When the Brooklyn Bridge was unveiled in 1883, it was already a marvel of engineering—the longest suspension bridge in the world with enormous cables spanning nearly 1,600 feet with a bustling roadway and train lines suspended 11 stories above the East River.

How did this suspension bridge—designed by John A. Roebling and built by his son—become such a success?

Especially when most other suspension bridges were suspect and feared—because many had collapsed in use, taking hundreds of people down with them?

Roebling did what no European engineer had—he spent his 97-day voyage emigrating from Germany to the United States learning.

Already a promising and well-educated engineer, Roebling was curious about the ship he traveled in. He asked a lot of questions: How was the ship designed? Why did the sails work the way they did? How did the rigging hold fast in high winds?

Later, what he saw and learned—from hull construction to rigging—he applied to bridge building in innovative ways:

Rather than chains, Roebling used “wire ropes” made from thousands of individual wires braided together. These 16-inch diameter “ropes” were lighter, stronger, and more durable. For stability, he mimicked the system of stays, tiebacks, and counterweights used to stabilize sails against weight and wind forces.

He saw—counter to the prevailing view—that a suspension bridge’s strength came from a highly rigid and sturdy deck structure, like a ship, and used an interlocking truss system to make it even sturdier.

Roebling succeeded where others didn’t because he applied his understanding from one industry to another.

Approach the world with a curious and questioning mind. Who knows what you could create by connecting ideas from different spheres?