The ten greatest engineers in science fiction history


Science fiction, one of the most popular forms of entertainment, is full of extraordinary inventions. From time machines and starships to androids and warp drives, there is no end to the amazing inventions and fantastic feats of engineering created by artists and writers.

Beginning with Mary Shelley's Dr. Frankenstein in the 19th century, fictional engineers and mad scientists have worked their way into our culture. Be it an unstoppable robotic killing machine or a device that creates food out of thin air, nerds around the world are fascinated by science fiction engineers. Whether they work on a starship or out of their garage, these engineers create wonders through science, and we've rounded up our top ten of all time.

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10 MacGyver

Angus “Mac” MacGyver was the title character of this beloved 1980s action drama. Mack was the lead agent of the Phoenix Foundation, an agency dedicated to righting the wrongs of the world. The series was rebooted in 2016 but was not as successful as the original series. In both series, MacGyver is a pacifist who vanquishes his enemies through science. He has genius-level intelligence, proficiency in multiple languages, superb engineering skills, excellent knowledge of applied physics, military training in bomb disposal techniques, and a preference for non-lethal conflict solutions.

Some of his miraculous feats of engineering include stopping a missile launcher with a paper clip and creating a “rocket thruster” by hitting a flare gun off a rock, launching itself and saving a man off a mountain, where he later found a Releases the parachute and takes off quickly. MacGyver's exploits are legendary, and his name has become synonymous with quick-thinking engineering heroism.(1)

9 buckaroo bonzai

Buckaroo Bonzai, the character played by Peter Weller in the 1984 film of the same name, was many things: a top neurosurgeon, particle physicist, race car driver, rock star, and comic book hero. His most extraordinary engineering achievement was the Oscillation Overthruster, an invention that allows an object to pass through solid matter without any damage.

Bonzai and his mentor, Dr. Tohichi Hikita, together created the Overthruster. However, the technology comes to the attention of Dr. Lizardo, who wishes to use it to help interdimensional aliens, the Red Lectroids, take over Earth. Bonzai and his crew of scientists and adventurers set out on a dangerous mission to thwart the Lizard and his alien allies. Ultimately, they win the day, and Buckaroo Bonzai secures its place on this illustrious list.(2)

8 scotty

Montgomery Scott, aka Scotty, may be the most famous sci-fi engineer, and for a good reason. Although he can “change the laws of physics”, he still accomplishes some of the most incredible engineering achievements star trek Knowledge. Scott figured out how to make transportation at high speed and transported some humpback whales on the Klingon Bird of Prey. He managed to single-handedly defeat the Gorn's technology.

After one of the most celebrated careers in Starfleet, on his way to a retirement colony, his shuttle crashes into a Dyson field, and with no other option, Scotty puts himself into “storage” in a transporter buffer. . He lived there for 75 years (he was 72 at the time) until the Enterprise-D found him.

“Beam me up, Scotty,” may be the most famous catchphrase in science-fiction history. The role of Scotty has now been played by three actors. star trek Universe. Original actor James Doohan died in 2005. In 2012, an urn containing some of Doohan's ashes flew into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9.(3)

7 Tony Stark

The invincible Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, is perhaps the most brilliant engineer in the Marvel universe. With obvious credits to his name, such as building an Iron Man suit from spare parts as a captive in a cave, it's hard to argue his talent. In addition to creating the Iron Man suit, the War Machine suit, and the automated Iron Man android, he broke the Phoenix Force into five parts.

For those who don't know about the Phoenix Force, it is a multi-dimensional entity whose power is immeasurable. It can destroy planets and universes as carelessly as a shard of glass. He is a founding member of the Avengers (Earth's Mightiest Heroes), a billionaire playboy, and a genius. By the time he was old enough to drink, he had earned several doctorates in engineering. He has also created a fully functioning time GPS, which allows the Avengers to travel anywhere in time or space.(4)

6 Kaylee Frye

firefly It may have only lasted one season, but twenty years and one movie later, fans are still crying out for more. Among the diverse crew aboard the Firefly-class ship Serenity was their engineer, Kayleigh Frye. While Kayleigh didn't invent a new warp drive or save the world from aliens, she was one of the most influential starship engineers ever to grace the small screen.

What sets Kaylee apart is her natural aptitude for machines. What she lacks most on this list is formal training, but she makes up for it with ease. There was never a situation in which Captain Reynolds had his crew trapped and Frye could not get them out. Kaylee gained her position on the Serenity by fixing the ship when the previous mechanic said it was beyond repair. His ability to fix machines was so innate that it almost seemed like a superpower. Kaylee was the heart and soul of Serenity, and she easily makes this list.(5)

5 Dr. Emmett Brown

One of everyone's favorite mad scientists, Doc Brown, not only accomplished time travel, but he also created a time machine out of a DeLorean. Brown invented the flux capacitor (which makes time travel possible), but things got worse wherever Doc's invention went. However, Brown's scientific and engineering skills cannot be overstated.

When he became stuck in the late 19th century, he was able to build another time machine and a steam-engine train from parts of the old machine. He used his scientific mind to improve 19th century technology without arousing too much suspicion from the temporal locals, and in the end, he found a happy balance in time travel.

Brown was not only a genius, but as a genius he also had an unwavering dedication to his moral responsibilities towards humanity. He will not let his inventions harm the society. While that was his greatest obstacle, it was also his greatest achievement. (6)

4 doctor

Also known as the title character of one of the longest-running television shows in history, Dr. Who. The Doctor is a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey, located in a binary star system 250 million light years from Earth. Not only does he travel through the multiverse inside his police call box-sized TARDIS (bigger on the inside than the outside), but he also uses his sonic screwdriver (ineffective on wood) – the ultimate engineer's tool Engineering can also remove obstacles.

Because it can pick locks, detonate landmines, destroy equipment and has countless other uses. The Doctor has used his brilliant scientific mind to survive countless disastrous situations, from deep space stations to Earth-based mines. There is no engineering obstacle that the Doctor has not encountered and overcome.(7)

3 Geordi La Forge

there are a lot of engineers in star trek universe, especially in Starfleet. It should come as no surprise that their flagship, the USS Enterprise, would employ their best engineers. None of the great engineers who worked on the ships of this name could surpass the genius of Geordi La Forge. Geordi started as a junior lieutenant assigned to CON and after seven years, he became a commander and chief engineer.

There is no technology that Geordi cannot understand or work with. Geordi is one of the few people who understands and can work on Positronics. He trained Chief Miles O'Brien, who went on to run DS9's engineering corps. La Forge's accomplishments are endless. He ended up as Commodore and Curator of the Fleet Museum, where he spent nearly 20 years slowly rebuilding the Enterprise-D. He has collaborated with the greatest scientific minds of the Federation and is considered by many of his peers to be the best engineer in Starfleet.(8)

2 samantha carter

An average everyday astronomer, engineer, pilot, and colonel in the US Air Force, Samantha Carter was crucial in the establishment of the Stargate program. He served as second in command for the flagship team, SG-1, for eight years before rising to the rank of major for a year. He completed his Ph.D. Received. in astrophysics with extensive knowledge in quantum mechanics while attending the U.S. Air Force Academy.

While Starfleet engineers use warp engines to propel their ships through space, Sam worked on a stargate that allowed his team to travel light years in a single step. Samantha Carter was not only a talented engineer but also an effective strategic leader. He used his talent to help his team achieve countless missions.(9)

1 bulma

Vegeta Bulma, wife of the cantankerous Saiyan Prince, is quietly the most interesting character in the entire Dragon Ball series. He built a dragonball detector from scratch. He also invented a portable shrinking machine, a time machine, and a generator, which allowed Vegeta the hyper-training necessary to become a Super-Saiyan.

She is constantly creating cool gadgets and hacking any technology she comes across. He created a universal translator to understand foreign languages ​​and can be used to talk to animals. His list of accomplishments spans light years, making him the greatest engineer in all of science fiction.(10)

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