Professor Jan Wampler of architecture tests the strength of a truss constructed by students for one of the architecture department's pre-orientation activities, held Aug. 26 in front of Kresge Auditorium. Teams were charged with creating a 6-foot beam out of string, tape and cardboard, and a 6-foot truss out of newspaper, tape and string. Photo / Donna Coveney

A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on September 13, 2006 (download PDF).