Featured Article: How Aerosol Cans Work
They dispense everything from hairspray to cleaning products to whipped cream. Without them, you'd be doing a whole lot of pumping. See more »
everyday science library
There's a lot of science at work in your daily life. Ever wonder how an aerosol can works or how light sticks work? Explore the science behind commonly used objects.
How Tinnovator Matthew Poage Works
Matthew Poage leads a double life. He's a teacher by trade and an electronics tinnovator by choice. His masterpiece so far is something he calls an Altoids tin Swiss AVR knife. Don’t worry, though: It can't cut you.
See more »
How to Make a Belt from an Altoids Tin
They say one man's trash is another man's art. Brooklyn artist Lord Kelvin takes that aphorism to another level by converting empty Altoids tins into belt buckles.
See more »
How to Make a Flashlight from an Altoids Tin
It's so obvious. If you need a flashlight, you should make one out of your Altoids tin. How do tinnovators turn a breath mint container into a light source?
See more »
How to Make a Jewelry Box from an Altoids Tin
Artist Desiree McCrorey combines two seemingly disparate media -- polymer clay and Altoids tins -- to create jewelry boxes with their own uniquely eco-friendly style.
See more »
How to Make a Key Hook from an Altoids Tin
Where are your keys? You've lost them again, haven't you? With a few Altoids tins, a pair of pliers and a little imagination, you can create a place to keep them.
See more »
How to Make a Picture Frame from an Altoids Tin
The compact metal design of the classic Altoids tin inspired designer Kate Pruitt to convert one into a picture frame and portable photo album. With some cardboard, glue and a couple of magnets, you can do the same.
See more »
How to Make a Remote Control from an Altoids Tin
Joe Rowley sees many different ways to make Altoids tins into miniature electronics. His Altoids tin remote control is tailor-made for couch potatoes and pranksters alike.
See more »
How to Make a Shadow Box from an Altoids Tin
For most people, a tin of Altoids is simply a promise of fresh breath. After the mints are gone, the tin goes to the trash. But artists see a gem in that little tin -- art waiting to happen.
See more »
How to Make a Speaker from an Altoids Tin
They say that necessity is the mother of invention. While this may be true in many cases, you can also make the argument that good old creativity should weigh in pretty heavily as well. Behold: the Altoids speaker.
See more »
How to Make a Steampunk Altoids Tin
You don't have to understand steampunk to appreciate the Altoids tins created by tinnovator Jake von Slatt. However, learning about this imaginative subculture makes the designer's creations all the more enjoyable.
See more »
How to Make a Survival Kit from an Altoids Tin
Have you ever rifled through your purse to find an aspirin, a spare button or a breath mint? Do you remember how long it took? Designer Kate Pruitt took an Altoids tin and created a cleverly handy solution to that problem.
See more »
How to Make a Zen Garden from an Altoids Tin
Artist Kate Pruitt found a quick, easy and innovative way to decorate an Altoids tin -- she converted it into a serene Zen garden.
See more »
How to Make Fine Art from Altoids Tins
Altoids tins are the obvious canvas for artistic expression, right? How does a painter transform a bunch of breath mint containers into a masterpiece?
See more »
How Zippers Work
Better than buttons? Maybe. Less time-consuming than laces? Definitely. As far as fastening mechanisms go, the zipper is a work of art. Learn exactly what makes up a zipper and how it all fits together so perfectly.
See more »
Is it possible to fix a blown fuse with a chewing gum wrapper?
Before you hurriedly unwrap a stick of gum and twist the foil around the closest blown fuse, you may want to consider a few things. You could have a fixed fuse -- or a full-blown fire.
See more »
The Top 10 Questions of 2008
At HowStuffWorks, we're always curious, and 2008 gave us a lot to be curious about -- financial bailouts, skyrocketing food prices and, of course, the Google algorithm. Here are our top 10 questions of the year -- answered. What are yours?
See more »
Top 5 Crazy Government Experiments
The occasional oddball research premise slips past the people who review government grant applications. What are some of the craziest instances of your tax dollars at work?
See more »
Top 5 Science-borne Superpowers
Since the dawn of cartoons and comic books, kids have imagined themselves endowed with superpowers. What extraordinary abilities are scientists working to bring to you right now?
See more »
What if I accidentally ended up locked in a walk-in freezer?
You stay behind at work and agree to close up alone. You go into the walk-in freezer to put away some food, and the door shuts behind you. You do everything you can think of, but you can't get it open. Now what?
See more »
What if I shot my TV?
You know that bumper sticker that says "Shoot your TV"? Click here to find out what would happen if you actually tried it (it's best to let us do the dirty work).
See more »videos: everyday science
Related Ad Categories
