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The Engines of Our Ingenuity 3401: Two Views of a Polymath
Summary by The Bellaire Editorial Desk Dr. John Lienhard , as published by Houston Public Media (NPR/PBS)
· August 18, 2026
· 1 min read
Photo: Houston Public Media (NPR/PBS) · view original
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Bellaire Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page Dr. John Lienhard, as published by Houston Public Media (NPR/PBS) Original story Read at the source Source published Aug 18, 2026 Indexed here Aug 18, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
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Key points The source provides more information about Samuel Smiles, James Nasmyth, and their portrayal as polymaths in episode 3401 of The Engines of Our Ingenuity. The episode, numbered 3401, presents two views of such an individual.
A recent episode of The Engines of Our Ingenuity explores the concept of a polymath. The episode, numbered 3401, presents two views of such an individual. It specifically looks at Samuel Smiles and James Nasmyth, describing them as strange bedfellows.
Further details about this episode are available from the source. The episode delves into the lives and contributions of these two figures, offering insight into their work and significance. The source provides more information about Samuel Smiles, James Nasmyth, and their portrayal as polymaths in episode 3401 of The Engines of Our Ingenuity.
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As published by Houston Public Media (NPR/PBS) . The Bellaire surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: local Published: August 18, 2026 Source: Houston Public Media (NPR/PBS) Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A recent episode of The Engines of Our Ingenuity explores the concept of a polymath. The episode, numbered 3401, presents two views of such an individual. It specifically looks at Samuel Smiles and…
When was this published? This article was first published on August 18, 2026 by Houston Public Media (NPR/PBS) and curated for The Bellaire readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Dr. John Lienhard at Houston Public Media (NPR/PBS). To learn more about how The Bellaire selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Bellaire, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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