Articles for category: Technology, History

Rupert Bean

The Fairbairn Steam Crane at Bristol Docks

Steam Cranes – The Fairbairn Steam Crane, Bristol Docks

A summary of this post: The Fairbairn Steam Crane, patented in 1850 and located at Bristol Docks, is the only remaining working example of its design. Initially built to lift heavy loads up to 35 tons, it saw limited use due to rapid technological advancements. Notably, it was extensively used during World War II for ...

Rupert Bean

Difference between ton versus tonne

Ton vs Tonne – What’s The Difference?

A summary of this post: The terms ‘ton’ and ‘tonne’ represent different weight measurements: a ‘tonne’ is a metric unit equal to 1,000 kilograms, used globally. In contrast, a ‘ton’ in the USA refers to 2,000 pounds, approximately 907 kilograms. Therefore, a metric tonne is about 93 kilograms heavier than a US ton. The usage ...

Rupert Bean

Are skeleton keys real or legal?

Are Skeleton Keys Real / Legal?

A brief summary of this post: Skeleton keys, once common tools for opening multiple locks, are now largely obsolete due to advanced lock technology. Their legality varies by country and largely depends on the intent of use. For instance, hotels often use electronic passkeys, modern equivalents of skeleton keys, for staff to access rooms. The ...

Rupert Bean

Belaz 75710 - The biggest truck in the world

What is the biggest truck in the world?

A brief summary of this post: The BelAZ 75710, made in Belarus, is the world’s largest truck, designed for heavy-duty mining and construction. It can carry a staggering 450 metric tonnes, weighing 810 tonnes when fully loaded. The truck is over 20 meters long, 8 meters high, and nearly 10 meters wide. Despite its immense ...

Free images on the internet

Where can I get free images online?

A brief summary of this post: Free high-resolution photos for private or commercial use are available online, but caution is advised. Pixabay offers images under the Creative Commons CC0 license, allowing free use without registration. However, users should beware of copyright infringement. It’s important to check images against Google’s Image Results to ensure their legitimacy. ...

What are NaN miles?

What are NaN miles? – What does NaN miles mean?

A brief summary of this post: “NaN miles” stands for “Not a Number,” a term encountered in digital systems when a numerical value is expected but not provided or is invalid. In the context of online car listings, it appears when the mileage field is incorrectly entered, prompting the system to display “NaN miles” instead ...

Rupert Bean

Self-driving and autonomous driverless truck

Will autonomous, self-driving trucks put drivers out of a job?

AUTONOMOUS DRIVERLESS CARS To begin answering the question, let’s first take a quick of where we’re at in the car industry. Although most people have heard of Elon Musk’s well-known electric car company Tesla, there is still much confusion surrounding the reality of his cars being able to drive themselves in the future without the ...

Rupert Bean

Asian Hercules III crane

Asian Hercules III Floating Sea Crane Visits Scotland

With wind energy becoming more widespread across the globe, the key components that are used to generate it need to be transported to their final destination somehow. For land-based wind farms, specially adapted low loader trucks are often used to carry out the task but for offshore wind farms, something a bit different is needed ...