Modern life, from the dishwasher to the International Space Station, depends on some combination of the nail, wheel, spring, magnet. lens, string and pump. With the invention of the nail, houses, boats, weapons, and other vital things could be built. The ingenious wheel enabled wheeled transportation which conquered much of the world nearly overnight about 6,000 years ago. Springs store and release energy in forms ranging from the bow to dampers. The magnet, although a natural phenomenon, is the basis for essentials from light bulbs to the internet. Curved glass (i.e. lenses) was known since the dawn of civilization, but hit the jackpot when the 17th century produced the microscope and the telescope. The pump... think of the heart. Roma Agrawal is an expert guide, who emphasizes the big picture. If you are looking for simple explanations of how things work, this SDG is not for you.
This SDG will be an entertaining riff on the building blocks of engineering. Remember there is a reason why the phrase 'nuts and bolts' has passed into our everyday language to signify what's really important about any situation.
