Electricity and Energy Management give us comfortable lives. Things such as washing machines, food-mixers, power tools and hairdryers make our lives easier. To meet an increasing need for power, scientists are working to improve the way we generate energy, whilst avoiding harmful pollution and global warming.

Scientists are also working on better ways to store energy, such as the hydro-electric scheme shown in the bottom right picture. Here a dam holds back water until energy is needed – and when it is, the water is allowed to flow through the turbines and generate energy.

There are also many jobs requiring scientific knowledge of building materials, designs  and construction techniques. There are scientists working on ways to improve the insulation of our homes, and others working on techniques to withstand earthquakes.

Investigations involving this topic

Windmill
Pycrete