Nuts and Bolts, Roma Agrawal
Nuts and Bolts, Roma Agrawal
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

Nuts and Bolts
Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World (in a Big Way)

Author: Roma Agrawal

Narrator: Roma Agrawal

Unabridged: 8 hr 16 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 11/07/2023


Synopsis

A structural engineer examines the seven most basic building blocks of engineering that have shaped the modern world.

Some of engineering's mightiest achievements are small in scale, even hidden—and yet, without them, the complex machinery on which our modern world runs would not exist. In Nuts and Bolts, Roma Agrawal examines seven of these extraordinary elements: the nail, the wheel, the spring, the lens, the magnet, the string, and the pump.

From the physics behind both Roman nails and modern skyscrapers to rudimentary springs that inspired lithium batteries, Agrawal shows us how even the most sophisticated items are built on the foundations of these ancient and fundamental breakthroughs in engineering. Agrawal explores an array of intricate technologies—dishwashers, spacesuits, microscopes, suspension bridges, breast pumps—making surprising connections and explaining how they work. Along the way, she recounts the stories of remarkable scientists and engineers from all over the world, and reveals how engineering has fundamentally changed the way we live.

About Roma Agrawal

Roma Agrawal, an award-winning structural engineer, has designed bridges, skyscrapers, and sculptures, and worked on London's The Shard, the tallest building in Western Europe. She has lectured widely and has presented TV shows for the BBC and Discovery. She lives in London.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Liong on November 18, 2023

I was immediately attracted by her book title. The Nail: From towering skyscrapers and majestic bridges to sturdy furniture, the nail plays an important role in construction. The Spring: Beyond its role in propelling cars and bicycles, the spring's ability to store and release energy has found applica......more

Goodreads review by Mircea on December 08, 2024

O carte foarte interesantă de popularizare a ingineriei. Câteva curiozități: 1.) Un avion Boing 737 are peste 600 000 de nituri. Niturile au permis dezvoltarea unui design mai suplu al avioanelor, deoarece nu depind doar de forța de frecare pentru a ține în loc fuzelajul, ca în cazul cuielor, ci își......more

Goodreads review by Jim on September 28, 2023

I've been fascinated with simple (and complex) machines since I can remember, so this is a book that calls out to me. Being an engineer, this was more than appealing, but obviously one need not be one to enjoy it. Ms Agrawal has written a delightful book that is easily a single-sitting read (after w......more

Goodreads review by Hannah on September 22, 2024

Not really sure why average ratings are so low. I loved this book. It was well researched, fun to read, and highly informative. It also focused on things I never learned in school - inventions and applications created and innovated by BIPoC and women from all over the world. This is a book I’d want......more

Goodreads review by Courtney on March 04, 2025

This was like auditing a science class and loving it so much you end up taking every class the teacher has. I learned so much and I really appreciated how the author highlighted marginalized inventors. Only a woman would feature a dishwasher inventor and the breast pump. Great read and i understand......more