Featured Article: How Gyroscopes Work
Did you know that airplanes and space shuttles use the utterly low-tech gyroscope for navigation? Discover the secret behind gyroscopic motion! See more »
devices library
Ever wondered how that thing works? Explore the inner workings of many common devices and inventions, as well as those that aren't so common, such as compasses, gyroscopes and bug zappers.
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Articles 1-20 of 22
How Biometrics Works
With the help of Q, James Bond can breeze through a security system that requires the villain's irises, voice and handprint. Biometrics isn’t just for the movies. Real-life businesses and governments are using it. Check it out.
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How BrainPort Works
Learn all about BrainPort, a device for sensory substitution by electrotactile stimulation.
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How can someone control a machine with her thoughts?
The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago introduced a new bionic arm that can be controlled by reading a person's thoughts. How does this technology work? Can you control a machine with thoughts? Learn about the bionic arm in this article.
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How Crossbows Work
The crossbow, a weapon popular with Wookiees, vampire slayers and some modern hunters, looks like a cross between a bow and a rifle. Read about it’s fascinating history and uses.
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How Electromagnets Work
Electromagnets are found in motors, tape decks, hard drives, VCRs and tons of other devices. Find out what makes an electromagnet "electro" and learn how to make one at home.
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How Gyroscopes Work
Did you know that airplanes and space shuttles use the utterly low-tech gyroscope for navigation? Discover the secret behind gyroscopic motion!
See more »
How LED Incapacitators Work
This nonlethal weapon doesn't cause any lasting damage, but it may cause you to pray to the porcelains gods if an officer shines one in your eyes long enough to subdue you.
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How Rail Guns Work
Rail guns leave gunpowder-based weapons in the dust (one can hit a target 250 miles away in six minutes). So why isn't the military using them? Find out how rail guns can be used and learn about the limitations of this technology.
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How strong are the magnets in an MRI machine?
A friend of mine told me that his watch flew off his arm and was sucked into the MRI machine at the hospital. Could this really happen? How strong are the magnets in an MRI machine?
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I've heard of bank robbers being foiled by a "dye pack" put in their money stash. What is a "dye pack"?
I've heard of bank robbers being foiled by a "dye pack" put in their money stash. What is a "dye pack"?
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What's a "thinking cap" -- and could it make me a genius?
You've probably been asked to put on your thinking cap before, but have you ever wondered what it looked like or what it does? This thinking cap may not make you smarter, but it could help you tap into previously unexplored abilities.
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Why are lobsters being used in new X-ray technologies?
Lobsters have one of the animal world's most unique vision systems. Researchers hope to apply that system to scanners that will make steel walls transparent.
See more »How does "bulletproof" glass work?
In a lot of movies you see windows that are "bulletproof." Does bulletproof glass really exist, and if so, how does it work?
See more »How does a Galileo thermometer work?
One of my co-workers has an interesting thermometer on his desk. It is a glass tube with different-colored floating things in it. What kind of thermometer is this, and how does it work?
See more »How does a rebreather work?
Unlike a regular SCUBA regulator which creates bubbles when the person wearing the apparatus exhales, a rebreather produces no bubbles when someone exhales. What exactly is a rebreather and how does it work? Find out in this article from HowStuffWorks.
See more »How Hoverboards Will Work
See "Back to the Future 2"? Drool much over those hoverboards? Find out how these devices will work and see one that already does!
See more »Can bug zappers help transmit diseases?
I've heard that bug zappers can actually help transmit diseases -- how does that happen? Once the mosquito dies, how can a disease it was carrying be transmitted?
See more »How can I make my own battery to win a contest at school?
I am entering a chemistry contest at my high school. The goal is to build the battery that produces the most watts for one minute. Our battery can't be bigger then 1 foot in any direction and can't use strong acids. What are the best chemicals to use, and what's the best design?
See more »How do fans make you feel cooler?
Why does air cool down when pushed around by an electric fan? You would think that air molecules in motion would be creating friction, and therefore increasing the ambient temperature instead of decreasing it. So why do you feel cooler?
See more »How does a magneto work?
I am curious about the ignition system in my lawn mower. I know that a spark plug creates a high-voltage spark, and I know in my car the electricity for the spark comes from the battery. My lawn mower doesn't have a battery, so where does the electricty come from?
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