Social media networks, like Instagram, are a neglected resource for incredible feats of engineering, news, industry trends, project ideas, learning and inspiration.

Instagram is a visual showcase of scientific innovation around the world — from incredible buildings that appear to defy mechanical laws to new research around renewable energy sources. It allows you to confer with fellow engineers, invite comment on your own projects and explore global engineering initiatives.

Dubai horseshoe tower. Source: @featsofmankind

Instagram is a great way to stay informed across disciplines — if we’ve left yours out, drop us an email.

Now grab a cup of herbal tea and let’s explore some engineering accounts — some popular and some alternative — you should be following.

General — Top channels for all engineering disciplines

1. @engineeringg_marvel: Engineering Marvel has over 2,000 image and video posts. From a graveyard of luxury vehicles auto engineers will itch to restore to building design ideas that incorporate living trees, these posts celebrate the marvels of engineering across the engineering spectrum.

2. @hypertech_engineering: Hypertech Engineering is the engineering equivalent of the popular How Stuff Works website. Posts will evoke an "Ah hah, that’s how it works" response: Check out What happens when a submarine implodes? and Why are springs made from round and not square metal?

3. @technologyreview: This is the official page of the MIT Technology Review magazine, created to keep followers up to date with the latest technology trends, news and new concepts. For instance, it explores the pros and cons of new technologies, like ChatGPT, and looks at why, 20 years after the first one, drone strikes have failed.

Electrical — Sparking great ideas

Ohm's Law. Source: ee_electrical_engineering

4. @ee_electrical_engineering: A must-follow account for electrical engineers. Lots of facts and figures are presented in a visually appealing format. Cartoons, videos, posters and jokes convey information electrical engineers will find useful and thought-provoking. The author engages followers with fun questions like Why is DC current used to charge batteries and not AC current? and Which is more dangerous, 230 V DC or 230 V AC?.

Mechanical — Encyclopedic reference for mechanical engineers

5. @mechanical_engineer: Follow this account for a mixed bag of cool facts, historical events, information, memes and conundrums in the mechanical engineering niche. It provides great material for dinner party conversation. For instance, watch a topical video of the world's largest plane destroyed in the 1988 Russia-Ukraine war and then take a breather to test your lung capacity.

Energy — Daily life in the energy sector

Piper Alpha rig disaster. Source: @oil_rigmx

6. @oil_rigmx: With 52.5K followers, Oil Field Life is the number one account engineers in the industry should be following. Even the interest of non-engineers will be piqued by oil field life and how rig drills work.

Auto/transportation — Engineering inroads

Sprayed Concrete Lining (SCL) construction technique. Source: @tunnel_engineering

7. @teslamotors: The official Instagram account for Tesla is worth following by auto engineers and car enthusiasts. Sure, it's self-promotional, but it's an entertaining way for engineers to keep up with auto manufacturing trends, from the tongue-in-cheek Robot Dating video to new Tesla features, like automatic opening doors.

8. @tunnel.engineering: Tunnel engineering is a blend of geotech, structural and civil engineering, and transportation planning. This interesting account highlights the unique challenges and potentials of underground space and how engineers in this discipline are, literally, breaking new ground. One project to follow is a planned 3.2 km long tunnel underneath the U.K.'s World Heritage Site Stonehenge to reduce visitor congestion and preserve the area's natural beauty. Another project worth following is the development of the 24 km Sydney Metro West line in Australia.

Software — Digital design

9. @@mikeyk: Co-founder of Instagram and former CTO, Mike Krieger is a software engineer influencing the way people engage online. His posts are a mix of the personal, and Instagram and Artifact software projects. Artifact is an artificial intelligence news app.

Civil — Breaking new ground

10. @civilengineeringdiscoveries: Civil Engineering Discoveries is an entertaining compilation of high-tech civil engineering projects. The account has 1.8 million followers who actively participate and comment. Some awesome videos include a spectacular (and controversial from an engineering perspective) ship launching in China and an aerial video view of China’s complex Qianchun Highway Interchange that will make you squint.

Engineering humor

Engineering fails. Source:@engineering highlights

11. @programmers_spot: Good for an exasperated laugh. Programmers Spot will amuse even non-techies frustrated with technology fails, like downtime and annoying application password rules.

12. @engineering.highlights: Engineering Highlights is an excellent resource to browse interesting engineering tidbits, marvelous feats of engineering like the U.K.’s Air Rail system and practical DIY videos. But, the star post in this account is an amusing compilation of engineering failures.