Greatest Engineering Marvels of the Modern Day

Greatest Engineering Marvels

Throughout history there have long been many examples of breath taking engineering marvels that simply defy logic. Here at MNB Precision we love marvelous engineering feats and have decided to provide our opinion on the greatest engineering marvels of the modern day.

Greatest Engineering Achievements of the Modern Day

Millau Viaduct

The Millau Viaduct is a cable bridge that spans the gorge valley of Tarn in southern France. It is the tallest bridge in the world with a height of 343 metres. Designed by English architect Lord Norman Foster and French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux, the bridge is widely acknowledged as one of the world’s most outstanding engineering feats. Winning prestigious awards such as the Outstanding Structure Award, the sheer size and majesty of the viaduct cannot be understated and is a must on our list of engineering achievements.

Palm Islands

Palm Islands are three artificial islands located on the coast of Dubai, UAE. The islands will be known as Palm Jumeirah, Deira Island and Palm Jebel Ali. So far the only located island is Palm Jumeirah. When viewed from the air, Palm Jumeirah resembles the form of a palm tree with a crescent top. The three islands will host a variety of luxury hotels, residential beach side villas, parks, restaurants and shopping malls. Definitely worth a mention in our opinion.

Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam is a concrete dam situated in the Black Canyon on the Colorado River on the border between Nevada and Arizona. The dam was constructed between 1931 and 1936. At the time such a large concrete structure had never been erected and the isolation of its location provided many logistical problems. Built two years ahead of schedule and providing power for facilities in Nevada, Arizona and California, the Hoover Dam provides a major tourist hotspot and is a worthy contender on our list of greatest engineering marvels.

Large Hadron Collider

The Large Hadron Collider is the world’s largest machine and the most powerful particle collider. Built between 1998 and 2008, the construction involved over 100 countries and over 10000 scientists. The tunnel in which it is situated is as deep as 175 metres and is 27 kilometres long. The large Hadron Collider provides scientists with the opportunity to test various theories of particle physics. The sheer size of this machine warrants it being considered an engineering marvel.

Panama Canal

The Panama Canal is an artificial canal spanning Panama that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The canal is 40 miles in length when going from shoreline to shoreline. Completed in 1914, the canal was crucial in providing a safer route for sailors; they otherwise would have been obliged to sail around Cape Horn in South America. It both shortened voyages by as much as 8000 nautical miles and also provided a far safer route. The location of the canal provided many problems, not least the fact it was being built through a tropical jungle. Issues such as torrential rains, exhausting heat and humidity and tropical diseases all had to be contended with. Because of this, the Panama Canal is a worthy contender for our greatest engineering feats of the modern day.

The Channel Tunnel

The Channel Tunnel is a rail tunnel that links the United Kingdom to Northern France between the English Channel. Reaching depths of 23.5 miles is has the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world. This provides the only fixed point between the island of Great Britain and mainland Europe. Construction began in 1988 and was opened to the public in 1994. The Channel Tunnel was a magnificent feat of engineering and is definitely a worthy contender for our list of engineering achievements.

International Space Station

The International Space Station was first launched in 1998 and first hosted long-term residents in 2000. It is effectively an artificial satellite, orbiting the Earth in low orbit. The ISS is the largest human made object in low orbit around the Earth and in some instances can be seen with the naked eye. The fact this satellite allows humans to effectively live in space means it is definitely worth a mention on our list. A fantastic aerospace engineering feat indeed.