FILE 01
Engineering & technology /Evidence & reasoning
The bridge that fed its own motion
Tacoma Narrows, 1940: follow the energy, not just the wind
For the incurably curious
Don’t just read
what happened.
Investigate why.
Real events. Competing explanations. The evidence is yours to examine.
Open the case filesFree to explore. No account. Your progress stays in your browser.
Follow the chain
Start with what was observed. An observation is not yet an explanation.
24 investigations to begin withEngineering · Science · Complex systemsSources open. Conclusions questioned.
A good place to start
Something doesn’t add up.
The first explanation
is rarely the whole story.
Look at the timeline. Weigh an observation against a plausible theory. Trace the decisions that made an outcome possible.
How an investigation works ↗FILE 02
Engineering & technology /Evidence & reasoning
The number with the missing meaning
Mars Climate Orbiter, 1999: an interface failure across Earth
FILE 03
Engineering & technology /Evidence & reasoning
Two computers, one assumption
Ariane 501, 1996: when backup is not independence
FILE 04
Engineering & technology /Evidence & reasoning
A perfect result from a wrong ruler
Hubble, 1990: precision without independent accuracy
Curiosity, with a method
A little less certainty.
A lot more understanding.
- 01
Examine the record
Read evidence exhibits, timelines and the original sources behind a case.
- 02
Make a reasoned call
Compare hypotheses and find the explanation best supported by what is known.
- 03
Uncover the connections
Explore the mechanisms, decisions and uncertainty behind the outcome.
Built for active exploration
The world is stranger
when you look closely.
Explore a case on the train, return to it later, or share an interesting question. Faultory works without an account, and the case library is available offline after it has been downloaded.
Find your next investigation ↗