Why the Towers Fell

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• Learn more about American history, physics, and social studies.

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You can learn from a team of forensic engineers about the in-depth investigation of the exact cause of the Twin Towers’ collapse. An interview of one of the four survivors that escaped from Tower Two above the point of impact, a lesson on the structure of metal and what happens when it bends and is heated, and information on firefighters and how they need to be equipped for a high-rise response can be found on this site. There is a video that contains a brief news piece using computer animations to illustrate how the Twin Towers might have fallen. You can learn about the engineering marvels that made the quarter-mile-tall World Trade Center possible and you can get an engineer’s perspective on how and why the towers survived the initial impact and how and why they likely failed in the end. There is also information about the firefighters and a place you can send letters with your thoughts about the towers or this website. Links to other resources are also included.