/sci/ - Science & Math

People keep harping about the melting point of the steel, but they never think about the fact that a plane flew into the building - creating a hole... um, I think it was twenty stories of gapping wide hole done to the frame, and it was more than 2/3rds the width of the building.

So all of the weight on top was adding an insane amount of pressure, and once that gave in the tower collapsed - causing a pancake effect. Seems plausible.

Hey /sci/, I want to increase my mechanical knowledge. What's a good way to do this?

Let me explain, I have an anthropology major, and while I obviously have BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES, i've decided to join the army. I want to get into intelligence work, and to get into Intelligence, I need to score high in General science, Mathematics, English comprehension, and Mechanical knowledge. Now I don't know much about pulleys, levers, and engines, or how gears work.

What's a good book/web site/podcast to get basic information about these things?