Engineering eye - September 2016

News, rumours and gossip from the world of engineering

US toy company Mattel came under fire a few years ago with its book that depicted a character called Computer Engineer Barbie. Much to the chagrin of female engineers everywhere, the story follows Barbie trying unsuccessfully to fix her pink computer and ends with male engineers doing it for her. The doll maker has now released its character Barbie Careers Game Developer in a bid to redeem its sexist image. She comes with a laptop with “real game code graphics,” and there is no pink in sight. Whether she can
fix Mattel’s sales remains to be seen.

Nasa is facing a legal battle after accidentally selling a priceless Apollo 11 artefact for just £700. Thanks to a clerical error, a bag used to collect moon samples in 1969 was sold to a Nancy Carlson from Illinois. But the agency has kept the bag and is working with lawyers to reclaim legal ownership. Ms Carlson has begun a lawsuit to gain possession of the bag which still contains lunar fragments.

An Irish police car was caught on video chasing a flying saucer through the streets of a town in County Wexford. While onlookers were dumbfounded by the pursuit, it was found that the technology was anything other than extraterrestrial. The UFO, powered by two scooters, turned out to be part of a publicity stunt by artist Ali Kemal Ali. The police were in on the prank and had agreed to the chase to advertise a space-themed youth and arts festival.  

• If you have any rumours or gossip, email pe@caspianmedia.com