Engines of Our Ingenuity
Houston PR
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...
Location:
Houston, TX
Networks:
Houston PR
Description:
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.
Language:
English
Episodes
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3376: Staples
5/26/2026
Episode: 3376 In which our common desk stapler earns its name. Today, Let’s talk about staples.
Duration:00:03:52
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3298: Optic Yellow
5/25/2026
Episode: 3298 Gender, Color, and Dichotomy in Tennis. Today, we take sides in tennis.
Duration:00:03:52
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1578: Seaplanes
5/24/2026
Episode: 1578 The brief day of the great flying boats. Today, we ask what ever became of flying boats.
Duration:00:03:41
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1577: The Monte Hall Problem
5/23/2026
Episode: 1577 The Monty Hall Problem and the unexpected value of information. Today, we learn not to turn our back on information.
Duration:00:03:38
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1576: The Wind
5/22/2026
Episode: 1576 The wind and its technologies in the ancient mind. Today, wind and the medieval mind.
Duration:00:03:43
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2596: Golf Club Grooves
5/21/2026
Episode: 2596 Golf Club Grooves: How small changes in technology can cause controversy. Today's episode is brought to you by the letters U and V.
Duration:00:03:49
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3375: Poetry
5/20/2026
Episode: 3375 The complex relationship among language, speech, music, and poetry. Today, what is Poetry?
Duration:00:03:54
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3374: Board Game Design
5/19/2026
Episode 3374: Monte Carlo simulations and board game design. Today, Monte Carlo simulations and board games.
Duration:00:03:46
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1575: Fields and Continua
5/18/2026
Episode: 1575 Fields and continua: A secret art of engineering. Today, a look at a secret abstraction.
Duration:00:03:43
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1573: Donatello in Time
5/17/2026
Episode: 1573 Donatello: Of his age or for all time? Today, we ask: Of an age, or of all time?
Duration:00:03:42
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1572: High-Pressure Steam Engines
5/16/2026
Episode: 1572 High-pressure steam engines and transportation. Today, the first locomotive.
Duration:00:03:42
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1571: Oz and Electricity
5/15/2026
Episode: 1571 In which the author of Oz contemplates electricity. Today, Dorothy, Kansas, and the new forces of electricity.
Duration:00:03:49
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2594: Ptolemy’s Geographia
5/14/2026
Episode: 2594 Mapping the World: Ptolemy's Geographia. Today, a man and a map.
Duration:00:03:49
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3029: Model Citizen
5/13/2026
Episode: 3029 Model Citizen. Today, lets talk about models.
Duration:00:03:37
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2081: A Monstrosity and a Skeptic
5/12/2026
Episode: 2081 A Monstrosity, a Skeptic, and a new view of the 16th century. Today, guest historian Cathy Patterson gives birth to a cat.
Duration:00:03:45
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3373: Thomas Campion
5/11/2026
Episode: 3373 Today we meet Thomas Campion: medical doctor, and a great poet and composer. Today, let’s meet Thomas Campion.
Duration:00:04:09
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1570: A New Light Bulb
5/10/2026
Episode: 1570 GE, light bulbs, and the product-driven innovation cycle. Today, we talk about light bulbs and product innovation.
Duration:00:03:44
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1569: Alkahest
5/9/2026
Episode: 1569 Alkahest, the universal solvent. Today, we look for the universal solvent.
Duration:00:03:41
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1568: The Age of the Earth
5/8/2026
Episode: 1568 Lord Kelvin's miscalculation of the age of the earth. Today, a Victorian scientist miscalculates the age of the earth.
Duration:00:03:42
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2591: Instant Runoff Voting
5/7/2026
Episode: 2591 Instant runoff voting and the Academy Awards. Today, what's best?
Duration:00:03:49