ETYMOLOGY: TRUMPERY
TODAY’S ADDITION to my series of Etymology for our Times almost wrote itself. For the word “trumpery,” I consulted my usual Merriam-Webster, The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, … Continue reading
ACCESS + ABILITY AT THE COOPER HEWITT
THE COOPER HEWITT, Smithsonian Design Museum has a thoughtful exhibit focusing on accessibility and inclusive designs developed for and by people with physical, sensory, or cognitive disabilities. The Cooper Hewitt, … Continue reading
THE 50TH MERSENNE PRIME IS FOUND!
TO PUT IT succinctly, 277,232,917 – 1 = Mersenne50! On the other hand, this might be a bit too succinct for non-math types, so let’s talk about prime numbers, Father … Continue reading
BRIT GRUB—TASTEFULLY EVOLVED
THERE WAS a time when British food was ridiculed: overcooked veggies, questionable meats, indifferent presentation. However, it’s my theory that, having the good sense to include kippers, they’ve long had … Continue reading
A SKATEBOARD FOR THE SPACE ENTHUSIAST
CARBON FIBER is high tech in aerospace, Formula One, and other specialized applications. Compared with traditional materials, it can be engineered to be incredibly strong and lightweight—yet, at $10/lb., it’s … Continue reading
FRANKENSTEIN MEETS AAAS
MY FAVORITE Frankenstein tale is Mel Brooks’ hysterical Young Frankenstein, though I also admit to reading Mary Wollstonecraft’s Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus in Leonard Wolf’s annotated edition. What’s more, … Continue reading
A GENIUS? THINK AGAIN
I THOUGHT “genius” was a straightforward word, a person of super-high intelligence. However, my old friends Merriam and Webster offer more nuanced definitions and a particularly interesting etymology. For instance, … Continue reading
ELEMENTAL RACE CARS
FOR BETTER or worse, race cars today are replete with aerospace engineering. But it wasn’t always this way. Immediately after World War II, British motor enthusiasts wanted to race cars—surely … Continue reading
FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT AND JAPAN
“EVER SINCE I discovered the print,” Frank Lloyd Wright wrote in his 1932 autobiography, “Japan has appealed to me as the most romantic, artistic country on Earth.” The Frank Lloyd … Continue reading
A TECH TRIO OF MERIT
SAE INTERNATIONAL publishes Tech Briefs, a monthly magazine of “Engineering Solutions for Design & Manufacturing.” Three articles in its January 2018 issue show the range of its editorial coverage extending … Continue reading
Simanaitis Says 