These are the 15 top X accounts engineers should be following
Penny Hoelscher | December 01, 2023One wouldn’t think X, the social media network formerly known as Twitter, could be a useful resource for engineers in their work environment, but it is a surprisingly useful and eclectic fount of technical information, news, controversy, learning content and job listings. Here you can also find thousands of beautiful images and videos celebrating marvelous feats of engineering by humans and in nature.
Posts may be bite-sized, but the best X accounts usually link to informative long-form posts, with re-posts leading captivated readers out of their comfort zone and down engineering’s serendipity lane.
Wondrous engineering: Meenakshi Temple. Source: @theculturaltutor
Top one-stop accounts for engineers across disciplines
1. @popmech — Popular Mechanics is a digital encyclopedia of small nibbles of information about how the world works, from the latest advances in military technologies to the causes of rare skin conditions. To whet your appetite, check out the ability of fruit flies to give birth asexually or learn how to quickly fix your broken toilet. Popular Mechanics is a valuable learning resource for kids of all ages and will encourage lazy learners to read more.
2. @IEEESpectrum — Similar to @popmech in its range of content, IEEE Spectrum is a more technical news and learning resource for scientists and engineers. The posts lure readers to their online portal for in-depth coverage of revolutionizing trends, innovative products and solutions, and the latest scientific research. Learn about how UV and blue light may be a foil to drug-resistant bacteria like E. coli and read about the latest research in room-temperature superconductivity.
3. @ThisIsEng — Stuck in a job rut? Maybe it’s time for a change. This is Engineering showcases unusual engineering jobs and alternative career paths. Meet a mechanical engineer who works with farm robots, an electrical engineer and “light painter” who designs lighting for fashion shows and a civil engineer who works as a catastrophe consultant.
Other-worldly advances in aerospace
4. @NASA — Regular updates on space exploration and, literally, out-of-this-world images. There are numerous topics of interest to hover over, like Space Missions, Inspirational Astronauts and Aero Science. Diarize upcoming events like the 2023 @SpaceApps Challenge and keep updated about Artemis, NASA's mission to establish itself on the moon before prepping for a Mars landing.
Practical electrical engineering solutions
5. @eeportal_com: If you only choose one electrical engineering account to follow, the Electric Engineering Portal is it. Upskill with a bunch of hands-on technical tutorials, tips and deep-dives into electrical system design. Learn how to troubleshoot PLCs effectively and design safe and reliable electrical solutions for nuclear power plants.
Tea. Source: @compoundchem
Amazing chemical composition of everyday objects
6. @compoundchem: Compound Chemistry posts infographics nicely illustrating the chemistry involved in the manufacture of everyday objects, food stuff and cosmetics. What materials is swimwear composed of? What chemicals go into the dyes used to create tattoos? And what links ice cream and seaweed?
Data-driven energy engineering infographics
7. @VisualCap — The Visual Capitalist posts infographics about technology, finance, the environment and the economy. The posts make great posters for the office, like the state of energy use in the U.S, tracking U.S. electrification and U.S. vehicle production over the last 45 years.
“I, Robot”
Sawyer, the coffee-serving robot. Source: @RethinkRobotics
8. @RethinkRobotics — Magic meets science in the world of robotics. In author Isaac Asimov’s world, robots are friends, companions, protectors and helpers. Join the United Robotics Group, formed to foster collaboration in the field with a view to connecting humans and robots, or check out some nifty gadgets, like a friendly coffee-serving robot.
Solving real-world manufacturing challenges
9. @engineeringcom: Become part of a global engineering community dedicated to sharing new and innovative commercial products and ideas, and solving real-world problems. See how engineers are using virtual reality (VR) and the metaverse in manufacturing and read why you should be following the fortunes of automaker Vinfast. Then take a detour to the engineering.com website, hosting a large virtual library, neatly categorized, of engineering news and trends.
Structural failures that will make civil engineers wince
10. @CollapseVids: Videos of structural failures and deliberate implosions. Some are funny — watch a wall that collapses like a line of dominos, taking workers by amusing surprise. Others where lives are threatened serve as a warning about the risks of working with inferior materials — watch what happens when drywall collapses onto an escalator.
5G for electronics and telecoms engineers
11. @5GTechWorld: 5G Technology World, in collaboration with @EEWorldOnline, is an excellent learning resource for electronic engineers. Learn how to improve Open RAN security at the hardware level and how to overcome 3G sunset issues, for instance the potential challenges users face when transitioning to 5G phones.
Biomedical engineering is maximizing functional potential in amputees
12. @ProstheticInnov: Where virtual reality (VR) meets alternative fashion. Offering prosthetic innovation and support for medical practitioners, caregivers and patients, Prosthetic Innov. is an information resource, support guide, and prosthetic and digital shopping mall. Meet young bionic man Chase who lost his arms and legs to an infection at four years old and is now boxing his way through life using VR technology, or shop for functional prosthetic fashion.
Exploring ancient engineering mysteries and innovations
Machu Picchu, Peru: Dry stone walls built without mortar. Source: @Third_Eye_Seeks
13. @Third_Eye_Seeks: Third Eye Seeks is an existential travel channel that explores engineering marvels around the world, both modern and ancient. There’s something new for armchair travelers, marine engineers, historians, architects, civil engineers and AI specialists. Visit France's Trembling Rock to learn how workers in the ancient world would have moved and positioned megalithic stones. Or explore lost continents buried under Europe whose existence rivals the fascinations of Atlantis.
Mathematical formulas and scientific notions toolbox
Calculations for air-cooled heat exchanger design. Source: Process Engineer’s Tools
14. @ToolsProcess: Process Engineer's Tools is a collection of tutorials, formulas and sample spreadsheets to help engineers calculate the properties of, and predict the behavior of, certain solids, liquids and gases when used in real-world applications. Estimate the steam requirements of a steam turbine to attain a given power setting, or how long it takes to heat up or cool down a reactor.
Join the international GlobalSpec community
15. @GlobalSpecLLC: We follow new products and technical innovations. Read about the benefits of electropolishing for the medical industry and how to use 3D printing for production tooling. Follow us to have your say, make suggestions about what you’d like to read about on our website and join upcoming events of interest to engineers.