#structural-engineering
44 episodes
#2117: The Physics of Finding Life Under Rubble
How search and rescue teams use engineering, radar, and sound to find survivors in collapsed buildings.
#1981: How Museums Guard History During War
From bomb-proof vaults to empty frames, discover the high-stakes logistics of saving history under fire.
#1563: The 3-Meter Wall: The Impossible Future of Safe Rooms
Can 20cm of concrete stop a half-ton missile? Explore the brutal physics and economic impossibility of the 3-meter safe room standard.
#1467: Can a 25-Ton Door Stop a Mach 20 Missile?
As hypersonic missiles reach Mach 20, superpowers are heading back underground. Explore the high-tech engineering of the world’s deepest bunkers.
#1455: Your Go Bag and Home Fortress: 72-Hour Self-Sufficiency
From the "90-second sprint" to the BRACED test, learn how to engineer your home and gear for 72 hours of total self-sufficiency.
#1422: Controlled Collisions: The Engineering of Modern Runways
Discover the hidden engineering beneath airport runways and the physics of landing massive aircraft on solid Antarctic ice.
#1250: How to Keep a City From Freezing at the South Pole
When the winter door slams shut, only a few remain. Discover the brutal logistics and psychological toll of living at the bottom of the world.
#1091: Why Your Smartphone Is a Better Spy Than a Satellite
How does a smartphone photo bridge the "BDA Gap"? Explore why ground-level intel is the new frontline of modern warfare.
#1039: The Glowing Bullet: The Science of Hypersonic Re-entry
Why don’t missiles melt at Mach 20? Explore the physics of atmospheric re-entry and the materials that survive the "glowing bullet" paradox.
#1017: The Nuclear Shell Game: Can We Ever Verify Neutralization?
Beyond the missile strikes, a hidden war persists. Discover why verifying nuclear neutralization is the ultimate intelligence nightmare.
#993: The Orbital Shell Game: How Iran Hides Missile Cities From Satellites
Explore how Iran hides massive missile bases under 500 meters of rock and why modern satellites struggle to find them.
#935: How Do You Move 2,000 Patients Out of a Parking Garage?
When the sirens stop, the work begins. Explore the complex "failback" process of moving an entire hospital from a bunker back to the surface.
#914: Under the Mountain: Engineering Iran's Subterranean Launch Systems
Explore the massive engineering behind Iran's subterranean missile bases and why they are nearly impossible to destroy from the air.
#892: The Engineering of Survival: Mamads vs. Deep Shelters
Compare the physics of home safe rooms versus deep underground car parks to find the safest spot during a ballistic missile attack.
#827: Why We Still Can't See Through the Sidewalk
Explore the cutting-edge technology used to map the hidden world beneath our feet, from military tunnels to urban infrastructure.
#826: The VESA Nightmare: Fixing Threads in a Sealed PSU
When monitor mount threads fall into a sealed power supply, DIY becomes a rescue mission. Learn how to fix blind holes without opening the case.
#824: The UX of Survival: Why Our Shelters are Failing
When the sirens sound, why are the doors locked? We explore the "UX of survival" and the dangerous gaps in our public shelter infrastructure.
#793: The Engineering of Survival: Finding Safety in a Siren
Learn the structural engineering secrets behind why stairwells and specific floors offer the best protection during an urban emergency.
#768: Small Parts, Big Problems: The Engineering of Fasteners
From tiny laptop screws to industrial rivnuts, discover why the smallest components are often the biggest hurdles in any DIY project.
#764: Hardening the State: The Engineering of EMP Resistance
Explore the high-stakes engineering of military-grade shielding and how the state protects its "nervous system" from an electromagnetic pulse.
#737: Beyond Egg Cartons: Silencing Auditory Trespass
Tired of city noise invading your home? Discover the science of acoustic windows and why egg cartons won't save your sleep.
#716: Nuclear Precision: Striking Sites Without the Fallout
Can you strike a nuclear site without a global catastrophe? Discover the science of precision strikes and the tech used to monitor "dark" sites.
#676: Floating Hotels: The Surprising Comeback of the Airship
Could the future of green travel be a blast from the past? Explore why airships are trading speed for sustainability and luxury.
#658: Beyond Peanut Brittle: The Search for the Toughest Laptops
Stop carrying a "sheet of peanut brittle." Herman and Corn break down the ruggedization spectrum to find laptops that actually survive the road.
#627: The Tsunami Reality: Physics, Risk, and Survival
Forget Hollywood's curling waves. Discover why tsunamis are actually massive walls of water moving at the speed of a jet engine.
#602: Seismic Shifts: Can Israel Withstand the Big One?
Are Israel's old buildings ready for the Big One? Explore the engineering of Tama 38 and how safe rooms provide a hidden seismic spine.
#601: The Engineering of Survival: Inside Israel's Safe Rooms
How do you survive a missile strike? Corn and Herman dive into the structural secrets of MAMADs, stairwells, and underground bunkers.
#587: The Command Center: Mastering Triple Monitor Ergonomics
Upgrade your workspace from "desk sag" to NASA-level precision with the science of gas-spring monitor arms and ergonomic alignment.
#573: The Death of the Ghost Town: Rethinking Mixed-Use Zoning
Explore how mixed-use zoning is transforming sterile suburbs into vibrant 15-minute cities. Herman and Corn dive into the future of urban living.
#544: Engineering Sovereignty: The Two-State Geography Puzzle
Can a state function as an archipelago? Herman and Corn explore the engineering and geography behind a potential two-state solution.
#531: Vertical Harvests: Can Skyscrapers Actually Feed a City?
Herman and Corn explore the reality of vertical farming, from Singapore’s high-tech towers to the structural limits of growing food in cities.
#526: Beyond the Bolt: How VHB Tape Holds the World Together
Think tape is just for paper? Discover how VHB tape keeps airplanes in the sky and electric vehicles on the road in this engineering deep dive.
#523: Is Your AC Unit Making You Sick?
A leaky roof is more than a drip—it’s a biological hazard. Discover the science of mold, health risks, and your rights as a renter.
#519: The Science of Stick: Decoding 3M VHB Tape
Discover how 3M VHB tape holds skyscrapers together and learn to decode the secret four-digit codes for your next DIY project.
#490: The Day the Walls Fell: Erasing Jerusalem's City Line
Explore the chaotic, high-speed demolition of the walls that divided Jerusalem for nineteen years and the "temporal vertigo" of 1967.
#481: Steel and Stone: Engineering Jerusalem’s Pilgrimage Road
Discover how modern engineering and ancient history collide beneath the streets of Jerusalem to reveal the legendary 2,000-year-old Pilgrimage Road.
#473: The Price of Progress: Jerusalem’s Light Rail Revolution
Jerusalem is undergoing "open heart surgery." We explore the brutal trade-off between futuristic transit and the survival of today's city life.
#466: Inside the Silence: The Engineering of Modern SCIFs
Explore the physics of high-tech fortresses as Herman and Corn dive into the engineering, history, and future of modern SCIFs.
#456: The Invisible Safety Net: The Science of Grounding
Why does your wall outlet have three prongs? Discover the hidden physics of electrical grounding and how buildings stay safe from power surges.
#449: Skyscraper Science: The Ultimate No-Drill Rental Hack
Discover how the industrial-grade science behind the Burj Khalifa can help you mount heavy gear without losing your security deposit.
#444: How to Spot a Real Estate Money Pit: The Property Triage
Learn how to distinguish between "good bones" and expensive structural failures when touring potential fixer-upper properties.
#413: The Skyscraper Lie: Density, Cost, and Jerusalem’s Future
Are luxury towers solving the housing crisis? Explore the "rocket equation" of architecture and why height doesn't always equal density.
#408: Why Can't We Build a Mile Into the Sky?
From vortex shedding to the elevator paradox, Herman and Corn explore the physical and economic limits of building the world's tallest towers.
#375: Firmness, Commodity, and Delight: A Guide to Architecture
Explore the evolution of architecture from ancient pyramids to digital twins, and learn why a building needs firmness, commodity, and delight.