Science

DIY science is the perfect way to use your creative skills and learn something new. With the right supplies, some determination, and a curious mind, you can create amazing experiments that open up a whole world of possibilities. At home-made laboratories or tech workshops, makers from all backgrounds can explore new ideas by finding ways to study their environment in novel ways – allowing them to make breathtaking discoveries!

Finding the failure point

Finding the failure point

[Image from Futisaba] Earlier this week in Lilongwe, Malawi, some enterprising fellows loaded up a truck with rebar. Unfortunately, they did not properly assess the weight bearing capabilities of the roof of the lorry cab. They could have benefited from a bit of Failure Mode and Effects Analysis or FMEA after the mishap. There are […]

Treadle pumps move water sustainably

Treadle pumps move water sustainably

[Image from Howtopedia] The Treadle Pump design is very simple and effective at helping people to bring water to their crops. Treadle Pump is a foot operated water lifting device that can irrigate small plots of land of small holders in regions that have higher water table (not deeper than 25 feet) A low cost […]

12 steps with Paul Polak

Last summer, I went with several youth leaders from Learn 2 Teach, Teach 2 Learn to hear Paul Polak speak. He was one of the opening speakers for the IDDS conference hosted by D-Lab at MIT. He appeared on Fresh Air last year: Paul Polak, founder of the nonprofit International Development Enterprises, has spent 25 […]