Engineering hoaxes
In this lift in the Marriott Hotel in Guam, there is no button for the 13th floor. |
This article presents a list of construction industry traditions, superstitions, pseudoscience, obsolete scientific theories and supernatural occurrences associated with engineering.
Some of the concepts have been superseded by modern research. Others have been discredited based on further investigation, lack of repeatable scientific evidence or inability to provide logical proof. Despite this, some of these methods continue to be used by practitioners who believe in their effectiveness or embrace their theories.
- Broken ceramic statues (in Ancient Rome).
- Calling of an engineer ritual.
- Coins in mortar (dated the year construction began).
- Concealed shoes.
- Cornerstone rites.
- Crop circles.
- Dowsing.
- Feng shui.
- Foundation sacrifices (or ritual offerings).
- Ley lines.
- Mandala.
- Miasma theory.
- Religious building orientation.
- Rule of thumb.
- Pannenbier.
- Tetraphobia.
- Topping off or topping out.
- Triskaidekaphobia.
- Vastu Shastra.
- Walking under ladders.
- Witchmarks in timber (or witch posts).
See also:
Featured articles and news
Celebrating architecture's eloquent champions.
Unusual perspectives on 1960s’ thinking.
AI and the challenges to intellectual property
The legal landscape of adopting AI now and in the future.
Worrying landscape for Welsh construction SMEs revealed.
In recent risk factor analysis report completed by CIOB.
Construction Sport survey highlights risks of dehydration
Supporting construction workers to avoid dangers.
Can your business afford to ignore mental well-being?
£70 - 100 billion annually in UK construction sector.
Mental health in the construction industry
World Mental Health Day 10 October.
Construction awards provide relief in wake of ISG collapse
Spike in major infrastructure awards, housing up but short of targets, are ISG collapse impacts yet to come.
Biodiversity net gain with related updates and terms
Only 0.5% of applications subject to BNG in the context significant proposed changes to planning.
As political power has shifted from blue to red
Has planning now moved from brown to green?
The role of construction in tackling the biodiversity crisis
New CIOB Nature of Building digital series available now.
The Nature Towns and Cities initiative
Grants of up to 1 million for local councils and partners.
The continued ISG fall out October updates
Where to look for answers to frequently asked questions.
Building safety remediation programme for Wales
With 2024 October progress updates.
In major support package for small businesses.
Conservation and transformation
Reading Ruskin’s cultural heritage. Book review.