Innovation

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

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

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

Crunchy crust, soft, spongy middle -- there's something about fresh-baked bread. Have you ever thought about bread as a technology? Learn about the biochemical reactions that make bread taste so good!

By Marshall Brain

Who doesn't love a smooth, creamy bar of chocolate? The process to make one is pretty tricky, but sooo worth it.

By Shanna Freeman & Alia Hoyt

Tired of hearing about things like monounsaturated fats, partially hydrogenated oils and trans fatty acids and not knowing a thing about any of them? Find out what you need to know here.

By Marshall Brain

If you've ever been to an aerial fireworks show, then you know that fireworks have a magic all their own. Ever wonder how they make such incredible colors and designs? Learn all about these pyrotechnics!

By Marshall Brain & Austin Henderson

Because sustenance ensures our survival, food preservation is one of the oldest technologies developed by human beings. Find out what's being done to your food to make it last longer.

By Marshall Brain

Ever wonder what, exactly, you are putting in your body when you eat? Would you like to know the real difference between a "fat" and a "carb"? Learn all about food and how your body uses it!

By Marshall Brain

Got a few grays? Just want a new look? Well, if you are like 75 percent of women, you're part of a billion dollar industry. Learn all about hair coloring and choosing the best color for you.

By Marshall Brain

Want to keep your dog out of the neighbor's yard but feeling guilty pulling out a leash? You might consider an underground or wireless pet fence. Learn how these fascinating systems work and why this specialized fencing industry is booming.

By Melissa Russell-Ausley

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?

Hydrogen peroxide is something that is used to clean cuts. Have you ever wondered why it foams when placed on a cut? Learn about hydrogen peroxide.

By Yara Simón

Yesterday you talked about hydrogen peroxide, and the day before you talked about Pop Rocks candy. Since we are talking about things that fizz, what about Alka Seltzer? How does it work and why does it fizz?

It's technical name is sphygmomanometer and it takes your blood pressure. But how does it do that?

Many of the things I buy contain little packets of crystals. Some of them actually say "Silica Gel" on them, but many are unlabeled or say something like, "Do not eat." I have found these packets in electronics, vitamins and even in some pepperoni I

How do chickens create eggs? Does the chicken's body make the shell and fill it with the white and yolk somehow, or does it make the white and yolk and then somehow wrap the shell around it?

Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide that's used in everything from transporting goods to removing skin imperfections. Learn more about dry ice and how to use this versatile compound effectively and safely.

I'm having T-shirts printed, and the people at the shop keep talking about "silk-screening." How does silk-screening work?

By Austin Henderson

A nautical mile is used for navigation at sea. It is a unit of measurement based on the circumference of Earth. How does it relate to a standard mile and a kilometer?

By HSW Contributors

In an age of health-conscious consumers, low-carb diets and bottled water, one snack has stood the test of time. Twinkies are an icon of junk-food snacks and guilty pleasures, nutritionally worthless yet irresistibly yummy.

By Ed Grabianowski

Water and vitamins help keep us alive and healthy. So if you put the vitamins in the water, wouldn't you be even healthier? Check out Glaceau's Vitaminwater and see if it really does what it claims to do.

By John Fuller

A man has a gun. But this is no ordinary man, and this is no ordinary gun. This isn't a setup for a sci-fi thriller. It's the premise for quantum suicide.

By Josh Clark

From cornflakes to Silly Putty, many of the things we consume today were created unintentionally. Here are the stories behind eight well-known inventions.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Spam has been inspiring obsession and revulsion since the Great Depression. What exactly makes people so passionate about it?

By Ed Grabianowski