What happens if you throw sand into a jet engine?
Derek Muller teams up with Rolls-Royce experts to walk you through every stage of a jet engine—from how it compresses and ignites fuel to why its blades don’t just melt on the spot. You’ll get a crash course in the history of jet propulsion, the magic of nickel superalloys (hello, gamma-prime!), and how single-crystal turbine blades are cast to withstand extreme heat and stress.
Along the way, you’ll learn about edge dislocations, crystal structures, and why precision casting at the Rolls-Royce facility is a game-changer. And yes, they actually chuck sand into a running jet engine to show you what happens when tiny abrasive particles meet superheated turbine blades—spoiler: it’s all in the metallurgy.
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