Large Hadron Collider:
Few 21st-century projects come close to dwarfing the size and scope of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Built from 1998 to 2008 by hundreds of brilliant minds from around the world, the LHC is one of the most advanced research facilities ever designed. Its purpose is to prove or disprove the existence of the Higgs boson and other theories related to particle physics.
The LHC accelerates two high-energy particles in opposite directions along a 27-kilometer ring to make them collide and observe the consequences. The particles travel near the speed of light inside two ultra-high vacuum tubes and are guided by powerful magnetic fields maintained using superconducting electromagnets.
The Higgs boson was confirmed in March 2013, validating the missing link in the Standard Model of how subatomic particles fit together in our universe. Interestingly, the collision data that proved the Higgs boson were analyzed by what was the world's largest computer network in 2012, comprised of 170 computing facilities in 36 countries.
Opportunities and curiosities of Mars:
The two rovers are a marvel of contemporary engineering; defying the inhospitable Martian environment in their quest to study the soil, rocks, atmospheric conditions and microscopic particles.
The rover, Opportunity, landed in 2004 with an estimated lifespan of 90 Martian days, but it is still operational nine years later. Its older, more advanced sibling, Curiosity, landed in 2012, with the goal of studying the Martian climate and geology to assess the possibility of future human colonization. A year later, Curiosity found evidence indicating the presence of water trapped in the Martian soil.
Sky Crane:
It should not be confused with a helicopter. Sky Crane is a brilliant solution designed to solve the problem of safely landing rovers on the Martian surface. Sky Crane was created because Curiosity is heavier and larger than Opportunity due to the additional instruments and tools it carries.
Three Gorges Dam:
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam spanning the Yangtze River near the city of Sandouping, China. Considered a feat of historic proportions by the Chinese government, the dam is the world's largest hydroelectric power plant, generating a total of 22,500 MW (11 times more than the Hoover Dam).
Burj Khalifa:
The tallest freestanding structure in the world is located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Burj Khalifa, meaning "Khalifa Tower," is the tallest of all skyscrapers at 829.8 meters. Officially opened in January 2010, Burj Khalifa is the centerpiece of Dubai's main business district.
Landing system for rockets and grasshoppers:
SpaceX's reusable launch system development program is focused on designing a launch system that can be reused upon landing to facilitate affordable commercial spaceflight. While high-altitude launches and landings are still being tested, SpaceX has successfully landed a rocket from a height of 250 feet back to its launch site.
Brenner Base Tunnel:
Construction of the Brenner Base Tunnel began in 2008 as a joint effort between Austria and Italy to create a 55-kilometer railway tunnel directly through the base of the Brenner massif in the Alps. The Brenner Pass section is considered a key traffic link between northern and southern Europe, but suffers from heavy traffic due to the steep gradient.
Millau Viaduct:
As for the tallest bridges, the Millau Viaduct in France is the tallest bridge in all of human civilization; each pylon measures 343 meters from top to bottom and spans the Tarn River valley near Millau in southern France. It received the 2006 IABSE Outstanding Structure Award for its integrity in light of its slender elegance.
Computer-aided 3D design:
What is different, and worth noting, is that efficient 3D modeling only became a reality in the last 10 to 15 years, after graphics processing units improved to the point where they could render high-resolution images made up of hundreds of sub-objects. Just compare a contemporary 3D model with one from the 1990s.
Proliferation of smartphones and Wi-Fi:
You'll hardly see someone these days who isn't looking at their smartphone while waiting in line. The combination of Wi-Fi and portable internet access connects us to a constant flow of information, hampered only by dead batteries or a dropped signal.
The term “Wi-Fi” is actually a trademark that refers to the data exchange technology based on the IEEE 802.11 standards and the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. While the technology may have originated in the 1980s, the official commercialization of the term Wi-Fi and its subsequent widespread adoption began in 2000.
Source: https://www.ingenieria.es/
