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The Great Pyramid of Cholula and La Iglesia de los Remedios- Araceli Santoyo 

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The Great Pyramid of Cholula and La Iglesia de los Remedios- Araceli Santoyo 

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The Great Pyramid of Cholula was built over 2000 years ago and is the largest man- made pyramid in the world.  It is located in San Andres, Mexico.  A temple was built on top of the pyramid which is another man-made structure, La Iglesia de los Remedios.

The pyramid was built by architects from the Teotihuacan and El Tajin civilizations.  They tried to preserve and hide it with shrubs and grass from the Spanish, but the Spanish saw it as nothing else but a nice hill to build a church on in 1519.
Both structures are related to STEM as they both required engineers and math to create such beautiful structures.  Technology was not used but their forms of measurements and structures were so precise that are still holding up today.
I thought this structure was interesting because I am fascinated how structures and engineers were created and operated without technology or machinery.

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Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant- Araceli Santoyo

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Laguna Verde Nuclear Power Plant- Araceli Santoyo

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The Laguna Verde is a power plant located in Alto Lucero, Veracruz, on the Gulf of Mexico. This plant produces 4.5 percent of the electrical energy in that country by using a boiling water nuclear reactor.

The two nuclear reactors in the plant are of the boiling type of General Electric. The nuclear fuel used is uranium-235 enriched to 3 or 4% and uses seawater for cooling.  The Laguna Verde Power Plant started operating in July 29, 1990.
Advantages of this power plant is that it uses natural resources such as water from the Gulf to boil and cool down.  However, the disadvantages have been malfunctions such as diesel leakages which have caused shut downs and delays to be fixed.  Because of the usage of non-renewable resources, it does not make it a green friendly power plant all the way, not can energy be produced during these delays and malfunctions.

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Nolan County6424 State Hwy 70, Sweetwater, TX 79556

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Located in Nolan County, Texas

Began commercial operation in 2003, with additional phases added through 2007. Supplies electricity to Austin Energy, CPS and others under the terms of various agreements. Consists of 392 General Electric, MHI and Siemens wind turbines.

source of energy

With average wind speeds of 8.0 to 8.5 meters per second and an average solar index of 5.5 to 6.0 kWh per square meter per day, the region is a prime location for renewable energy for today and the future. It generates 585 megawatts (MW) of electricity, with a net Duke Energy Renewables capacity of 283 MW

output

Sweetwater Wind Farm annual output is 1,760 GW·h

Advantages

Some of the advantages of Wind farms are that they provide a renewable and clean source of energy at a low operating cost. They also minimize our environmental impact while maximizing local economic and social benefits, such as jobs, new tax revenues and education.

Disadvantages

More wind energy is produced in Nolan County than almost anywhere else on the planet, but since this place has given birth to such a staggering number of turbines, it now accommodates more than its fair share of dead ones, too.

Hundreds of fiberglass wind turbine blade chunks are piled into a 10-acre pasture. They have been cut into three pieces, laid down and piled up like empty straw wrappers discarded by giants. This is one of Texas’ first wind turbine graveyards. As wind turbine blades increasingly reach the end of their useful lives, normally 25 to 30 years, more of these sites are expected to pop up across the state and nation. So far, no one has figured out a good way to get rid of the blades.And in the next decade, many of the 180,000 blades currently churning in U.S. airspace—more than one-quarter of which are in Texas alone—will come down.

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The official home for the U.S. president was designed by Irish-born architect James Hoban in the 1790s. Rebuilt after a British attack in 1814, the “President’s House” evolved with the personal touches of its residents, and accommodated such technological changes as the installation of electricity. The building underwent major structural changes in the early 1900s under Teddy Roosevelt, who also officially established the “White House” moniker, and again under Harry Truman after WWII. Counting the Oval Office and the Rose Garden among its famous features, it remains the only private residence of a head of state open free of charge to the public.

The cornerstone was laid on October 13, 1792, and over the next eight years a construction team of both enslaved and freed African Americans and European immigrants built the Aquia Creek sandstone structure. It was coated with lime-based whitewash in 1798, producing a color that gave rise to its famous nickname. Built at a cost of $232,372, the two-story house was not quite completed when John Adams and Abigail Adams became the first residents on November 1, 1800.

Thomas Jefferson added his own personal touches upon moving in a few months later, installing two water closets and working with architect Benjamin Latrobe to add bookending terrace-pavilions. Jefferson held the first inaugural open house in 1805, and also opened its doors for public tours and receptions on New Year’s Day and the Fourth of July.

Burned to the ground by the British in August 1814, the President’s House was nearly left in its smoldering remains as lawmakers contemplated moving the capital to another city. Instead, Hoban was brought back to rebuild it nearly from scratch, in some areas incorporating the original, charred walls. Upon resuming residency in 1817, James Madison and his wife Dolley gave the home a more regal touch by decorating with extravagant French furniture.

The building’s South and North Porticoes were added in 1824 and 1829, respectively, while John Quincy Adams established the residence’s first flower garden. Subsequent administrations continued to overhaul and bolster the interior through Congressional appropriations; the Fillmores added a library in the second-floor oval room, while the Arthurs hired famed decorator Louis Tiffany to redecorate the east, blue, red and state dining rooms.

William Taft hired architect Nathan Wyeth to expand the executive wing in 1909, resulting in the formation of the Oval Office as the president’s work space. In 1913, the White House added another enduring feature with Ellen Wilson’s Rose Garden. A fire during the Hoover administration in 1929 destroyed the executive wing and led to more renovations, which continued after Franklin Roosevelt entered office.

Architect Eric Gugler more than doubled the space of what was becoming known as the “West Wing,” added a swimming pool in the west terrace for the polio-stricken president, and moved the Oval Office to the southeast corner. A new east wing was constructed in 1942, its cloakroom transformed into a movie theater.

A final major overhaul took place after Harry Truman entered office in 1945. With structural problems mounting from the 1902 installation of floor-bearing steel beams, most of the building’s interior was stripped bare as a new concrete foundation went in place. The Trumans helped redesign most of the state rooms and decorate the second and third floors, and the president proudly displayed the results during a televised tour of the completed house in 1952.

Over the course of 1969-70, a porte-cochere and circular drive were added to the exterior of the West Wing, with a new press briefing room installed inside. Following a 1978 study to assess the exterior paint, up to 40 layers were removed in some areas, allowing for repairs of deteriorated stone. Meanwhile, the Carter administration set about adjusting to a new information age by installing the White House’s first computer and laser printer. The internet made its debut in the mansion under the watch of George H.W. Bush in 1992.

The White House today holds 132 rooms on six floors, the floor space totaling approximately 55,000 square feet. It has hosted long standing traditions such as the annual Easter Egg Roll, as well as historic events like the 1987 nuclear arms treaty with Russia. The only private residence of a head of state open free of charge to the public, the White House reflects a nation’s history through the accumulated collections of its residing presidents, and serves as a worldwide symbol of the American republic.

It relates to STEM because blueprints were required to build the building. Mathematical calculations by architects were used to ensure the stability of the building would be strong. The building is an innovation that required precise measurements and calculations when being built.

I picked it because I wanted to learn about its history. It is also interesting because every president that has lived there has left a personal touch. I considered it crucial to know about it, because it is a representation of the country and its government.

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The thermosphere is home to the International Space Station as it orbits Earth.

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The International Space Station is a large spacecraft in orbit around Earth. It serves as a home where crews of astronauts and cosmonauts live. The space station is also a unique science laboratory. Several nations worked together to build and use the space station. The space station is made of parts that were assembled in space by astronauts. It orbits Earth at an average altitude of approximately 250 miles. It travels at 17,500 mph. This means it orbits Earth every 90 minutes. NASA is using the space station to learn more about living and working in space. These lessons will make it possible to send humans farther into space than ever before.

The first piece of the International Space Station was launched in November 1998. A Russian rocket launched the Russian Zarya (zar EE uh) control module. About two weeks later, the space shuttle Endeavour met Zarya in orbit. The space shuttle was carrying the U.S. Unity node. The crew attached the Unity node to Zarya.

More pieces were added over the next two years before the station was ready for people to live there. The first crew arrived on November 2, 2000. People have lived on the space station ever since. More pieces have been added over time. NASA and its partners from around the world completed construction of the space station in 2011.The ISS has been described as the most expensive single item ever constructed, the total cost was US$150 billion.

The space station has the volume of a five-bedroom house or two Boeing 747 jetliners. It is able to support a crew of six people, plus visitors. On Earth, the space station would weigh almost a million pounds. Measured from the edges of its solar arrays, the station covers the area of a football field including the end zones. It includes laboratory modules from the United States, Russia, Japan and Europe.

In addition to the laboratories where astronauts conduct science research, the space station has many other parts. The first Russian modules included basic systems needed for the space station to function. They also provided living areas for crew members. Modules called "nodes" connect parts of the station to each other.

Stretching out to the sides of the space station are the solar arrays. These arrays collect energy from the sun to provide electrical power. The arrays are connected to the station with a long truss. On the truss are radiators that control the space station's temperature.

Robotic arms are mounted outside the space station. The robot arms were used to help build the space station. Those arms also can move astronauts around when they go on spacewalks outside. Other arms operate science experiments.

Astronauts can go on spacewalks through airlocks that open to the outside. Docking ports allow other spacecraft to connect to the space station. New crews and visitors arrive through the ports. Astronauts fly to the space station on the Russian Soyuz. Robotic spacecraft use the docking ports to deliver supplies

The space station has made it possible for people to have an ongoing presence in space. Human beings have been living in space every day since the first crew arrived. The space station's laboratories allow crew members to do research that could not be done anywhere else. This scientific research benefits people on Earth. Space research is even used in everyday life. The results are products called "spinoffs." Scientists also study what happens to the body when people live in microgravity for a long time. NASA and its partners have learned how to keep a spacecraft working well. All of these lessons will be important for future space exploration.

NASA is currently working on a plan to explore other worlds. The space station is one of the first steps. NASA will use lessons learned on the space station to prepare for human missions that reach farther into space than ever before.

The ISS relates to STEM in many ways. To mention a few the solar energy the arrays absorb to maintain the ISS working properly. Technological advances have made possible the building of the ISS. The suits used for the space walks were created to keep astronauts safe during their space walks. It also relates to engineering and mathematics because nations worked together to bring the station together. Precise calculations to connect all the parts of the ISS in space had to be made. The maintenance of all the equipment requires a methodical process because it is vital to keep the ISS functioning at all times.

It is incredibly interesting that the human race has been able to explore that far. It helps us to acquire more knowledge not only about the planet but also about the galaxy. The ISS has helped humanity to evolve and to have advances that benefit and improve life on Earth. I’m also very intrigued that the human race could one day become interplanetary. It would be amazing to accomplish something like that, and the ISS had definitely helped humanity to get closer to that goal.

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Big Boy Steam Engine Cheyenne, Wyoming (Elizabeth Estrada)

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Big Boy Steam Engine Cheyenne, Wyoming (Elizabeth Estrada)

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Big Boy, one of the largest and most powerful series of steam locomotives ever built. Produced from 1941 to 1944 by the American Locomotive Company of Schenectady, N.Y., exclusively for the Union Pacific Railroad, the Big Boy locomotives were designed primarily to handle heavy freight traffic in the Wasatch Mountains, where trains faced a continuous grade of 1.55 percent on a stretch of track east of Ogden, Utah.

A Big Boy locomotive along with its tender weighed about 604 tons and measured more than 132 feet (40 metres) in length. It had a maximum power capacity of more than 6,000 horsepower and could haul a 3,600-ton train unassisted up the Wasatch Mountain grade. Pulling freight on level track, it could achieve a speed of 70 miles (112 km) per hour.

The Big Boy locomotives had an articulated design; the frame of the front engine was hinge-connected to the rear engine under a single boiler. The wheel arrangement was designated 4-8-8-4—i.e., a set of 4 pilot wheels led a set of 8 coupled driving wheels, which were compounded by another set of 8 coupled drivers, with 4 trailing wheels.

Twenty-five Big Boys were produced. They operated almost exclusively in the mountainous region between Cheyenne, Wyo., and Ogden, Utah, and their most prominent service was the pulling of long trains loaded with agricultural produce. They were gradually replaced by diesel-electric locomotives; the last one was taken out of regular service in 1959. Preserved Big Boy locomotives can be seen today in railroad museums in Cheyenne, Denver, Omaha, Neb., St. Louis, Mo., and other cities.

In a steam engine, hot steam, usually supplied by a boiler, expands under pressure, and part of the heat energy is converted into work. The remainder of the heat may be allowed to escape, or, for maximum engine efficiency, the steam may be condensed in a separate apparatus, a condenser, at comparatively low temperature and pressure. For high efficiency, the steam must fall through a wide temperature range as a consequence of its expansion within the engine. The most efficient performance—that is, the greatest output of work in relation to the heat supplied—is secured by using a low condenser temperature and a high boiler pressure. The steam may be further heated by passing it through a superheater on its way from the boiler to the engine. A common superheater is a group of parallel pipes with their surfaces exposed to the hot gases in the boiler furnace. By means of superheaters, the steam may be heated beyond the temperature at which it is produced by boiling water.

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The Michigan Stove Detroit, Michigan (Elizabeth Estrada)

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The Michigan Stove Detroit, Michigan (Elizabeth Estrada)

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The World's Largest Stove was an oversized reproduction of Michigan Stove Company's popular kitchen cooking stove. The company, founded by Jeremiah Dwyer in 1872, wanted to grab the attention of visitors attending the 1893 Chicago World's Fair so had the replica built to represent what the company manufactured. The company's vice president George Harrison Barbour was appointed to the national commission board of the World's Fair and passed the idea of making a giant replica onto Dwyer. Company superintendent William J. Keep was charged with designing and engineering the replica; he supervised its construction and coordinated the logistics of the work. Built from oak upon a steel frame, the replica was 25 feet (7.6 m) high, 20 feet (6.1 m) wide, 30 feet (9.1 m) long, and weighed 15 short tons (14,000 kg).

The stove was finished with hand-carved basswood, Michigan white pine, and laminated redwood. The sides were painted with a unique metallic appearance to look like one of the company's Garland brand steel kitchen ranges. The mammoth replica was transported to Chicago in three railroad cars and was put into the Manufacturers Building, a 200-foot (61 m) high and one-third mile (0.54 km) long structure. The giant model that appeared to be walking formed the company's exhibit pavilion in Section O. Cast-iron stoves were placed under the mammoth Garland stove to showcase the company's products, and nearby salesmen discussed the stoves' qualities

The STEM behind the stove is amazing. The design had to be drawn to scale in order for it to be operational. The stove design is made to be able to operate like a normal stove in a large size.

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THE GEYSERS GEOTHERMAL COMPLEX, USA (Elizabeth Estrada)

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THE GEYSERS GEOTHERMAL COMPLEX, USA (Elizabeth Estrada)

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What is the source of energy?

Power from The Geysers provides electricity to Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino, Marin, and Napa counties. It is estimated that the development meets 60% of the power demand for the coastal region between the Golden Gate Bridge and the Oregon state line. Unlike most geothermal resources, the Geysers is a dry steam field which mainly produces superheated steam.

Steam used at The Geysers is produced from a greywacke sandstone reservoir, capped by a heterogeneous mix of low permeability rocks and underlain by a silicic intrusion. Gravity and seismic studies suggest that the source of heat for the steam reservoir is a large magma chamber over 4 miles (6.4 km) beneath the surface, and greater than 8 miles (13 km) in diameter.

What is the output?
1,517MW

Advantages and disadvantages?

Advantages:
1. Environmentally Friendly

Geothermal energy is more environmentally friendly than conventional fuel sources such as coal and other fossil fuels. In addition, the carbon footprint of a geothermal power plant is low. While there is some pollution associated with geothermal energy, this is relatively minimal when compared to fossil fuels.

2. Renewable

Geothermal energy is a source of renewable energy that will last until the Earth is destroyed by the sun in around 5 billion years. The hot reservoirs within the Earth are naturally replenished, making it both renewable and sustainable.

3. Huge Potential

Worldwide energy consumption is currently around 15 terawatts, which is far from the total potential energy available from geothermal sources. While we can’t currently use most reservoirs there is a hope that the number of exploitable geothermal resources will increase with ongoing research and development in the industry. It is currently estimated that geothermal power plants could provide between 0.0035 and 2 terawatts of power.

4. Sustainable / Stable

Geothermal provides a reliable source of energy as compared to other renewable resources such as wind and solar power. This is because the resource is always available to be tapped into, unlike with wind or solar energy.

5. Heating and Cooling

Effective use of geothermal for electricity generation requires water temperatures of over 150°C to drive turbines. Alternatively, the temperature difference between the surface and a ground source can be used. Due to the ground being more resistant to seasonal heat changes than the air, it can act as a heat sink/ source with a geothermal heat pump just two meters below the surface.

Disadvantages:

1. Location Restricted

The largest single disadvantage of geothermal energy is that it is location specific. Geothermal plants need to be built in places where the energy is accessible, which means that some areas are not able to exploit this resource. Of course, this is not a problem if you live in a place where geothermal energy is readily accessible, such as Iceland.

2. Environmental Side Effects

Although geothermal energy does not typically release greenhouse gases, there are many of these gases stored under the Earth’s surface which are released into the atmosphere during digging. While these gases are also released into the atmosphere naturally, the rate increases near geothermal plants. However, these gas emissions are still far lower than those associated with fossil fuels.

3. Earthquakes

Geothermal energy also runs the risk of triggering earthquakes. This is due to alterations in the Earth’s structure as a result of digging. This problem is more prevalent with enhanced geothermal power plants, which force water into the Earth’s crust to open up fissures to greater exploitation of the resource. However, since most geothermal plants are away from population centers, the implications of these earthquakes are relatively minor.

4. High Costs

Geothermal energy is an expensive resource to tap into, with price tags ranging from around $2-$7 million for a plant with a 1 megawatt capacity. However, where the upfront costs are high, the outlay can be recouped as part of a long-term investment.

5. Sustainability

In order to maintain the sustainability of geothermal energy fluid needs to be pumped back into the underground reservoirs faster than it is depleted. This means that geothermal energy needs to be properly managed to maintain its sustainability.

It is important for industry to assess the geothermal energy pros and cons in order to take account of the advantages while mitigating against any potential problems.

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Gansu Wind Farm, China
Source of energy: Wind energy

Output: The world’s biggest wind farm, with a planned installed capacity of 20GW. Also known as Gansu Wind Farm, it will feature 7,000 wind turbines installed across the Jiuquan, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Xinjiang, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces of Gansu, China.

Advantages:

One of the world’s largest wind farms, capable of generating enough electricity to power a small country.

It is projected that it will help to cut Gansu's fossil fuel use in electricity production to 35 percent, making it one of the greenest provinces in China.

Disadvantages:

Left China unable to generate enough renewable energy to make a serious dent in air pollution and carbon emissions, despite the state-driven building spree.

Costs of wind projects are falling rapidly with advances in technology and more efficient construction, making them more competitive with plants powered by fossil fuels like coal and natural gas.

60 percent of their capacity goes unused each year.

The location makes transmission of electricity difficult.

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Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station (Diana Villanueva)

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Beaver Valley Nuclear Power Station (Diana Villanueva)

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Location: Shippingport, Pennsylvania

Beaver Valley Power Station is a nuclear power plant on the Ohio River covering 1,000 acres near Shippingport, Pennsylvania, United States, 27 miles roughly northwest of Pittsburgh. The Beaver Valley plant is operated by Energy Harbor and power is generated by two Westinghouse pressurized water reactors

What is the source of energy?
The source of energy is two water reactors.

What is the output?
The units can generate enough electricity (1800 MW) to power nearly 1.5 million homes

Advantages:
The Bear Valley Nuclear Power Station provides power to millions of citizens. It has also created over 1,000 jobs to citizens as well.

Disadvantages:
Sadly, the power plant has caused an increase in carbon dioxide in the air. The governor of Pennsylvania was also planning on shutting down the plant this October due to push a climate change policy into law.

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George Washington Bridge (Diana Villanueva)

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George Washington Bridge (Diana Villanueva)

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Location: Fort Lee, New Jersey

About it:
The George Washington bridge is a bridge that connects the states or New Jersey and New York. The George Washington Bridge stands high above the Hudson River, its eastern end resting on the shores of Manhattan, its western end embedded in the wooded bluffs of New Jersey's Palisades

Who made it?
Swiss-American civil engineer Othmar Ammann designed the bridge.

When?
The Port Authority, with Ammann as its new chief engineer, began construction in October of 1927.

Why?
The George Washington Bridge was built to make travel possible between Fort Lee, New Jersey and Manhattan by crossing over the Hudson River. It also allowed for a good flow of traffic.

How?
The two towers were built first. Once the towers were in place, the four main cables, each a yard in diameter, were strung from shore to shore up over the top of each tower. Next, steel suspenders were hung from the main cables, to support the roadway. Finally, the bridgemen built the road itself, foot by foot, out from the shores, hanging it from the steel suspenders as they went.

The four main cables are each composed of a single strand carried back and forth across the river 61 times. Each strand-itself a bundle of 434 individual wires-wraps around a strand shoe in the anchorage before looping back toward the opposite shore. Each shoe connects to a bar sunk deep into the anchorage that holds the strand in place.

What is STEM related about it?
It is STEM related because this bridge dealt with a lot of engineering. The designer had to make sure enough traffic could flow and that the bridge would be high enough from the ocean. The cables had to be a certain length in diameter to support the road.

Why did I pick it?
I picked this landmark because I thought it was awesome that a bridge could connect two different states to make is easy for transportation. I would like to visit the bridge one day and drive on it back and forth from New Jersey to New York.

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Location: Athens, Greece
Acropolis is located on the Attica plateau of Greece

About it:
The Acropolis in Athens was a fortress and military base during the Neolithic period, due to its position which offers a great view of the land and the sea. During the Mycenaean times, it became a religious center, dedicated to the worship of the goddess Athena. Over the centuries, the Acropolis was many things: a home to kings, a citadel, a mythical home of the gods, a religious center and a tourist attraction.

Who made it?
Work began in 447 BC under the architects Ictinus and Callicrates with the supervision of the sculptor Phidias.

When?
It was built during the second half of the 5th century BC

Why?
It was built to honor the goddess Athena, for whom the city is named.

How much?
Costing 5000 talents in the first year alone Acropolis cost is equivalent to around $3 billion in today's money.

What is STEM related about it?
The Acropolis is STEM related because it deals with an engineering process. The Acropolis used tons of Marble for it to be constructed. The architects had to make a good structured walls, built it above sea level, and still have plenty of open space.

Why did I pick it?
I picked this landmark because I have always wanted to visit Athens due to the Greek Mythology. It's amazing to learn about the history that still stands in Greece today.

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Venice, Italy

When and Where: The Rialto Bridge is a  stone arch bridge crossing over the narrowest point of the Grand Canal in the heart of Venice. Built in the closing years of the 16th century, the Rialto Bridge is the oldest bridge across the canal and is renowned as an architectural and engineering achievement of the Renaissance.

Who: It was designed and built by Antonio da Ponte and his nephew, Antonio Contino, following a design competition in the city.

STEM:

The stone used is part of science because it involves how the stone was formed or made. The width, length, and height of this bridge are part of the engineering process and math because they had to measure everything before they built the arch bridge. This will avoid collapsing like the previous bridges and ensure that the height of the bridge was high enough to allow the boats to pass by the canal.

The Rialto Bridge consists of a single stone-arch span that supports a broad rectangular deck carrying two arcades of shops fronting on three roadways. The lower chord of the bridge is only 25 meters (83 feet) in length, while the width is 20 meters (66 feet). To support the wide stone arch in the soft alluvial soil, 6,000 timber piles were driven under each abutment, and the bed joints of the stones were placed perpendicular to the thrust of the arch.

Why:

I chose this bridge because I want to go to Italy one day and discover all the famous architectural buildings. My friend also recommended that I go to Italy and visit this bridge where not only do you enjoy the grand canal scenery, but the markets that are on the bridge.

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Metropolitan Cathedral, Mexico City

The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heavens is the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Mexico. It is  situated near the former Aztec sacred precinct near the Templo Mayor on the northern side of the Plaza de la Constitución (Zócalo) in Downtown Mexico City.

Who and When: The cathedral was built in sections from 1573 to 1813 around the original church that was constructed soon after the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlan, eventually replacing it entirely. Spanish architect Claudio de Arciniega planned the construction, drawing inspiration from Gothic cathedrals in Spain. Due to a long time, it took to build it, just under 250 years, an extensive period of construction, allowed the integration into it of the various architectural styles that were in force and in vogue in those centuries: Gothic, Baroque, Churrigueresque, Neoclassical, among others. The same situation experienced different ornaments, paintings, sculptures, and furniture in the interior. The architects were Manuel Tolsa, Claudio de Arciniega, Jose Damian Ortiz de Castro.

Why: It is also, as a consequence of the influence of the Catholic Church on public life, that the building was intertwined with events of historical significance for the societies of New Spain and independent Mexico.

STEM:

This building includes STEM because architects had to use math to measure the outdoor and indoor rooms and space to construct what is known as the Metropolitan Cathedral. Measurements avoid buildings to collapse. The science behind it is the materials they used to make the walls.

The cathedral faces south. The approximate measurements of this church are 59 metres (194 ft) wide by 128 metres (420 ft) long and a height of 67 metres (220 ft) to the tip of the towers. It consists of two bell towers, a central dome, and three main portals. It has four façades which contain portals flanked with columns and statues. It has five naves consisting of 51 vaults, 74 arches and 40 columns. The two bell towers contain a total of 25 bells. The tabernacle, adjacent to the cathedral, contains the baptistery and serves to register the parishioners.

Various architectural styles that were in force and in vogue in those centuries: Gothic, Baroque, Churrigueresque, Neoclassical, among others. Same situation experienced different ornaments, paintings, sculptures and furniture in the interior.

Why: I chose this cathedral building because I am amazed by the different architectural styles and paintings in different churches from across the world. I always tend to visit the cathedrals when I go on vacation. This cathedral in Mexico City caught my attention and I hope to visit one day.

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LOCATION: Moscow, Russia

WHO MADE IT AND WHEN: Built by Italian architects masters from 1485 to 1495.

WHY: To proclaim the universal significance of the Russian revolution, the funerary urns of heroes of the revolution were incorporated into the Kremlin's walls between the Nikolskaya and Spasskaya towers.

STEM: Originally constructed of wood, the Moscow Kremlin was rebuilt in white stone in the 14th century and then totally rebuilt in red brick in the late 15th century by Italian architects. Although it appears that the wall is made of brick, it is only lined with bricks. In fact, they are made of stones covered with lime. The total length of the walls is 2,235 meters; the thickness varies from 3.5 to 6.5 m, the height from 5 to 19 m.

FACTS:

The Kremlin is the largest fortress in Europe.

The Kremlin survived WWII almost intact.

Moscow Kremlin is where you can see the world’s largest bell and the world’s largest cannon. The 6.14 metre (20ft) tall Tsar Bell was made in 1735, broke during metal casting and never rang, the Tsar Cannon, weighing 39.312 tonnes, was cast in 1586 and has never been used in a war, but it’s the largest cannon by caliber, according to the Guinness Book of Records.

I chose the Kremlin Wall because it was something that I had never heard of before and I wanted to learn more about it. I was able to find many interesting facts about it.

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LOCATION: The Panama Canal is a waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America.

WHO MADE IT AND WHEN: The French began work on the canal in 1881, but failed due to disease and construction difficulties. In 1904, the United States began to work on the canal. It took 10 years, but the canal was officially opened on August 15, 1914.

WHY: The Panama Canal was built to lower the distance, cost, and time it took for ships to carry cargo between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. Before the canal, ships would have to go around the entire continent of South America

STEM: The Panama Canal is a 48 mile long man-made waterway that crosses the Isthmus of Panama. It uses a number of locks on each side to lower and raise ships to allow them to pass between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. This canal involved a lot of engineering factors when being build and as it is operated to this day.

LOCKS:
The canal locks operate by gravity flow of water from Gatún, Alajuela, and Miraflores lakes, which are fed by the Chagres and other rivers. The locks themselves are of uniform length, width, and depth and were built in pairs to permit the simultaneous transit of vessels in either direction. Each lock gate has two leaves, 65 feet (20 metres) wide and 6.5 feet (2 metres) thick, set on hinges. The gates range in height from 46 to 82 feet (14 to 25 metres); their movement is powered by electric motors recessed in the lock walls. They are operated from a control tower, which is located on the wall that separates each pair of locks and from which the flooding or emptying of the lock chambers is also controlled. The lock chambers are 1,000 feet (300 metres) long, 110 feet (33 metres) wide, and 40 feet (12 metres) deep.

BREAKWATERS:
Long breakwaters have been constructed near the approach channels in both oceans. Breakwaters extend from the west and east sides of Limón Bay; the west breakwater protects the harbour against severe gales, and the east one reduces silting in the canal channel. On the Pacific side a causeway extends from Balboa to three small islands (Naos, Perico, and Flamenco) and diverts crosscurrents that carry soft material from the shallow harbour of Panama City into the canal channel.

FACTS:

Between 13,000 and 14,000 ships use the canal every year.

The United States transferred control of the canal to Panama in 1999.

The canal was recently expanded to handle today’s megaships. In 2007, work began on a $5.25 billion expansion project that enabled the canal to handle post-Panamax ships. The expanded canal, which was completed in 2016, can handle cargo vessels carrying 14,000 20-foot containers, nearly three times the amount previously accommodated. The expansion project also includes a new, larger set of locks and the widening and deepening of existing navigational channels.

I picked the Panama Canal because I've always wanted to visit South America. I also, find the engineering and mechanical workings of the canal very interesting.

Gales- a very strong wind
Breakwaters- a barrier built out into a body of water to protect a coast or harbor from the force of waves.
Locks- a short confined section of a canal or other waterway in which the water level can be changed by the use of gates and sluices, used for raising and lowering vessels between two gates.

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Jaisalmer Wind Park, India- Mariah Hendon 

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Jaisalmer Wind Park, India- Mariah Hendon 

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LOCATION: Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, India. (Western India)

SOURCE OF ENERGY: Wind Energy

WHAT IS THE OUTPUT: initial capacity- Jaisalmer produced 1,064 megawatts of electricity.

ADVANTAGES:

Wind power costs in India are decreasing rapidly.

wind is a clean renewable resource

Wind energy is cheap! It is one of the lowest-priced renewable energy sources.

Wind is generated all over the planet, and wind turbines can be installed economically almost everywhere. This makes it a key resource in developing economies.

DISADVANGAGES:

in India there has been a shift in the focus in wind energy to solar energy.

Most problematic is the wind itself. wind is not a consistent resource for energy. when the wind is not blowing, electricity can not be generated.

Even though wind energy is cheap, the initial cost to build the wind farm or install a turbine still costs more than fossil-fuel generators. It may take years to offset the start-up cost.

Wind turbines can kill bats and birds. Bats’ echolocation does not account for giant spinning blades, and they can be hit. The blades also hit birds and can scare certain species of birds away from their habitats.

Locations that produce great amounts of wind are often in remote areas, far away from the cities and people who could use it. Transmission lines have to be built to transfer the electricity to the cities.

Jaisalmer Wind Park is the second largest in India (Largest is Muppandal Wind Park) and the fourth largest in the world. Jaisalmer Wind Park consists of 17 wind turbines.
Commissioned by Sulzon Energy in 2001.

Wind energy- is produced by the movement of air (wind) and converted into power for human use.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=afC-gv9z9e8

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Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tell me something about it: The Burj al Arab (translation: Arabian Tower), is a luxury hotel that stands on an artificial island nearly 300 m from the Jumeirah Beach in Dubai, UAE. Standing at 321 m, it is the third tallest hotel in the world and one of the most expensive, costing an estimated 7.8bn dollars.

Who made it: Designed by Tom Wright and built on Dubai’s coast in 1999, the Burj Al Arab, literally translated to ‘the Arabian Tower’, was built over a five-year period: three to create the island and two to build the hotel. Construction involved an international team of over 3,000 contractors, 250 designers and 3,500 workmen onsite at any given time.

Why: The aim from the start was to invest in exclusive tourism by building an unbeatable hotel. The construction of the Burj Al Arab hotel was begun in 1994 and completed 1999. The most challenging aspect for the architects and engineers was, above all, the decision to erect the skyscraper on an artificial island, an idea that was repeated and extended subsequently for the famous Palm Islands.

What is STEM related about it? The building is notable for a number of complex engineering and construction feats. The artificial island that was constructed needed to be built low enough to give the impression that the building was floating on water. The reclamation of the land from the sea took 3 years, as engineers created a ground/surface layer of large rocks. To avoid the risk of flooding, perforated concrete blocks were mounted on the bedrock in a honeycomb pattern designed to act as a giant artificial ‘sponge’ and reduce the wave impact.

Tell me why you picked it? I saw this hotel in different movies. I thought this was a perfect occasion to learn more about it.

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Tell me something about it: Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is also housing the tomb of Shah Jahan himself. The tomb is the centerpiece of a 17-hectare (42-acre) complex, which includes a mosque and a guest house, and is set in formal gardens bounded on three sides by a crenellated wall.

Construction of the mausoleum was essentially completed in 1643, but work continued other phases of the project for another 10 years. The Taj Mahal complex is believed to have been completed in its entirety in 1653 at a cost estimated at the time to be around 32 million rupees, which in 2020 would be approximately 70 billion rupees (about U.S. $1 billion). The construction project employed some 20,000 artisans under the guidance of a board of architects led by the court architect to the emperor, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri.

What is STEM related about it? Several designers and architects – thirty-seven men in all – are mentioned by name in the official Mughal histories, and it is probable that they would have worked together to form the creative team that shaped the Taj Mahal. Also, all the materials used to build the Taj Mahal went through different processes to have what was needed.

Tell me why you picked it? I picked it because it is one of the many places, I want to visit one day.

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What is the source of energy? The project generates electricity from solar energy.

What is the output?  The aim of the project activity is to generate electricity from renewable energy sources (solar energy) and to sell the electricity generated to the state power grid. The electricity generated is fed into the regional electricity grid, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Indian electricity grid. The project activity replaces the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, which are estimated at around 694,471 tCO2e per year and thus replaces 733 MWh of electricity per year from the generation mix of power plants that are usually operated with fossil fuels (coal). The solar power plant is connected to the INDIAN GRID.

Advantages? The Bhadla Solar Park is helping India reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. In rural areas, the technology is also proving to be a much healthier power source than kerosene for indoor lighting. Bhadla Solar Park is driving economic growth and job creation in surrounding areas. The local service industry has benefited from the influx of workers and ambitious young Indians are finding employment in the renewables sector.

Among all the benefits of solar panels, the most important thing is that solar energy is a truly renewable energy source. It can be harnessed in all areas of the world and is available every day. We cannot run out of solar energy, unlike some of the other sources of energy. Solar energy will be accessible as long as we have the sun, therefore sunlight will be available to us for at least 5 billion years. Also, solar farms require very little maintenance.

Disadvantages? They take up a lot of space. Solar farms are large-scale applications of active energy collection, most commonly through the installation of photovoltaic panels. They are usually developed in rural areas because of the amount of space that is required for them. To generate 1 megawatt, a solar farm would require about 2.5 acres.

Solar farms must be installed in regions where there is abundant sunlight available. When cloud cover obscures the sunlight, then energy production becomes limited. Facilities that have excess shade levels are also impacted in a negative way. Without storage capabilities at the solar farm, the actual energy levels being produced at the facility can become inconsistent

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Greek Theatre of Syracuse (Viviana Jaimes)

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Greek Theatre of Syracuse (Viviana Jaimes)

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The Greek theatre of Syracuse is one of the largest theatres that has a diameter of 140 m. It was built in the fifth century BC by Hiero I. In the theatre, they would perform plays. The way it was created was by cutting through bedrock which was made up of granite. The reason why I picked it is that I wanted to know how it was, especially because it is made from rock which means the process might have been difficult.

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Name: San Jacinto Monument

Location: La Porte Texas

The San Jacinto Monument, east of Houston, commemorates the Battle of San Jacinto, in which Texas won its independence from Mexico and became a republic. Texas joined the United States in 1845.

Construction began on the monument on April 21, 1936, the 100th anniversary of the battle. Construction was completed and the monument was dedicated on April 21, 1939. The $1.5 million it cost to build the monument would be approximately $26.1 million today.

The monument underwent renovation and 1993, the cost of which was over $1 million.

The San Jacinto Monument is 567 feet tall. The Washington Monument is 555 feet tall.

I selected this monument because it is part of our state’s history as a ec-6 teacher it is important that I also know content related to social studies, I feel like this would be an interesting structure to show my students when learning about the battles that took place in our state. STEM is a part of this structure because it takes engineering and math to make sure we are using the proper measurements to build a stable building.

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The name: Abraj Al Bait

Location: Saudi Arabia

Tell me something about it, who made it, when, why, how much:

The Abraj Al-Bait ​​is a government-owned complex of seven skyscraper hotels in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. These towers are a part of the King Abdulaziz Endowment Project that aims to modernize the city in catering to its pilgrims. The central hotel tower, the Makkah Clock Royal Tower, has the world's largest clock face and is the third-tallest building and fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world. The clock tower contains the Clock Tower Museum that occupies the top four floors of the tower.[5]The tallest tower in the complex is the tallest building in Saudi Arabia, with a height of 601 meters (1,972 feet). Currently, it is the fifth-tallest freestanding structure in the world,

What is STEM related about it?   Tell me why you picked it?

I picked this structure because I found it interesting that it was one of the tallest structures in the world. It was completed almost 10 years ago and to me, this means that they must have taken a lot of consideration in building a sturdy foundation and gathering the correct materials to build such a strong and lasting structure. I also liked that it has the largest clock in the world this relates to math and time concepts. Which can be applied every day of our lives.

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Name: Gansu Wind Farm or  Jiuquan Wind Power Base

Location: Gansu Province in China.

What is the source of energy: It is powered by wind.

What is the output: The Gansu Wind Farm in China is the biggest in the world and is capable of generating nearly 7,900 MW.

Advantage: Pollution levels in China have soared in the last few years. According to WHO, more than 1 million Chinese citizens died prematurely as a result of the deadly airborne toxins. Hence, China has started investing in green energies to curb this situation.

Disadvantage: Unfortunately, more than 60% of the farm’s capacity goes unused each year due to weak demand. The giant Windfarm is capable enough to power a small country and is expected to provide an output of 20,000 MW by the year 2020.

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Cristo Rey del Cubilete is located in Guanajuato, Mexico. In Guanajuato state the massive statue of Christ that stands atop the highest mountain of the region. The 22m statue marks the very centre of Mexico and for religious Mexicans there is something to be said in having Jesus in the very heart of their country.Its positioning 1,000m above the surrounding plains makes the statue a prominent landmark amidst the arid landscape.

The statue of Cristo Rey faces the city of Leon, GTO. The direction it faces was chosen as the religious centre of Guanajuato state. The present bronze statue of Cristo Rey is the second re-incarnation of the monument. The original 2m stone statue was constructed in 1923, but was destroyed during the final stages of the Mexican revolution.  A former president of Mexico Plutarco Elias Calles had ordered the destruction of all religious monuments and the Christo Rey was ruined by aerial bombardment in one segment of the protracted Mexican revolution.  The present day Cristo Rey del Cubilete monument was cofund by the government  in a gesture of goodwill to the still powerful church. Since it was funded by the goverment the final cost is kept private. However, I believe it cost billions of pesos. The Cristo Rey is the world’s second largest statue of Christ the king.

The bronze statue was inaugurated in 1940 and was designed by the sculptor Fidias Elizondo and constructed by the architect Nicholas Mariscal Pina . The statue of Cristo Rey del cubilete depicts Christ with his arms extended and open with two angles flanking his sides. One angel holds the royal crown and the second angel carries the crown of thorns.

STEM related: The statue is STEM related because the process of constructing it takes lots  of engineering, math, and science. They use math to make sure the church it’s on top can hold the statue.

I picked the Cristo Rey del Cubilete statue because I love it,  it represents my religion, and I actually visited it in 2015 with my family when we went to Guanajuato. Once being on top of the cerro del cubilete and being able to see up close the statue it’s huge and you get to see the beautiful  view of Guanajuato.

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The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge is a bridge located in  Dallas, Texas that spans the  Trinity River. The bridge is named for Margaret Hunt Hill, an heiress and philanthropist. The bridge was constructed as part of the Trinity River Project. It is designed by internationally renowned architect and engineer Santiago Calatra , it is one of three such bridges planned to be built over the Trinity.

This stunning bridge has a 400 foot center arch that connects Woodall Rodgers Freeway seamlessly to Singleton Boulevard in West Dallas.Architecturally, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge features a 400 foot steel arch with 58 cables radiating from it in a lyrical fashion.  Construction for this bridge started on June 14, 2007 and  was completed in 2012. It was first opened in March 2012.The total cost for the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge was 81.4 million dollars.

STEM related: The Margaret Hunt Hill bridge is STEM related with its structure. When designing and constructing the bridge it involves science, engineering, and mathematics.  In a classroom a teacher can have students design and build their own bridge with marshmallows and spaghetti strands.

I picked the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge because it is in Dallas, Texas, the city I was born in. It’s a beautiful bridge where I do enjoy going with my family to walk on and look at the Dallas skyline.

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McGuire Nuclear Power Plant- Arely Perez

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McGuire Nuclear Power Plant- Arely Perez

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The Name: McGuire Nuclear Power Plant

Location: The McGuire Nuclear Power Plant is located in Huntersville, North Carolina about 17 miles northwest of Charlotte, NC, on the state's largest man-made lake, Lake Norman.

McGuire Nuclear Station has served the power needs of the region for more than 30 years.Named after William Bulgin McGuire, the company’s sixth president, the Westinghouse two-unit pressurized water reactor (PWR) plant provides approximately 2,258 megawatts of electricity. Construction of the plant began in 1971 and took nearly 40 million man-hours at a cost of approximately $2 billion. Unit 1 began commercial operations in 1981, followed by unit 2 in 1984.

Source of energy: McGuire Nuclear Power Plant is nuclear energy which is an energy source that has zero emissions.Nuclear energy originates from the splitting of uranium atoms which is a process called fission. This generates heat to produce steam, which is used by a turbine generator to generate electricity. Because nuclear power plants do not burn fuel, they do not produce greenhouse gas emissions.

Output: McGuires Nuclear Power Plant annual net output 18,796 GWh.

The advantages of the McGuires Nuclear Power Plant is that it protects air quality by producing massive amounts of carbon-free electricity. It has been providing carbon free electricity to households across the Carolinas. Nuclear energy is a clean energy source and most reliable energy source that runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Designed to operate for longer stretches and refuel every 1.5-2 years and has high power output.

The disadvantages of the McGuires Nuclear Power Plant is that it was very expensive to construct. More than 2 billions dollars was needed to be built. Not only is nuclear energy expensive, it is a non-renewable energy source that requires lots of water to produce energy. Another disadvantages is that it  can be a target for terrorism and it produces radioactivity waste.

Video: https://youtu.be/qRuN4U2jl9c

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Location: The Washington Monument is an obelisk within the National Mall in Washington, D.C. An obelisk is a stone pillar, typically having a square or rectangular cross section and a pyramidal top, set up as a monument or landmark.

The Washington Monument, designed by Robert Mills and eventually completed by Thomas Casey and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, honors and memorializes George Washington at the center of the nation's capital. The structure was completed in two phases of construction, one private (1848-1854) and one public (1876-1884), which is a total of 36 years and took about $1,187,71 to make. Built in the shape of an Egyptian obelisk, evoking the timelessness of ancient civilizations, the Washington Monument embodies the awe, respect, and gratitude the nation felt for its most essential Founding Father.

The Washington Monument is STEM related because it was engineered to stand about 555 ft tall using mostly marble. It is made with three different types of marble, which is a metamorphic rock that is made with heat and pressure. There are different types of marble, and the Washington Monument is made out of Texas marble, Sheffield marble, and Cockeysville marble. Marble was chosen to build the Washington Monument because it was more resistant to weathering, which also replaced the sandstone that was commonly used in Washington. This can also be a structure that can be introduced into science and math classes to discuss the rock cycle and finding the area or volume of the obelisk.

I chose the Washington Monument because a few years ago, I remember reading that it was made out of different types of marble. This was something I found interesting and didn’t know that it was noticeable until I looked at the monument more closely. Students can be given a similar experience by having them look at the monument more closely, which can then be discussed.

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Location: Big Tex is located at the State Fair of Texas at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas.

Kerens, Texas is known as the "Birthplace of Big Tex", although his was originally a 49-foot (15 m) tall Santa Claus constructed from iron drill casing, papier mache, and unraveled rope in 1949. The statue was an idea of Howell Brister, manager of the Chamber of Commerce, to encourage holiday sales in the town, and stood over Colket Avenue for two holiday seasons — drawing press attention from as far away as Iran and Australia.

After two seasons the excitement over the statue faded, and Kerens offered it up for sale. In 1951, State Fair president R. L. Thornton purchased Santa's components for $750 and had artist Jack Bridges transform him into a cowboy, giving birth to "Big Tex". On the morning of October 19, 2012, (the final weekend of the 2012 State Fair of Texas, and on Big Tex's 60th birthday) a fire started inside the framework of Big Tex. The figure's clothing, face and hat were completely destroyed in minutes as onlookers watched. News of the fire received national attention, and fair officials committed to rebuilding Big Tex "bigger and better" in time for the 2013 fair. Working under secrecy, a new Big Tex was created during 2013 by SRO Associates and Texas Scenic Co. at a cost of $500,000.

Big Tex relates to STEM because he was created to have oversized proportions of the human body. He has electrical components that allow him to move his mouth and produce sound loud enough for everyone to hear. Circuits within a technology like Big Tex can also be focused on to relate to the energy source and production. His proportions and clothing size can also be compared to the size of our clothing, which can include buttons, boots, and a hat. Specifically, rations and fractions can be focused on through these comparisons.

I chose Big Tex because students get a chance to go the state fair because schools provide them with a free ticket. Big Tex has become an attraction to see at the fair, which can become a memorable experience for students to witness. Including him in the classroom by comparing his 95-gallon hat to a normal sized 5-gallon hat and his 96 boot size to a regular boot can give students an idea of how big Big Tex actually is.

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W.A. Parish Generating Station (Karen Flores)

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W.A. Parish Generating Station (Karen Flores)

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Location: This generator is located in Thompson, Texas. It is about 78 miles away from Galveston, Texas and about 35 miles away from the center of Houston, Texas.

The energy source for W.A. Parish Generating Station is primarily coal, but it also uses natural gas. Coal is formed when dead plant matter submerged in swamp environments is subjected to the geological forces of heat and pressure over hundreds of millions of years. Over time, the plant matter transforms from moist (wet), low-carbon peat, to coal, an energy- and carbon-dense black or brownish-black sedimentary rock (rock made of smaller pieces of rock, plant, and animal matter). There are multiple coal mines that supply three 124-car trainloads worth of low-sulfur coal, which is about 36,000 tons daily (72 million lbs). The station occupies a 4,664-acre site near Smithers Lake, which serves as the cooling source for the power plant.

The output of W.A. Parish Generating Station is about 3,653 megawatts (MW) of electricity. However, it also produces carbon emissions that have been reduced by about 90% because of the Petra Nova project.

Advantages: The plant produces enough energy to power about 3,000,000 homes in Texas. This power plant also became a part of the Petra Nova project in June 2010, which was designed to capture approximately 90% of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) that 240 MW release into the air and use or sequester (capture) approximately 1.4 million metric tons (over 3 billion pounds) of this greenhouse gas annually. This project was meant to make using nonrenewable resources more sustainable (able to be maintained at a certain level).

Disadvantages: The W.A. Parish Generating Station holds many recognitions because it is the biggest power producer for the Houston region, but also its also the biggest polluter. The Petra Nova project shut down in May 2020 due to low oil prices during the COVID-19 pandemic. The plant had also reportedly suffered frequent outages and missed its carbon sequestration goal by 17% over its first three years of operation. In a Rice University study done in 2019, it was found that every year that the WA Parish coal plant continues to operate as it has been, the soot pollution causes an estimated 177 people to die prematurely.

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The London Eye is Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel(Ferris wheel). It is 443 ft tall and the wheel has a diameter of 394 ft. David Marks and Julia Barfield came up with the idea to create the London eye in 1993 because London wanted a new landmark for celebrating the millennium. The landmark opened up on March 9, 2000. It cost about 70 million dollars to create.

The STEM behind this is the engineering part of it. The rim, also known as the eye, is supported by tensioned steel cables which look like bicycle wheels. The reason why I picked this was that it reminded me of the Ferris wheel in the State Fair of Texas.

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The Guri Hydroelectric Power Plant (Viviana Jaimes)

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The Guri Hydroelectric Power Plant (Viviana Jaimes)

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Source of energy

The source of energy comes from water. In this case, it comes from the Caroni River. Most of the electricity comes from hydroelectricity. The Guri Dam is 532 ft in height and 4,314 ft in length. This is one of the largest hydroelectric power plants.

What is the output?

The output of this Guri Hydroelectric Power Plant is 10,200 MW. Which provides 50,000 GW of energy annually to Venezuela.

Advantages

Some of the advantages are that it helps the economy of Venezuela and it saves up to 300,000 barrels of oil per day. It also provides energy to Brazil. Creates 70% of Venezuela’s electricity. Prevents 20 million tons per year of Carbon Dioxide from going into the atmosphere.

Disadvantages

It is near an area for hunting traditions by indigenous tribes. Large gold and diamond mining operation upstream which produces large amounts of sediment. It can also turn a forest into a savannah very quickly.

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Location:
The Palm Islands are three artificial islands, Palm Jumeirah, Deira Island and Palm Jebel Ali, on the coast of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Palm Jumeirah is the world’s largest man-made island. It is an artificial offshore island in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the site of private residences and hotels. From the air, it resembles a stylized palm tree within a circle. Palm Jumeirah was built in the early 21st century and was largely financed from Dubai’s substantial income from petroleum.

Trunk, spine, fronds, and crescent are the names by which the principal sectors of Palm Jumeirah are known. The broad trunk, connected to the mainland by a bridge, serves as the entrance to the development. Another bridge connects the trunk to the spine, a narrow central axis from which 17 fronds protrude. The crescent is a breakwater that nearly surrounds the other sectors. It is divided into three sections so as to facilitate the circulation of seawater. A vehicular tunnel connects the spine to the crescent, and a transit monorail runs about 3 miles from the mainland to the crescent through the spine and trunk. The crescent is 650 feet wide and about 10.5 miles long altogether. At least 1,380 acres of new land were created in all, within an area of about 3.1 miles in diameter.

The developer of Palm Jumeirah was Nakheel, a real estate company now owned by the government of Dubai. The master plan was drawn up by Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock, an American architectural firm. The unique structure of Palm Jumeirah comprises of 120 million cubic meters of sand, that was brought from the seabed into construction. Also, 7 million tons of rocks were obtained from the Hajar Mountains and carried to construct the base. Work started in 2001, and land and basic infrastructure were in place by 2004. Construction of the buildings began in 2006, and the first residents arrived in 2007.

Palm Jumeirah was intended to be the first of three similarly shaped offshore developments in Dubai. The others, Palm Jebel Ali and Palm Deira, are both much larger than Palm Jumeirah but remain uncompleted because of economic uncertainty. Palm Jumeirah reportedly cost $12 billion during its development.

The creation of Palm Jumeirah is related to STEM because it took engineers time to plan and create this artificial island. There was no steel or concrete used in the creation of the island. It was only built by sand and stones. Also, GPS were used to pinpoint the accuracy of the Palm shape. This requires math. Engineers also had to figure out a way to protect the island from typhoons and storms, so science, technology, engineering, and math was involved in the creation of the island.

I decided to choose Palm Jumeirah because although the work done from it is astonishing, it upsets me that we, as humans, can change the typography of the land. I understand that this is done in many places, but I believe that we could be hurting our environment. Only time will tell what kind of ecological damage this will do to the region, and that to me is disturbing. The creation looks beautiful from the air, but in my opinion, I believe it was unnecessary.

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Location:
Voyager 2 is currently in the constellation of Pavo. The distance of Voyager 2 from Earth is currently 19,363,906,948 kilometers, equivalent to 129.439723 Astronomical Units or 12.019 billion miles. Light takes 17 hours, 56 minutes and 31.0410 seconds to travel from Voyager 2 and arrive to us.

Voyager 2 is a space probe launched by NASA on August 20, 1977, to study the outer planets and interstellar space beyond the Sun's heliosphere, which is a bubble around the planets that is created when the sun sends out a constant flow of solar material called the solar wind. A part of the Voyager program, it was launched 16 days before its twin, Voyager 1, on a trajectory that took longer to reach Jupiter and Saturn but enabled further encounters with Uranus and Neptune. It remains the only spacecraft to have visited either of these two, and both ice giant planets. Voyager 2 was the fourth of five spacecraft to achieve the Solar escape velocity, which is the minimum speed needed for a free, non-propelled object to escape from the gravitational influence of a primary body.

Voyager 2 successfully fulfilled its primary mission of visiting the Jovian system in 1979, the Saturnian system in 1981, Uranian system in 1986, and the Neptunian system in 1989. The spacecraft is now in its extended mission of studying interstellar space. It has been operating for 44 years, 3 months and 14 days as of November 28 2021, reaching a distance of 129.3 AU (19.343 billion km; 12.019 billion mi) from Earth.

Voyager 2 remains in contact with Earth through the NASA Deep Space Network. In 2020, maintenance to the Deep Space Network cut outbound contact with the probe for eight months. Contact was reestablished on November 2, 2020, when a series of instructions was transmitted and relayed back with a successful communication message. On February 12, 2021, full communications with the probe were restored after a major antenna upgrade that took a year to complete. The DSS 43 communication antenna, which is solely responsible for communications with the probe, is located near Canberra, Australia.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federally funded research and development center and NASA field center in the city of Pasadena in California, United States. Voyager 2 was constructed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The cost of the Voyager 1 and 2 missions, including launch, mission operations from launch through the Neptune encounter and the spacecraft's nuclear batteries (provided by the Department of Energy), is $865 million. NASA budgeted an additional $30 million to fund the Voyager Interstellar Mission for two years following the Neptune encounter.

Voyager 2 is expected to keep transmitting weak radio messages until at least the mid 2020s, more than 48 years after it was launched. It is not headed toward any particular star, although in roughly 42,000 years, it will pass light-years from the star Ross 248. And if undisturbed for 296,000 years, Voyager 2 should pass by the star Sirius at a distance of 4.3 light-years.

NASA placed an ambitious message aboard Voyager 1 and 2, a kind of time capsule, intended to communicate a story of our world to extraterrestrials. The Voyager message is carried by a phonograph record, a 12-inch gold-plated copper disk, known as the Golden Record, containing sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth.

Voyager 2 is related to STEM because it was built by engineers and scientists. Its purpose was to send back information about the furthest planets in our solar system, and this information was received here on Earth because of the technology. Also, Voyager 2 was sent before Voyager 1, but reach the outer planets later than Voyager 1 because of the way it was launched. This involves math in order to understand the speed and velocity needed to propel an object in space. The original plan for Voyager 2 was to last only 5 years and send back information about Jupiter and Saturn, but scientists and engineers were able to reprogram the spacecraft, which has extended its mission. All the information sent back to Earth from Voyager 2 gives us more understanding about the origin and evolution of the planets in our solar system. Some of the discoveries made by Voyager 2 include discovering 10 new moons of Uranus and two new rings, and discovering five moons, four rings, and a “Great Dark Spot” on Neptune. All of these discoveries are STEM related because science, technology, engineering, and math were needed to create Voyager 2 and receive the information it has transmitted. It requires planning, hypothesizing, and exploration.

I chose Voyager 2 because I love outer space. I find it incredible that this spacecraft was able to bring us pictures of planets that are years and years away from us. Through these images, we have learned more about our solar system, and this also is amazing to me. I also find it interesting that Voyager 2 will still be exploring space thousands of years after I leave this planet. I can only imagine the amount of information that we will learn if Voyager 2 still continues to send back information after that many years. To me outer space is a mystery, which is why I picked Voyager 2 because it has given us some information about planets that are out of our reach, but that are still part of who we are, and understanding them, helps us understand our origins.

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Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (Claudia Rivera)

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Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (Claudia Rivera)

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Location:
The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is a concentrated solar thermal plant in the Mojave Desert. It is located at the base of Clark Mountain in California, across the state line from Primm, Nevada. It consists of three solar thermal power plants on 3,500 acres (1,400 ha) of public land near the California–Nevada border in the Southwestern United States.

What is the source of energy?
Ivanpah uses power tower solar thermal technology to generate power by creating high-temperature steam to drive a conventional steam turbine. Mirrors are used to concentrate sunlight and create steam, which is then converted to electricity. Ivanpah employs an innovative system of software-controlled mirrors—called heliostats—that follow the sun and reflect it onto water-filled boilers atop three separate 450 foot towers on the site.  When the sunlight hits the boilers, the water inside is heated and creates high temperature steam. The steam is then piped to conventional steam turbines, which generate electricity.

Solar power is energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy. Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available.

What is the output?
The Ivanpah solar plant has a capacity of almost 400 megawatts (MW), which is enough to power 140,000 homes.

Advantages:
Ivanpah is expected to generate 940,000 megawatt-hours of clean energy per year and prevent 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. It created 1,000 construction jobs and is expected to support 61 permanent jobs. In addition, the majority of the project’s supply chain was sourced in the United States, with components and services coming from at least 18 states.

Disadvantages:
The project generated controversy because of the decision to build it on ecologically intact desert habitat. The facility was fenced off to keep out some terrestrial wildlife. However, birds faced the risk of collision with the heliostat mirrors or from burning in solar flux created by the mirror field. In April 2014, the USFWS reported that 141 dead birds, including peregrine falcon, barn owl and yellow-rumped warbler had been collected at Ivanpah in October 2013. Forty-seven of the birds' deaths were attributed to solar flux. According to a report by the Associated Press, "Ivanpah might act as a 'mega-trap' for wildlife, with the bright light of the plant attracting insects, which in turn attract insect-eating birds that fly to their death in the intensely focused light rays."

In April 2015 the Wall Street Journal reported that "biologists working for the state estimated that 3,500 birds died at Ivanpah in the span of a year, many of them burned alive while flying through a part of the solar installment where air temperatures can reach 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Many desert tortoises found on the site were also relocated to other parts of the Mojave Desert. However, environmentalists raised concerns that relocated tortoises were more likely to die due to the stresses involved.

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Location:
The Parthenon is a former temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their patroness.

The Parthenon is a resplendent marble temple built between 447 and 432 B.C. during the height of the ancient Greek Empire. Dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, the Parthenon sits high atop a compound of temples known as the Acropolis of Athens. Throughout the centuries, the Parthenon withstood earthquakes, fire, wars, explosions and looting yet remains, although battered, a powerful symbol of Ancient Greece and Athenian culture.

In 447 B.C., some 33 years after the Persian invasion, Pericles commenced building the Parthenon to replace the earlier temple. The massive structure was dedicated in 438 B.C.

Sculpting and decorative work at the Parthenon continued until 432 B.C. It’s estimated that 13,400 stones were used to build the temple, at a total cost of around 470 silver talents (roughly $7 million U.S. dollars today).

The Parthenon is STEM because of the architecture and creative ways it was engineered so long ago!

I chose this location because I am fascinated by ancient history. The way people were able to create such strong and beautiful structures so long ago amazes me.

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Keck Observatory Telescopes (Ali McPherson)

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Keck Observatory Telescopes (Ali McPherson)

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Location:
The Keck Observatory telescopes on Maunakea in Hawaii, are the world’s largest optical and infrared telescopes.

The twin Keck Observatory telescopes are the world’s most scientifically productive optical and infrared telescopes. Each telescope weighs 300 tons and operates with nanometer precision. The telescopes’ primary mirrors are 10-meters in diameter and are each composed of 36 hexagonal segments that work in concert as a single piece of reflective glass. Keck Observatory is a 501(c)3 supported by both public funding sources and private philanthropy.  The Keck telescopes host a suite of state-of-the-art observing instruments and adaptive optics capabilities to collect and analyze astronomical data.

Everything about this is STEM related, the architecture, the engineering, the technology, all worked together to make this observatory possible.

I picked this place because it is on my bucket list to go to. The telescopes are just huge, and I can only imagine what the night sky must look like from there.

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Location:
Jiuquan, China on the outskirts of the Gobi Desert.

Source of Energy:
The Jiuquan Wind Power Base, China, generates power through 7,000 turbines. This makes this the largest wind farm in the world. At peak capacity, this wind farm has the ability to generate an impressive 20 GW. Despite its potential, the wind farm is only using 40% of the power that it generates.

Output:
Jiuquan wind base is a typical one of the seven wind power bases, and its installed capacity will be up to 12,710 MW by 2015. Due to the power generation structure and load characteristics of power grid in Gansu where Jiuquan is located, it is very difficult for wind power to be absorbed completely locally.

Advantages of Wind Energy:
1) Wind Energy is an inexhaustible source of energy and is virtually a limitless resource.

2) Energy is generated without polluting environment.

3) This source of energy has tremendous potential to generate energy on large scale.

4) Like solar energy and hydropower, wind power taps a natural physical resource.

5) Windmill generators don’t emit any emissions that can lead to acid rain or greenhouse effect.

6) Wind Energy can be used directly as mechanical energy.

7) In remote areas, wind turbines can be used as great resource to generate energy.

8) In combination with Solar Energy they can be used to provide reliable as well as steady supply of electricity.

9) Land around wind turbines can be used for other uses, e.g. Farming.

Disadvantages of Wind Energy:

1) Wind energy requires expensive storage during peak production time.

2) It is unreliable energy source as winds are uncertain and unpredictable.

3) There is visual and aesthetic impact on region.

4) Requires large open areas for setting up wind farms.

5) Noise pollution problem is usually associated with wind mills.

6) Wind energy can be harnessed only in those areas where wind is strong enough and weather is windy for most parts of the year.

7) Usually places, where wind power set-up is situated, are away from the places where demand of electricity is there. Transmission from such places increases cost of electricity.

8) The average efficiency of wind turbine is very less as compared to fossil fuel power plants. We might require many wind turbines to produce similar impact.

9) It can be a threat to wildlife. Birds do get killed or injured when they fly into turbines.

10) Maintenance cost of wind turbines is high as they have mechanical parts which undergo wear and tear over the time.

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Location: The CN Tower is a 1,815.3 ft tower located in the downtown core of Toronto Ontario, Canada.

The CN Tower was built in 1976. It got the name CN from Canadian National, the railway company that built the tower. The CN Tower held the record for the world's tallest freestanding structure for 32 years until 2007. It is now the ninth tallest freestanding structure in the world and remains the tallest freestanding structure on land in the Western Hemisphere. The CN Tower was awarded one of the seven wonders of the world by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The construction cost approximately 63 million dollars.

The STEM involved in the CN Tower is the measurement that was made to build this beautiful Tower.

I chose the CN Tower because it was a featured on my favorite reality TV show, "The real housewives of Atlanta.

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Location: The Marble Tower is a 32-story skyscraper in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

The Marble Tower is a skyscraper in the Central Business District. It was built in 1973 and is 32 stories tall. The building is made out of a mixture of concrete and marble. The tower is used as a commercial office.

The stem related to this tower is the engineering that it took to make this unique building in South Africa.

I chose this building because I love South Africa. I think it is a beautiful continent. I wanted to know what was the largest towers in South Africa and Marble Towers was one of them.

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Prince Township Wind Farm (Angelika McTiller)

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Prince Township Wind Farm (Angelika McTiller)

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Location: Prince Township Wind Farm is the third-largest wind farm in Canada. It is located north of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

The Prince Township generates 395 megawatts of electrical power. Prince Township will create enough energy for 100,000 homes. This wind farm is renewable energy and it is environmentally and economically good. It will help clean up the air in Canada and create new job opportunities.

The Prince Township will create electrical energy for Canda residents. This wind farm is a great renewable resource that will cost only 1.2 to 7.8 cents per kilowatt.

Advantages: The Prince Township will create job opportunities for residents in Canada. It is also better for the environment that will clean up the air.

Disadvantages: After 20 to 25 years there will have to be investments made to continue with the wind farm. It can also turn into a problematic cost with today's technologies.

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Location: The Colosseum is in Rome, the capital of Italy. More precisely, it is on the east bank of the Tiber, the river that crosses the city, east of the ancient Roman forum.

The Colosseum was started under Emperor Vespasian, but he died before it was completed. Construction was finished under his two sons, Emperors Titus and Domitian. The actual building was done largely by Jewish slaves, overseen by Roman engineers and craftsmen. It was built during the reign of the Flavian emperors as a gift to the Roman people. Construction of the Colosseum began sometime between A.D. 70 and 72 under the emperor Vespasian. The arena was paid for with plunder from Titus's sack of Jerusalem in 70 CE, and it was built by enslaved Jews from Judaea. A 261,36- square feet Colosseum recreation, then, would require around $215 million in structural costs. The Colosseum also required about 1 million tons of travertine, which would add an additional $198,000,000 to the plan. An estimate from HomeAdvisor puts labor costs at around $22 million.

The STEM behind The Colosseum is an elliptical shape building with a short axis of 156m, and a long one of 188m. materials: travertine blocks were used for load-bearing pillars, and external walls, stairs, and radial walls were constructed from blocks and bricks of tufa. Arches and vaults supported the structure solidly. I picked it because the shape of it is unique and it is the biggest amphitheater in the world.

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Location: The Golden Gate Bridge is located in San Francisco, California and Marin County, California, U.S. It is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the one-mile-wide strait connecting San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

The architect for this bridge was Irving Morrow and the engineering design by was by Joseph Strauss, Charles Ellis, Leon Solomon Moisseiff. Construction started in January 5, 1933 and construction ended in April 19, 1937. The project cost more than $35 million ($523 million in 2019 dollars), and was completed ahead of schedule and $1.3 million under budget (equivalent to $24.5 million today). It was built to connect San Francisco to its northern neighbors. Given the chance for steady employment amid the Great Depression, construction crews braved treacherous conditions as the roadway and towers took shape over open water.

The STEM behind The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge, meaning it relies on cables and suspenders under tension along with towers under compression to cross a long distance without any intermediate supports. I picked it because not only is the design interesting but the story behind the bridge being built was fascinating.

Interesting and sad fact: When the Golden Gate Bridge project began, the average deaths in construction projects meant that one worker died for every million dollars spent. This iconic bridge was a 35 million dollar project, so the prognosis was that 35 lives would be lost. Instead, only 11 workers died.

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Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant (Celeste Valdivia)

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Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant (Celeste Valdivia)

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Location: Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant is located in Somervell County, Texas. It is located 40 miles southwest of Ft. Worth and about 60 miles southwest of Dallas. It relies on nearby Squaw Creek Reservoir for cooling water.

Source of Energy: Nuclear is a zero-emission clean energy source. It generates power through fission, which is the process of splitting uranium atoms to produce energy. The heat released by fission is used to create steam that spins a turbine to generate electricity without the harmful byproducts emitted by fossil fuels.

Annual net output is 17,058 GWh.

The advantages of Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant is that it is a clean energy source. Nuclear is the largest source of clean power in the United States. Nuclear is also most reliable energy source. Nuclear power plants run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week creating jobs and supporting national security.

The disadvantages of Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant is that it is expensive to build. Despite being relatively inexpensive to operate, nuclear power plants are incredibly expensive to build—and the cost keeps rising. There are possibilities of accidents. It produces radioactive waste which can have an impact on the environment. There is also security threat and limited fuel supply.

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Location: San Francisco Bay

Info on Alcatraz: Alcatraz, sometimes known as The Rock. Was a US penitentiary that was believed to be escape proof because of the brutal San Francisco Bay tides that surrounded the island. The island had a fort built on it in the 1850's as a military base but in the 1920's a prison building was built on the island, and the prison was opened in 1934. It closed as a prison in 1963, but is open to tourists now as a national park.

STEM tie in: One of the largest reasons Alcatraz island was said to be inescapable was because the San Francisco Bay tides are strong and if you were to escape, you would have to be very knowledgeable about the moon phases and how they will affect the tides, whether they will be in or out, and the severity of the waves. The only escape attempt that was possibly thought of as maybe working were 3 men who fashioned a raft and timed their escape for low tide.

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Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (Faith Henderson)

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Susquehanna Steam Electric Station (Faith Henderson)

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Location: Luzurne County, Pennsylvania

Source of Energy: Nuclear reactions that make a large amount of heat, which is used to make water into steam, which is then transformed into energy.

Output: Annual net output is 20,811 GWh

Advantages/Disadvantages: An advantage is that nuclear energy is very efficient for the amount of money it takes to make the energy. A disadvantage is that if a huge earthquake happened, the area would become irradiated if the central core broke. Another advantage is that the nuclear energy source goes by slowly, but a disadvantage is that it is not a renewable resource.

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Location:
Kano Kano State Nigeria

Tell me something about it:
The wall was initially built from 1095 through 1134 and completed in the middle of the 14th century.

Who?
The foundation for the construction of the wall was laid by Sakri Gijimasu from 1095 - 1134 and was completed in the middle of 14th Century during the reign of Zamnagawa.

When?
The wall was initially built from 1095 through 1134 and completed in the middle of the 14th century. The Ancient Kano City Walls were described as "the most impressive monument in West Africa".

Why?
The ancient Kano city walls were built in order to provide security to the growing population.

Cost? I couldn't find the cost of the wall.

Stem related:
It is stem related because of the engineering that comes along with the process of it being built.

I picked this Wall because I was wondering if it was similar to the china wall.

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 Afrikaans Language Monument: Janet Perez

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 Afrikaans Language Monument: Janet Perez

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Location: The Afrikaans Language Monument is located on a hill overlooking Paarl, Western Cape Province, South Africa.

Tell me something about it:
The Afrikaans Language Monument (Afrikaans: Afrikaanse Taalmonument) is the only monument in the world dedicated to a language.

Who made it:
About 100 years earlier, a group of men in Paarl had begun working to promote Afrikaans. They founded a group called the Genootskap van Regte Afrikaners (“Society of Real Afrikaners”). The architect Jan van Wijk designed the monument

When was it made?
1975

Why?
The Afrikaans Language Monument (ATM) in Paarl, South Africa, was erected on the foothills of Paarl Mountain to celebrate the history and development of the Afrikaans language.

Cost:
The total cost of construction was around R700 000 ($48,500)

Stem related:
I believe it took a lot of engineering and models of construction to come with the monument. Therefore it is stem-related.

I choose this monument because I'm interested in Africa. And plan on visiting South Africa very soon.

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Ouarzazate Solar Power Station: Janet Perez 

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Ouarzazate Solar Power Station: Janet Perez 

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Location: Ouarzazate Solar Power Station, also called Noor Power Station is a solar power complex and auxiliary diesel fuel system located in the Drâa-Tafilalet region in Morocco, 10 kilometres from Ouarzazate town, in Ghessat rural council area.

Tell me something about it: It is the world's largest concentrated solar power plant.

Source of energy: Thermal energy

Nameplate capacity | 160 MW (Noor I) 200 MW (Noor II) 150 MW (Noor III) 510 MW (total)
Annual net output | 370 GWh (Noor I) 600 GWh (Noor II) 500 GWh (Noor III)

Disadvantages:

A very large area of land is required and is therefore suitable for areas like a desert.

A rigid structure and more support are needed for a large number of mirrors used.

Wind causes problems with the mirrors which can affect efficiency.

Advantages:
generated approximately 1,000 construction jobs and 60 permanent jobs during the operation and maintenance phase.

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The Name: The Blue Mosque

Location: The Blue Mosque is located in Istanbul, Turkey.

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Tell me something about it: An interesting fact is that the Blue Mosque is open every day of the year but closed at prayer times for 90 minutes.

Who made it: There is a legend-like story saying that Sultan Ahmed 1 ordered the architect to build-up golden minarets. Which was assumed to be mistakenly understood as six in number due to the homonymic words in Turkish.

When: It was built between 1609, and 1616, and was officially opened in 1616.

Why: The Blue Mosque was built to reflect this worldwide majestic power of the Ottoman dynasty complementing the fame of Hagia Sophia

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How much: It is said that the Blue Mosque cost $85 million

What is STEM related about it? What first comes to mind when I think of the STEM relation is the design of the structure. The mathematics that was involved when creating this building had to have taken quite a bit of time. Their architectural design had 6 minarets, and 8 domes. This took a lot of calculations to make this structure achievable.

Tell me why you picked it: I chose this building because I think the history behind this building is beautiful. St. Basil's Cathedral is a place I have always wanted to visit. I think the religious element behind it is very interesting, and I bet a tour would be amazing.

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The Name: St. Basil’s Cathedral

Location: Moscow, Russia in one of the most famous squares in the city referred to as the “Red Square”

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Tell me something about it: An interesting fact about the St. Basil’s Cathedral has multiple different names. It was originally known as the “Holy Trinity Church”. It was renamed as the “Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed”. Today it is commonly known as the “Saint Basil’s Cathedral”.

Who made it: There is very little known about who really built the Cathedral. There is an old legend that the masterpiece was designed by architects Barma and Postnik Yakovelev. The legend also states that Ivan the Terrible blinded them so that they could not recreate the building ever again.

When: The St. Basil’s Cathedral was commissioned by Invan the Terrible in 1552. Construction took nearly ten years to complete, so the cathedral was consecrated in 1561.

Why: The St. Basil Cathedral was built in regards to a symbol of the country. It was also to recognize that Ivan IV had the cathedral built to recognize his victories in Kazan.

How much: The St. Basil’s Cathedral is estimated to have cost 2 million 520,000.

What is STEM related about it: One of the main stem related parts of the St. Basil’s Cathedral that I noticed was the structure. The Cathedral was designed in a shape that resembles a bonfire rising into the sky. It comprises eight churches surrounding a lard core building. The walls are built from red brick, which was a new material at the time of its construction. Forces needed to be balanced in order for a building to stay until. If the building is not stable gravity will pull the structure down.

Tell me why you picked it: I picked this structure, because I think it's truly beautiful. I think it looks like a castle you might see in Aladdin or something. I also like the mystery of the structure. To me the legend story makes it just that more interesting.

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Location: Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nādu, India

What is the source of energy: This barren area of land is susceptible to high-pressure winds, making it the largest producer of clean energy from wind in India . The source of energy for Muppandal Wind Farm is renewable energy source.

What is the output?  The electrical generators used on wind turbines in sites like Muppandal produce an output AC of 240 V frequency of 50 Hz even when the wind speed is fluctuating.

Advantages: The wind energy will not be exhaustible, till the life on earth. This energy is distributed widely and cleanest. Another advantage is that it is non-polluting, and a renewable source of energy. It also avoids fuel explosion and transport.

Disadvantages: Some of the disadvantages are related to the noise that comes from these operations. Another disadvantage is the installation-and maintenance cost of a wind turbine is high. Fossil fuels pollute, are environmentally damaging, and running out fast.

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Location: The Sydney Opera House is an opera house located in Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour), New South Wales, Australia.

In 1956 the state government sponsored an international competition for a design that was to include a building with two halls. Architects from some 30 countries submitted 233 entries. In January 1957 the judging committee announced the winning entry, that of Danish architect Jørn Utzon, who won with a dramatic design showing a complex of two main halls side by side facing out to the harbor on a large podium. Each hall was topped with a row of sail-shaped interlocking panels that would serve as both roof and wall, to be made of precast concrete.

Construction began in 1959 and posed a variety of problems, many resulting from the innovative nature of the design. The opening of the Opera House was originally planned for Australia Day (January 26) in 1963, but cost overruns and structural engineering difficulties in executing the design troubled the course of the work, which faced many delays. It was finally completed in 1973.

The original cost estimate to build Sydney Opera House was $7 million. The final cost was $102 million and it was largely paid for by a State Lottery.

STEM: This is STEM-related mainly for the engineering portion. Utzon, the architect, envisioned a design solution of interlocking vaulted “shells,” each of which is composed of precast rib segments rising from a concrete pedestal to the ridge beam. The construction of these shells took eight years to complete and the development of a special ceramic tile for the shells took over three years. The geological location of the Sydney opera house caused problems for engineers. Bennelong point had been assumed that the promontory comprised Hawkesbury sandstone mass, like the surrounding land; whereas in fact, it was made of loose alluvial deposits permeated with seawater and completely unsuitable for bearing the weight of the intended structure. This was fixed by some 700 steel-cased concrete shafts, nearly 1 meter each in diameter, which was bored down into the perimeter and northern half of the site. Mass concrete foundations filled in the unstable rock in the central area of the site.

Why I picked it: I chose this because I learned about this from watching the movie Finding Nemo, a childhood classic. Dory reciting “42 Wallaby Way, Sydney”, Sydney being the same location as the Sydney Opera House, always made me laugh. The scene when the school of Moonfish formed Sydney Opera House is also iconic, and because of this movie, this famous man-made structure has stuck with all these years.

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Location: The Christ the Redeemer is located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue sits on top of the summit of Mount Corcovado.

Christ the Redeemer is an Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ. It was created by French sculptor Paul Landowski and built by Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, in collaboration with French engineer Albert Caquot. Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida fashioned the face.

The statue of Christ the Redeemer was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet (30 meters) tall, its horizontally outstretched arms spanning 92 feet (28 meters). The statue has become emblematic of both the city of Rio de Janeiro and the whole nation of Brazil.

The statue, made of reinforced concrete clad in a mosaic of thousands of triangular soapstone tiles, sits on a square stone pedestal base about 26 feet (8 meters) high, which itself is situated on a deck atop the mountain’s summit. The statue is the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world.

Construction began in 1926 and took 5 years to build the Christ the Redeemer. Construction concluded in 1931, with a total cost of about $250,000 U.S. dollars. Equivalent to about $3.4 million in today's value.

STEM: To make the statute a lot of engineering was needed. The statue was composed of six million tiles transported by cogwheel train over the years of construction. (While the train no longer runs, the tracks are visible on the road up the mountain.) The tiles are related to science because the tiles were a soap stone covering to protect the statue from the elements.

Why I picked it: I chose this structure because I would love to visit it one day. I remember the first time seeing the statue I thought it was in Mexico because that was the only other country I knew. I quickly learned that I was incorrect but ever since then it was been at the top of my list of places to visit.

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Location: The Roadrunner Solar Farm is located in McCamey, Texas. Spanning across a 2,770-acre area, the solar plant lies approximately five miles northeast of Upton county in west Texas.

Source of energy: Roadrunner solar project will use more than 1.2 million bifacial solar modules based on solar photovoltaic technology. Photovoltaic is the conversion of light into electricity. The bifacial solar modules can capture reflection from the ground to produce solar energy, which doubles the production.

The Output: The full project, sited across approximately 2,770 acres, can generate 1.2 TWh annually while avoiding the emission of over 800,000 tons of CO2 per year.

Advantages: Solar energy is an abundant source and there is lots of it in Texas. So, having plenty of this type of energy is an advantage. This is helping us turn to more than just one source of energy. With solar energy, we will also reduce CO2 emissions. The project employed approximately 500 people at the peak of the construction. It will generate approximately $60m for the local community in the new tax revenue.

Disadvantages: The cost of solar panels and construction for these farms is not cheap. The Roadrunner Farm has an estimated construction cost of $567 million. Solar energy is weather-dependent. Although solar energy can still be collected during cloudy and rainy days, the efficiency of the solar system drops. Solar panels are dependent on sunlight to effectively gather solar energy.

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Melissa Perez)

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Melissa Perez)

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa is a bell tower, built to ring out the rituals of medieval Catholicism. It is one of the most remarkable architectural structures from medieval Europe, located in the Italian town of Pisa.

The tower of Pisa stands at 60 meters with eight stories, including the chamber for the bells, and until 1990 was leaning at about a 10-degree angle. Although it was designed to be perfectly vertical, it started to lean during construction. After completion of the first three of the tower's planned eight stories. The leaning was caused by the uneven settling of the building's foundations in the soft ground. The construction of the Tower of Pisa began in August 1173 and continued for about 200 years due to the onset of a series of wars. The architect of the Leaning Tower of Pisa was Diotisalvi and Guglielmo.

The price of white marble is about
$ 2.900.000 dollars, and the cost of labor amounted to about $ 1,200,000, which means that the cost of building the Tower of Leaning Tower today is estimated at
$ 4.100.000 dollars.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is STEM related since students go through the engineering process as they build and construct this leaning tower. It intertwines scientific knowledge and practices to empower students to learn.

I picked this landmark because I remember back in middle school I had to create a Photoshop picture for my computer class with any famous landmark and I chose The Leaning of Tower of Pisa. I remember I posed as if I was holding the tower trying to keep it from falling, and I've always remembered this landmark because of it.

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The Great Wall of China is a 13,171 mi wall erected in ancient China, one of the largest building-construction projects ever undertaken. The Great Wall actually consists of numerous walls—many of them parallel to each other—built over some two millennia across northern China and southern Mongolia.

The Great Wall of China was built over centuries by China’s emperors to protect their territory. Today, it stretches for thousands of miles along China’s historic northern border. Around 220 B.C.E., Qin Shi Huang, also called the First Emperor, united China. He masterminded the process of uniting the existing walls into one. At that time, rammed earth and wood made up most of the wall.

It cost CNY 635 billion (approximately USD 95 billion. It was financed mainly through taxes starting in the Qin dynasty. The wall was so expensive it crushed their economy, sparking a rebellion

The Great Wall of China is STEM related because it deals with the structure of the wall, towers, shelters, and open passes. Students can construct models of this wall, and they also learn the geography of this man made landmark.

I picked this landmark because
1. It came out in the movie Mulan, and I always wanted to learn more about it and how it was made.
2. It was a landmark that was made years ago and still remains today that I hope to see one day.

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The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric gravity dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, in Yiling District, Yichang, Hubei province, central China, downstream of the Three Gorges.

The Three Gorges Dam is the world's biggest man-made producer of electricity from renewable energy. The output is the energy it produces.

The Three Gorges Dam has been the world's largest power station in terms of installed capacity since 2012. The dam generates an average 95±20 TWh of electricity per year, depending on annual amount of precipitation in the river basin.

Power generation is managed by China Yangtze Power, a listed subsidiary of China Three Gorges Corporation (CTGC)—a Central Enterprise SOE administered by SASAC. The Three Gorges Dam is the world's largest capacity hydroelectric power station with 34 generators: 32 main generators, each with a capacity of 700 MW, and two plant power generators, each with capacity of 50 MW, making a total capacity of 22,500 MW. Among those 32 main generators, 14 are installed in the north side of the dam, 12 in the south side, and the remaining six in the underground power plant in the mountain south of the dam.

Advantages: The benefits of the Three Gorges Dam are flood control, power generation, navigation, aquaculture, tourism, ecological protection, environmental purification, development-oriented resettlement, transfer of water from southern China to northern China, and water supply and irrigation.

Disadvantages: It has increased water pollution levels. It has created a human migration problem. The Three Gorges Dam has changed the landscape. Local infrastructure struggles with the dam's total capacity. It has been known to trigger earthquakes.

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Location: The Moai statues are located at Easter Island located in the southeast Pacific.

When and Who built the statues?: The Moais were built approximately between 1400 - 1650 A.D. by the natives of this island also known as Rapa Nui.

What do the statues represent?: The Moai statues were built to honor chieftain or other important people who had passed away. They were placed on rectangular stone platforms called ahu, which are tombs for the people that the statues represented. The moais were intentionally made with different characteristics since they were intended to keep the appearence of the person it represented.

How are the statues STEM related: The statues are related to STEM because they are made of tuff. Tuff is a soft volcanic rock native to Easter Island. Some of the Moai were carved from basalt and scoria, other volcanic rocks. Because tuff erodes easily, few of the Moai's original designs remain.
Volcanic rocks are related to science.

Why picked it: I picked the Moai statues because I've always thought they were uniquely designed and was interested to learn how they were created. Also, the history behind why they were created was very insightful to me. I'm glad I chose to do research on these particular statues.

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Shepherds Flat Wind Farm (Alexis Walker)  

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Shepherds Flat Wind Farm (Alexis Walker)  

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Location: It's located in the eastern part of Oregon, near Arlington, in both Gilliam and Morrow counties.

Source of Energy: The wind farm was built by Caithness Energy using General Electric GE2. 5XL 2.5 MW wind turbines, and it supplies electricity to Southern California Edison.

The Output: The annual output of the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm is 1,677 GWh.

Advantages: Shepherds Flat Wind Farm introduces proven commercial wind turbine technology from abroad to the United States. The technology in use at Shepherds Flat has recorded nearly 1.4 million operating hours at many commercial projects worldwide, but had not previously been in use domestically. Shepherds Flat is one of the world’s largest wind farms, proving that onshore wind energy projects can be deployed in the U.S. at large scale.

Disadvantages: There have been concerns that large private ranch owners in that area will receive up to $12,000 annually per turbine leased on their land, while they have already received tens of millions of dollars in U.S. government subsidies over the years and then benefiting from taxpayer subsidies of the wind energy industry. Many people aren't happy with this and believe it's a concern.

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Location St. Louis, Missouri.

The Gateway Arch reflects St. Louis' role in the Westward Expansion of the United States during the nineteenth century. The park is a memorial to Thomas Jefferson's role in opening the West, to the pioneers who helped shape its history, and to Dred Scott who sued for his freedom in the Old Courthouse.

Stretches from the Old Courthouse to the steps overlooking the Mississippi River.

During a nation-wide competition in 1947-48, architect Eero Saarinen's inspired design for a 630-foot stainless steel arch was chosen as a perfect monument to the spirit of the western pioneers. Construction of the Arch began in 1963, and was completed on October 28, 1965, for a total cost of less than $15 million.

STEM: This is related to STEM because of the engineering that goes along with the process of it being built and constructed. They must use math along with engineering to make sure that the arch is built at the correct mass that way that it doesn't fall.

I chose the Gateway Arch because it is unique and inspiring. It has a great history behind it like the fact that it celebrates St. Louis' role in the rapid westward expansion.

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Big Ben and the House of Parliament (Alexis Walker)

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Big Ben and the House of Parliament (Alexis Walker)

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Location: Big Ben is located in the Elizabeth Tower at the north end of The Houses of Parliament in Westminster, Central London, next to the river Thames.

When was it built?: The Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire in 1834. In 1844, it was decided the new buildings for the Houses of Parliament should include a tower and a clock. A massive bell was required and the first attempt cracked irreparably. The metal was melted down and the bell recast in Whitechapel in 1858. It began telling time on May 31, 1859. Big Ben chimed for the first time on July 11, 1859

Who designed it? : The tower was designed by Charles Barry and Augustus Welby Pugin. The clock was designed by Edmund Beckett Denison. It took 13 years to build.

How much did it cost to build it?: I couldn't locate any history concerning how much it cost, but it was estimated that it would be around $200,000 in the US today.

How tall is Big Ben?: Big Ben is 315 feet (96 meters) high.

How is it STEM related: Big Ben is STEM related because it involved the engineering process. The people that designed Big Ben applied science and math to create the Big Ben tower. Engineering involves the process of using science and math to solve problems.

Why I chose it: I chose Big Ben because I have always thought it was beautiful. I thought it would be great to read the history facts about it and understand how it was developed. I hope to visit there some day.

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Located in Paris, France.

The plan to build a tower 300 metres high was conceived as part of preparations for the World's Fair of 1889.

Emile Nouguier and Maurice Koechlin, the two chief engineers in Eiffel's company, had the idea for a very tall tower in June 1884. It was to be designed like a large pylon with four columns of lattice work girders, separated at the base and coming together at the top, and joined to each other by more metal girders at regular intervals.

It took 2 years, 2 months and 5 days to construct. The first dig on the work site was on January 26th, 1887 and it was completes on march 31st, 1889.

The Eiffel Tower was the main exhibit of the Paris Exposition of 1889. It was constructed to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution and to demonstrate France's industrial  prowess to the world.

STEM: It involved the engineering process and the people that built it had to apply both science and math when it came to constructing and designing it.

I picked the Eiffel Tower because it is an icon and it is a place that I have always wanted to visit since I was a little kid.

The Eiffel Tower was the tallest building in the world when it was built!
It took several years to build the Eiffel Tower!
The Eiffel Tower was completed over 100 years ago, in 1889!
Prominent artists at the time protested the Eiffel Tower being built because they thought it would look bad and distract from France's other landmarks!
The Eiffel Tower is now a French icon!

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Located in Boulder County, Colorado.

The source of energy is the dam making power from the water.

The output is hydropower.

Advantages is produces more than 20% of hydropower generation for the utility, . The hydropower operation at Gross Reservoir has the capacity to produce 8.1 megawatts of energy, supplies water for the cities around it, and stores water for Denver Water.

Disadvantages is that the dam could fail causing floods and destroying everything in its way.