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 mission and is sponsored by the University of Houston. It is not a product of our news team.
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 1465: The Cancer Cluster Problem
10/27/2025
Episode: 1465 In which random statistical clusters look significant. Today, we flip six heads in a row.
Duration:00:03:38
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1464: Learning Curve
10/26/2025
Episode: 1464 Trying to teach technologies that were novel for us, but not our students. Today, a thought about technological change and learning.
Duration:00:03:39
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1463: New Hampshire Iron
10/25/2025
Episode: 1463 An old pig iron smelter in the New Hampshire underbrush. Today, an old iron works hidden in the tall grass.
Duration:00:03:40
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1462: Jedidiah Morse
10/24/2025
Episode: 1462 Jedidiah Morse, geographer and Samuel F. B. Morse's father. Today, Jedidiah Morse's geography.
Duration:00:03:42
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2523: Georges-Eugene Haussmann
10/23/2025
Episode: 2523 Georges-Eugene Haussmann Reshapes Paris. Today, a city redone.
Duration:00:03:48
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3334: In Praise of Humble Lint
10/22/2025
Episode: 3334 In Praise of Humble Lint. Today highlighting a former fabric byproduct.
Duration:00:03:45
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2818: The Pompeian Paradox
10/21/2025
Episode: 2818 The Pompeian Paradox and Fiorelli's Body Casts. Today, the Pompeian paradox.
Duration:00:03:50
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1461: Telescopes
10/20/2025
Episode: 1461 George Everett Hale and BIG telescopes. Today, we look through some really big telescopes.
Duration:00:03:40
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1460: Chindogu
10/19/2025
Episode: 1460 The little-known Japanese art of Chindogu. Today, the odd Japanese art of Chindogu.
Duration:00:03:35
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1459: Teaching and Ambiguity
10/18/2025
Episode: 1459 A tongue-tied attempt to say what teaching is. Today, teaching and ambiguity.
Duration:00:03:43
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1458: Streetcars in Houston
10/17/2025
Episode: 1458 The brief bright day of the electric trolley in Houston. Today, let's ride the Houston trolley.
Duration:00:03:38
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2520: Hybrid Car Technology
10/16/2025
Episode: 2520 Hybrid Electric Car Technology. Today, we hit the brakes.
Duration:00:03:49
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2815: How Ideas Spread
10/15/2025
Episode: 2815 The spread of ideas in social networks. Today, let's talk about engineered social networks.
Duration:00:03:50
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2638: Artificial Gravity
10/14/2025
Episode: 2638 Artificial Gravity for Human Spaceflight; What is Gained, What is Lost. Today, astronaut Michael Barratt discusses the pros and cons of artificial gravity.
Duration:00:03:49
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1457: Eratosthene’s Diameter of Earth
10/13/2025
Episode: 1457 Eratosthenes's 2200 year old calculation of Earth's size. Today, we measure the earth.
Duration:00:03:40
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1456: Paper in Samarkand
10/12/2025
Episode: 1456 In which paper goes from China to Europe by way of Samarkand. Today, paper makes a long journey.
Duration:00:03:40
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1455: Dentistry
10/11/2025
Episode: 1455 A brief history of dentistry and pain. Today, we drill teeth.
Duration:00:03:40
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 1454: Juxtaposition and Contradiction
10/10/2025
Episode: 1454 The sometimes astonishing results of juxtaposing contradictory ideas. Today, a thought about juxtaposition and contradictions.
Duration:00:03:38
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2517: Rebecca Clarke
10/9/2025
Episode: 2517 Rebecca Clarke: Violist, Composer, Woman. Today, a woman in conflict.
Duration:00:03:51
The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2978: Matisse’s Verve
10/8/2025
Episode: 2978 Henri Matisse cuts paper to design a cover for the art magazine Verve. Today we look at heroism through cut paper.
Duration:00:03:46