Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Watt Steam Engine

The Watt steam engine, a major driver in the industrial revolution, underscores the importance of engineering in modern history. This model is on display at the main building of the ETSIIM in Madrid, Spain
The concept of engineering has existed since ancient times as humans devised fundamental inventions such as the pulley, lever, and wheel. Each of these inventions is consistent with the modern definition of engineering, exploiting basic mechanical principles to develop useful tools and objects.
The term engineering itself has a much more recent etymology, deriving from the word engineer, which itself dates back to 1325, when an engine’er (literally, one who operates an engine) originally referred to “a constructor of military engines.” In this context, now obsolete, an “engine” referred to a military machine, i. e., a mechanical contraption used in war (for example, a catapult). The word “engine” itself is of even older origin, ultimately deriving from the Latin ingenium (c. 1250), meaning “innate quality, especially mental power, hence a clever invention.”
Later, as the design of civilian structures such as bridges and buildings matured as a technical discipline, the term civil engineering entered the lexicon as a way to distinguish between those specializing in the construction of such non-military projects and those involved in the older discipline of military engineering (the original meaning of the word “engineering,” now largely obsolete, with notable exceptions that have survived to the present day such as military engineering corps, e.g., the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.


source from (www.wikipedia.com)

1 comment:

  1. From my view after read this article,the concept of engineering was appeared since last thousand years ago.Even the word "engine' itself is derive from Latin ingenium meaning 'innate quality,especially mental power, hence a clever invention'.As we all know, knowadays engineer was important because they can design many things that can bring more benefit in our life.
    Then,the engineers was not only be able to make or design a new thing but they also have been teach or expose about the surrounding of engineers before they started to work for some company.This is because they will meet with many people outside there and they should have a good communication skills.So that people easily can cooperate and trust with this engineers.
    There for,this kind of work can give goodnees and benefits for all of the humans in this world......

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