Brass Instruments, Good and Bad Engineering, & Thwarting Mosquitos

Congratulations, you’ve stumbled upon Science Goes Boom, where history and science collide and often blow stuff up in the process.

First up, we’ll explore some ingenious engineering of the ancient Venetians:

And by contrast, here’s a look at some bad engineering for no particular reason:

Speaking of bad wheel designs, here’s a good example of why chains and gears matter:

Combine soda and butane and what do you get? A hand-held rocket. I soooo wish I knew this when I was a kid. Stupid, internet-less 1980’s:

A high risk of electrocution, constant strain on the body’s blood chemistry, cold, murky work environment…but a fat paycheck. Sign me up!

The science of how they get mini renditions of Für Elise into a candy jar:

Which is the most effective mosquito repellent? Well, citronella essential oil and coconut oil works great (for about 30 minutes at least) but they don’t get into that here. Shame. Here’s some other data to chew on though:

Tap the Colorado River to make a fancy resort town, they said. Redirect river water to feed local farmland, they said. What could go wrong? The Salton Sea, for one thing:

And finally, a stroll through the instrument manufacturing process. Enjoy:

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If you’re thinking about next year’s school curriculum, we’ve got a boom-ish history option that might be right up your alley: Lexington to Mosul: A Complete Study in U.S. Military History.

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