Most of us consider piston rings little more than a necessary evil. That's probably because grinding rings is a time-consuming chore. And who hasn't accidently ground a gap too large and wasted both ...

Engine building is technically a science, but the truth is that there is just as much art as there is science. Where most might think that the “art” part of engine building is in the design and ...

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in ...