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An artist's depiction of drilling for brine underneath volcanoes to extract useful metals and minerals needed for green technologies
  • Materials
  • Environment & sustainability
  • Issue 98

Mining volcanoes for metals

Green technologies depend on a range of metals and minerals. With concerns about environmental damage from conventional mining, scientists and engineers are seeking alternative sources. Could metal-rich magmatic brines underneath volcanoes have the answer?

A blue tinted close up photo of an eye with a pattern of overlaid concentric white, green, yellow and red circles on it
  • Health & medical
  • Technology & robotics

How robotics can improve retinal surgery

Engineers are working with ophthalmic surgeons to create a robotically controlled needle with a flexible tip that has the precision required to inject therapeutic materials into the tissue lining the back of the eye.

A nitrile-gloved pair of hands soldering electronics in an HMGCC electronics lab
  • Electricals & electronics
  • Technology & robotics
  • Issue 98

The secret world of national security tech

Attracting a new generation of the best engineering talent is at the heart of national security’s bid to stay ahead of rapid technological advances. His Majesty’s Government Communications Centre (HMGCC) explains more about how this is done.

Quick read

  • Health & medical
  • Design & manufacturing
  • Innovation Watch

The water sweets helping people with dementia stay hydrated

Inspired by his late grandma Pat, design engineer Lewis Hornby wanted to find a way to make staying hydrated easier for people with dementia. With his startup Jelly Drops, he’s invented a jelly sweet that is helping thousands of people avoid complications relating to dehydration.

  • Mechanical
  • How does that work?

How do hydraulic presses work?

Whether it's squashing crayons, an anvil or ball bearings, the hydraulic press is governed by a few simple physical principles. Leonie Mercedes explores the engineering behind this enduring viral sensation, and how we can create these obscenely large forces with relatively little input.

Silver ballbearings group together inside a shape and reflect in the mirrors
  • Arts & culture

How a photographer turned innovative engineering ideas into art

This year, the MacRobert Award – the UK’s longest-running prize for engineering innovation – celebrates its 55th anniversary. Having been commissioned to create a set of images to mark the award’s 50th anniversary in 2019, photographer Ted Humble-Smith has once again created photographs that capture the thought processes behind some of the winning innovations.

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About Ingenia

We run stories about engineering of all kinds.
Our stories showcase its unique breadth and variety, how it makes a difference, and how it helps to shape an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future.

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Illustration for Ingenia by Benjamin Leon

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