With the myriad ways the world of engineering continues to benefit humanity throughout history, it is hard to make a top ten list of the most important engineering achievements over time. Undaunted by the scope of the task, let’s take a look at some of the most significant accomplishments made by engineers.

1. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

A beautiful span built in difficult weather conditions, the Golden Gate Bridge serves as both an example of engineering brilliance and as a work of art. It is San Francisco’s signature tourist site.

2. Teotihuacan, Mexico

Today’s engineers still aren’t quite sure how the ancient pyramid in Teotihuacan, Mexico was built. That says it all when it comes to this engineering achievement.

3. The Langeled Pipeline

An undersea oil and gas pipeline stretching 725 miles, the Langeled Pipeline carries fuel from Norway to the United Kingdom.

4. The International Space Station

Over 100,000 people and nearly $100 billion were leveraged in the design and construction of the International Space Station. This project involved the best minds from 15 different nations.

5. The Millau Viaduct in France

France’s Millau Viaduct holds two important distinctions as the tallest road bridge and the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. The viaduct also rivals the Golden Gate Bridge when it comes to beauty.

6. The Trans-Siberian Railway

At 5,772 miles, the Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railroad in the world. It crosses 16 major rivers as it spans eight different time zones.

7. Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, Akashi Strait, Japan

The world’s longest suspension bridge, the Akashi Kaikyo took 10 years to build, providing work for nearly 2 million people.

8. Taipei 101

This massive Taiwanese skyscraper features earthquake-resistant engineering able to withstand the strongest tremors over a two millennium period. It also broke the 1,640 foot barrier.

9. The Great Wall of China

This 4,000 mile wall began construction way back in 475 B.C. It remains one of the most famous manmade achievements in the world.

10. Netherlands Delta Works

This interconnected system of dikes, levees, and storm barriers helps to keep the one-quarter of the Netherlands that lies below sea level high and dry.

If these significant engineering achievements inspire you to take your engineering career to the next level, talk to the knowledgeable staff at The Talley Group. As one of the top engineering staffing companies in Washington State, they are a great source for Seattle engineering jobs. Schedule some time with them today!

The National Academy of Engineering, in 2003, published A Century of Innovation: Twenty Engineering Achievements that Transformed our Lives, which showcased the greatest engineering achievements of the 20^th century.

Here are the top 20:

1.         Electrification
2.         Automobile
3.         Airplane
4.         Water Supply and Distribution
5.         Electronics
6.         Radio and Television
7.         Agricultural Mechanization
8.         Computers
9.         Telephone
10.       Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
11.       Highways
12.       Spacecraft
13.       Internet
14.       Imaging
15.       Household Appliances
16.       Health Technologies
17.       Petroleum and Petrochemical Technologies
18.       Laser and Fiber Optics
19.       Nuclear Technologies
20.       High-performance Materials

You’ll see that the benefits were largely universal, affecting people across the globe and at all economic levels. The technologies were diverse and depended on timely parallel accomplishments in science, mathematics and medicine.  And, the devices that enabled all these innovations were made in such quantity and quality that they were affordable and relatively universally available.

We can’t really know what engineers will achieve between now and 2101, but one engineer is willing to guess.

Inspired by the NAE’s book, engineer and Senior Intel Fellow Eugene S. Meieran, decided to make a list of predictions. Over the course of several years, he mentioned the list in presentations at universities, conferences, and industrial seminars, and took suggestions from other professionals.

Without further ado, here are the areas where Meieran believes the greatest achievements will happen in the next 88 years:

1. Energy conservation
2. Resource protection
3. Food and water production and distribution
4. Waste management
5. Education and learning
6. Medicine and prolonging life
7. Security and counter-terrorism
8. New technology
9. Genetics and cloning
10. Global communication
11. Traffic and population logistics. Check This Out to know more about this subject.
12. Knowledge sharing
13. Integrated electronic environment
14. Globalization
15. AI, interfaces and robotics
16. Weather prediction and control
17. Sustainable development
18. Entertainment
19. Space exploration
20. “Virtualization” and VR
21. Preservation of history
22. Preservation of species

What do you think? Is Meieran right on the money, or not even close?