Engines of Our Ingenuity
The story of technological progress is one of drama and intrigue, sudden insight and plain hard work. Let’s explore technology’s spectacular failures and many magnificent success stories.
This content is in service of Houston Public Media’s education mission and is sponsored by the University of Houston. It is not a product of our news team.
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 3 minutes
- Episodes
- 170
- Years Active
- 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1431: Dogs
Episode: 1431 In which dogs humanize us. Today, some sidelights on the history of dogs.
00:03:38 |
Fri 05 Sep 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2501: Nietzsche, Strauss, and Kubrick
Episode: 2501 Nietzsche, Strauss, Kubrick, and a Trilogy of Metaphor. Today, a story — in three parts.
00:03:53 |
Thu 04 Sep 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2790: Vaccine Scares
Episode: 2790 The Dynamics of Vaccine Scares. Today, let's talk about vaccine scares.
00:03:50 |
Wed 03 Sep 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2714: Hub Motors
Episode: 2714 Hub Motors, aka In-Wheel Motors and their applications in electric vehicles. Today, re-inventing...wheels.
00:03:49 |
Tue 02 Sep 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1430: A Concern About Genius
Episode: 1430 A concern about the complexity and danger of genius. Today, I find genius puzzling.
00:03:45 |
Mon 01 Sep 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1429: Russian Air Records
Episode: 1429 Joseph Stalin and Russian aircraft records in the 1930s. Today, Joseph Stalin tries to set flight distance records.
00:03:43 |
Sun 31 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1428: Men and Self-Destruction
Episode: 1428 Why do men self-destruct and die sooner than women? Today, men self-destruct.
00:03:45 |
Sat 30 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1427: Dominique de Menil
Episode: 1427 Dominique de Menil, a creative legacy. Today, I learn something at a fancy benefit dinner.
00:03:45 |
Fri 29 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3329: As the Mind Ages
Episode: 3329 Cognitive Decline as We Age. Today, a well-tempered mind.
00:03:49 |
Thu 28 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2884: Images of Kanji
Episode: 2884 Communicating Through Pictures: The Japanese Language. Today, the images of Kanji.
00:03:50 |
Wed 27 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2813: An Ancient Earthquake
Episode: 2813 Seneca the Younger and the Great Earthquake of 62 AD. Today, an ancient earthquake.
00:03:51 |
Tue 26 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3328: A Horse Adventure
Episode: 3328 A Brief History of Horses, and their role in Japan. Today, an adventure on horseback.
00:03:52 |
Mon 25 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1426: Skyscrapers
Episode: 1426 The skyscraper: a Phoenix out of the great Chicago Fire. Today, let's talk about skyscrapers.
00:03:39 |
Sun 24 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1425: Transatlantic Cable
Episode: 1425 Laying the transatlantic telegraph cable. Today, Queen Victoria sends a telegram to President Buchanan.
00:03:40 |
Sat 23 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1424: La Sylphide
Episode: 1424 La Sylphide: an elemental in the Industrial Revolution. Today, a ballet gives us an odd window into history.
00:03:43 |
Fri 22 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3327: Pasteurization
Episode: 3327 Different Methods of Pasteurization in Different Countries. Today, an experiment.
00:03:48 |
Thu 21 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2658: Massively Multiplayer Mathematics
Episode: 2658 Massively Multiplayer Mathematics. Today, let's talk massively multiplayer mathematics.
00:03:50 |
Wed 20 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2456: Ode To Kodachrome
Episode: 2456 The invention and history of Kodachrome film. Today, photographic memory.
00:03:52 |
Tue 19 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3326: Aeroplane Structures
Episode: 3326 An old book on airplane structures reveals its secrets. Today, we build old aeroplanes.
00:03:50 |
Mon 18 Aug 2025
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1423: The Day I Met Einstein
Episode: 1423 An encounter with Einstein. Today, a young man lets history slip by him.
00:03:43 |
Sun 17 Aug 2025
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