



I agree with Maetryx. You really need to have categories. There are so many amazing feates of the human race that it would be hard to pick just one. My first thought when reading the title to this thread was the pyramids of Egypt. To think of what they did at their level of technology is incredible. You might want to add the pyramids of central and south America.

 

[StageLeft]

CPU.

Really we have to clarify what we mean.

Pyramids involved insane amounts of manpower. They were good engineering feats but once the initial thoughts had been done about how to make them it was just a crapload of man power.

Then you go to something like a spaceshuttle and it's less manpower but more thoughts and intelligence into it.

 

[GasX]

<< Kansia airport is the best engineering marvel of recent times, was built off the coast of Japan. They built the island and the airport on it in what was the sea, all in one of the most hazardouse(sp?) places in the world, for earthquakes and typhoons i mean.

take a look here and here. >>



Considering the fact that it is sinking, it's not really that wonderful...

 

[Fandu]

The Avro Aero project was probably the most impressive before it was canceled in '59. The Aero was doing mach 2.5 and pulling 6G turns before anything like it. A modern aluminum airframe and very aerodynamic body, amazing for it's day.