Innovation

Some cooks like to pound their steak with a mallet. Other adventurous souls have tenderized meat with explosives. Why does a pineapple work just as well?

By Tom Scheve

Right now, you may be sitting on a chair or walking on a rug made of some type of fabric. Hopefully, you're wearing fabric in the form of clothes! But fabric is easily damaged. So what if there were a super fabric out there that stayed intact?

By Jessika Toothman

Are you hungry for some nitro-scrambled egg-and-bacon ice cream? Did you want a little fried mayo on that sandwich? Molecular gastronomy has cast cooking in a new light and created some seemingly bizarre, but shockingly delicious dishes.

By William Harris

Like any quality-control system, peer review was designed to scrutinize all new scientific discoveries, ideas and implications. So how does flawed research still slip through the system of checks and balances?

By William Harris

Newton's iconic laws of motion are at work all around you, whether you're watching an Olympic swimmer push off a pool wall or a batter hit a baseball. So what are they?

By William Harris

The ancient Chinese brought us many great innovations, including some that we take for granted in the modern world. Let's examine 10 of ancient China's greatest inventions.

By Josh Clark & Sascha Bos

If you had the perfect cure for world hunger, wouldn't you want to share it? A group called the Breatharians claims to have the answer: Stop eating.

By Katie Lambert

Sourdough bread tastes great, but have you ever thought about it as a technology??? Learn how this technology works!

By Pamela Nelson

It's Thanksgiving Day and your waistband is groaning after dinner. Some say that tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey, is the reason you want a nap, but is that really true?

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Have concerns about the effects of aspartame? Wonder if it can really make you go blind? Find out the answer to your questions in this article.

Stout, lager, pale ale, pilsner and porter ... it takes a lot to produce a great beer. Take a tour through the brewing process from start to finish, barley to bottle, mash to keg and learn to brew at home!

By Karim Nice

I have been smoking for 50 years and have always wondered why cigarettes have filter tips. I can remember when none of the cigarettes on the market had filters, and now nearly all of them do. Does the filter do anything?

How does chlorine work to clean swimming pools?

I live in California, where we are having a power crunch. I have a hypothetical question: Could I power my computer or my TV with a bicycle generator?

By Austin Henderson

This stimulant drink comes from beans that are roasted and ground and, for many of us, it's a staple of life. But do you know where coffee grows and how it gets to America? How a French roast differs from an Italian roast? What a coffee cherry is? Or how decaffeinated coffee is made?

By Debra Beller

Crayola crayons have nurtured childhood creativity and remained safely edible for over 100 years. Now learn their story- how they originated in the 19th century, how they've changed, and we'll even tell you how old that familiar label is.

From Beaujolais to Bordeaux, Madeira to Merlot and Sancerre to Shiraz, wine can complement almost any food. And, one glass of red wine daily may be a heart-healthy habit. Learn how wine is made, from grapes to glass!

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

How does a Dippy Bird work?

Dissolvable stitches are a convenient medical marvel. How long does it take for stitches to dissolve?

My glasses have an anti-reflective coating. How does that work?

How can my glasses change from transparent, when I'm inside, to dark when I go outdoors?

By Austin Henderson

How do trick birthday candles work -- the kind that re-light themselves after you blow them out?

Whether you're hitting the surf or the slopes or just spending a day on the lake, sunglasses are a must-have accessory. Find out if the $10 sunglasses are as good as the high-cost ones.

By Jeff Tyson

Although technology is helping to make the world seem a lot smaller, there are still major differences between countries. Learn about electrical standardization around the globe.

There's a candy called 'Pop Rocks.' When you put it in your mouth it makes a loud popping sound and it feels really weird! How do Pop Rocks work?