Popular Mechanics

Discover the latest in technology, engineering, and tools with Popular Mechanics. Plus, get essential advice on your home and car, useful DIY ideas, in-depth explanations on how things work, and more!

1 My Pop Life • EXPERT HACKS, GEAR RECS & LIFE-TESTED WISDOM FROM OUR STAFF

Popular Mechanics

Embrace the Humiliation of Ordering Your Furniture

CELEBRATING TRAILS, CONNECTING WITH NATURE

MacBook Air (Mid-011)

The Amazing Silent Speedy Electric Dirt Bike

The Hot Swap

The Navy’s $7.8 Billion Ship Killers

What’s Inside a Destroyer, Anyway? • The USS Zumwalt is built to take on enemies at extreme ranges and has the juice to power a new generation of weaponry. Just look at its guts.

POP Pioneer: Elmo Zumwalt

From 7,000 Pounds of Aluminum to a Fake Pickup in GM’s Secret Garage to (Finally) the New Mid-Engine Corvette

THE CARS

Craft Rum’s Getting Weird. Thank the Pot Still

HOW TO KNOW IF THAT RUM IS (PROBABLY) GOOD • Ask yourself the questions that rum expert Ed Hamilton does when he’s considering a new bottle.

The Funkiness Matrix • A guide to pot-still rums, from traditional to a little weird.

Why D&D Modernized Its Magic for a New Generation of Fantasy

ALL HAIL THE D20, THAT IMMACULATE ICOSAHEDRON

Ad Astra Goes to Neptune This Month. But Event Horizon’s (1997) Voyage Was Better

IT’S ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU BLUE IN THE FACE • Time to take a stand against overpriced watches with the Stauer Urban Blue, now only $29.

Could Humans Even Colonize Neptune?

Your Last Chance to Plant a Tree

Digging or shoveling? Pick the right tool for the job

HAVE THE PERFECT TREE FOR A ROPE SWING? • Here’s our recommended method for hanging a swing without harming the tree.

Genie SilentMax Connect • MY GARAGE JUST GOT SMARTER

POP MACH’S FALL GRILL TECH GUIDE • EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SCIENCE OF BARBECUING TO BECOME A GRILLING MASTER CHEF JUST IN TIME FOR LABOR DAY.

WE TEST THE BEST PORTABLE PARTY GRILLS

SKIP THE LIGHTER FLUID

WILL IT GRILL? • Here’s a fun experiment to amuse bored kids this Labor Day: Try grilling unexpected foods to see if searing heat enhances the flavor. For starters…

BETTER TEMPERATURE CONTROL

HOW TO MAKE LUMP CHARCOAL

UP ON SMOKERS

THIS CRAB’S BLOOD IS THE REASON YOU’RE ALIVE • BIOMEDICAL COMPANIES ARE BLEEDING MORE THAN 500,000 HORSESHOE CRABS EVERY YEAR. CAN THIS CREATURE THAT’S BEEN AROUND SINCE THE DINOSAURS BE SAVED?

A PERILOUS JOURNEY • Crabs are out of the water for 24 to 72 hours during the bleeding process, during which they are vulnerable to heat and air exposure. Here’s what happens.

THE HIDDEN SCIENCE OF ELEVATORS • HOW POWERFUL ALGORITHMS DECIDE WHEN THAT ELEVATOR CAR IS FINALLY GOING TO COME PICK YOU UP.

Headlamps to See and Do It All

How We Tested

The Many Colors of Modern Headlamp Beams • Some headlamps now come with red, blue, and green bulbs that help you see near objects in the dark without sacrificing your natural night vision. Here’s what each is best for:

Your Next Saw Will Be Electric

Get the Gear You Need

KNOW YOUR AMPS FROM VOLTS

How the Yeti Tundra Became the Coolest Cooler

Meet the Bears That Test Coolers

A Brief, Glorious History of the Work Boot

The Steel Toe Boot Lets You Bust Your Ass Without Busting Up Your Feet

10 More Boots for Getting Things Done

15 How to Be Good at What You Do • CHRIS QUINN, 70, WHEEL BUILDER, HAYWARD, CALIFORNIA