​Engineering Vision

Scientists discover new things about the world and universe around us. Engineers use these scientific discoveries to help design and make new technology. Ideas can build on one another over time to produce totally new solutions. 

Look over each image. Think about how new scientific discoveries helped engineers design each item.

​​Thinking Alike

Engineers and scientists use some of the same ways of doing things. Both scientists and engineers see a problem and ask questions about it. They think about the specifics and use models to design a solution. For example, when at first the Hubble Telescope was not taking clear images, scientists and engineers worked as a team and discovered that Hubble’s main mirror had been built incorrectly. They modeled different solutions on Earth and tested those solutions many times. 

​National Aeronautics and Space Association (NASA) used evidence from their tests to determine whether their proposed solutions would worin mind that any Hubble fix would take place in outer space. Throughout the process, NASA scientists and engineers communicated with each other to find the best solutions.

​New technology can lead to new science. The first personal computers, like this prototype, led to new scientific discoveries.

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​​Thinking Differently

Scientists and engineers follow many of the same methods to find answers to problems. However, their goals differ. Scientists, for example, conduct research and investigations to add to our knowledge. An example might be interpreting data from distant galaxies to better estimate when those galaxies formed. Engineers, on the other hand, focus on solving problems or achieving goals. 

Although science and engineering have different goals, their work complements one another. Advances in science often lead to advances in engineering, and advances in engineering lead to advances in science.