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What happens when something goes really wrong?

People say that failure is part of engineering and that you’re supposed to learn from it and everything. But that mostly sounds like school projects or designs that don’t work right away. Real failure can be a lot bigger.

What if a car you design catches on fire and hurts someone? Or what if you make something and find out too late that people are using it to hurt others? Or what if an app you create ends up making people depressed? What happens when a mistake you make affects real people?

What do engineers do when something like that happens? How do you fix it? How do you keep going after something really serious goes wrong? Honestly, that kind of responsibility is scary. Do you ever feel scared you’ll mess up?

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  • Diya

    Added Monday, December 29, 2025 at 12:15 PM

    What can I do to spark engineering interest at a young age?
    I am 13, and always trying out new things. I want to know if I am passionate about engineering soon, so I can start preparing for it and have no regrets. I am interested in space, and I am talented at math. I LOVE learning and understanding new things; it feels like a refreshing fulfillment. I think coding is cool, and I dabble in a little (tiny bit of HTML and Python). If there is anything I can read, do, or email, please let me know so I can find my passion.
    Answers 0
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