Popular Mechanics articles from December 2005

Popular Mechanics archives from December 2005

PM road trip.(EDITOR'S NOTES)(team building)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Sometimes, you just have to get out of the office. And that time came this fall for the staff of Popular Mechanics. We wanted to hold some meetings to brainstorm the future of PM, but we didn't want to spend three days locked in a hotel...

Energy alternatives.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... Your article "Fueling the Future" (Oct. 2005) highlights a basic problem in the design of current hybrid vehicles. The complex system required to switch the drive from the electric motors to the gas engine while in motion does not lead, in any...

Military coverage.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... A letter in our October issue suggesting that PM should rethink its "obsession with military hardware reporting" generated a lot of mail. Here are two representative responses: I say keep up the good work! The brave men and women who wage...

Explosive issue.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... Your article "Playing With Fire" (Oct. 2005) uses scare tactics. Hydrocarbon refrigerant is efficient, environmentally friendly and poses little safety hazard. It sounds like what caused the ignition under Louis Ott's hood was due to more than...

Whale of an airlift.(TECH WATCH: ASTEROID HUNTING ROBOTS GONE BAD SHAPE-SHIFTING UAVS LEARNING FROM KATRINA)(Airbus A300-600 Super Transporter )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... A week after Katrina tore through New Orleans, the world's largest cargo plane, an Airbus A300-600 Super Transporter (nicknamed "Beluga" after the bulbous-headed whale), left Toulouse, France, for the shattered Gulf Coast. Though Lockheed...

Scariest toy robot, ever.(TECH WATCH: This Month)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... New in stores: a robot monkey with an evil streak. Designed by a Hollywood prosthetics engineer, the WowWee Alive Chimp is a life-size, screeching animatronic monkey bust [pictured above, with and without artificial hair and skin]. Equipped...

Sunniest racetrack.(TECH WATCH: This Month)(World Final of Formula BMW)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The first ever World Final of Formula BMW roars across the starting line in Bahrain on Dec. 13. Drivers as young as 15 will hit 140 mph on the Bahrain International Circuit south of the capital city, Manama. The ultramodern, 70,000-spectator...

Weakest law.(TECH WATCH: This Month)(Metric Conversion Act of 1975)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... December marks the 30th anniversary of the Metric Conversion Act, which encouraged voluntary conversion to the metric system. Most Americans didn't budge from English units (feet, pounds, etc.). Snicker all you want, but in 1999 NASA's Mars...

Brightest idea.(TECH WATCH: This Month)
December 1, 2005... Work concludes this month on installing 7244 solar panels on three sides of the CIS service tower in not-so-sunny Manchester, England, making it the largest vertical solar array in Europe.

Biggest brains.(TECH WATCH: This Month)(Nobel Prizes)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... On Dec. 10, the Nobel Foundation will hand out prizes worth nearly $1.3 million each to this year's laureates. Not invited to the ceremony? Console yourself with a visit to the foundation's Web site (www.nobelprize.org), where you can learn...

Bionic babar.(artificial leg fitted to Thai elephant)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... A Thai elephant who lost a leg when she stepped on a land mine in 1999 has been given a temporary artificial limb. Veterinarians fitted 44-year-old Motala with a sawdust-titled prosthesis to help her leg get used to the feel of a new foot. The...

Self-steering car.(2008 Opel Vectra)
December 1, 2005... GM's 2008 Opel Vectra (the 2006 model is pictured above) will be able to steer itself through turns on roadways that have clear lane markers at speeds up to 60 mph. Like other advanced cruise control systems, GM's Traffic Assist uses...

Who's the Batman?(PowerQuick military device for climbing buildings)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Aspiring superheroes can now get their hands on a military device that lets them scale tall buildings with the flick of a switch. Funded by a DARPA grant, the PowerQuick attaches to a standard climbing harness and scoots up a rope at 1 ft. per...

Asteroid-stalking satellite: Japan's Hayabusa satellite uses an ion drive and a robot scout to bring a piece of deep space home.(TECH WATCH)(Itokawa )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The 198 million-mile trip to asteroid Itokawa wasn't really supposed to be a science mission. Mostly, it was an excuse for the Japanese space probe Hayabusa to test a gaggle of futuristic technologies-from an ion-propulsion drive to an...

A new force to be reckoned with.(THE goods: Great products and promotional offer from PM advertisers)(Brute Force)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The Brute Force[TM] 750 4x4i, the ultimate 4x4 all-terrain vehicle powered by Kawasaki's awe-inspiring V-twin engine, has returned for 2006. Simply put, the Brute Force 750 4x4i is the most powerful, high-performance model in its class offering...

New from Dupli-Color[R], Illuminite[TM].(THE goods: Great products and promotional offer from PM advertisers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Illuminite is a new glow-in-the-dark blue neon coating that fasts up to eight hours. With Illuminite consumers can create a hot new took to show off in the night. It can be used for spraying automotive accessories like wings, mirrors and...

Nothing runs like a Deere[TM].(residential equipment )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... It's the feel of a great machine in your hands. The warmth of the sun over your shoulder. And the satisfaction of a job well done--whether you're helping the garden grow, taking care of the animals, or making your lawn took its best. Check out...

Long in the tooth.(radioactive carbon of teeth determines the age)
December 1, 2005... Scientists can now more accurately determine the year of your birth, by measuring the amount of radioactive carbon-14 in your teeth. Above-ground nuclear testing between 1955 and 1963 created a dramatic rise in atmospheric carbon-14, which has...

Farewell to fog.(polymer coating )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... A new polymer coating uses silica nanoparticles to prevent glass from fogging, according to MIT scientists. The treated surface (say, a windshield) pulls tiny droplets of light-scattering condensation into a smooth, see-through sheet. The...

Robots behaving badly.(TECH WATCH)(Daniel H. Wilson)(Interview)
December 1, 2005... PM asked Daniel H. Wilson, a Carnegie Mellon University roboticist and author of the ironic robotics primer How to Survive a Robot Uprising ($12.95, Bloomsbury), whether there's reason to fear the robots that have already invaded our living...

Morphing UAVS.(Unmanned Aerial Vehicles developed by University of Florida)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... A RADICAL SHAPE-SHIFTING DESIGN for surveillance UAVs had an unlikely inspiration: the sea gull. Developed at the University of Florida, the tiny vehicles have a 2-ft. wingspan, with "elbow" and "shoulder" joints for different wing shapes. They...

What's next? Disaster experts weigh in on the harsh lessons of Katrina and Rita.(TECH WATCH)(hurricanes)(Panel Discussion)
December 1, 2005... FIRST RESPONDERS John McCain U.S. Senator from Arizona The federal government needs to develop a comprehensive interoperable communications plan so that, in the event of an emergency, first responders can communicate with one another...

Wish list 2006.(UP GRADE)(Buyers Guide)
December 1, 2005... Is it better to give or to receive? We hear that a lot and, frankly, we think it's a silly question. Both giving and receiving can be tremendous fun if you've selected the right stuff. And what have we here? Just the best darned stuff ever: a...

PM'S automated home: for 11 months, PM has been helping the Joneses remake their home with high-tech gear, while collecting valuable real-world feedback. Here's Part Three in our series.(DIGITAL FAMILY)
December 1, 2005... It was almost a year ago that we brainstormed with Jamieson and Peggy Jones to map out the first segment of a three-part project called Digital Family. The concept: The Connecticut couple and their kids, Ben and Nina, would put a broad...

Low light. High quality. Telephoto photography with IS.(THE CANON EOS ADVANTAGE)
December 1, 2005... Maybe you've already made the step to a digital SLR for the creative control and superior image quality it gives you. Once you really start shooting however, you'll, quickly find that you want even more creative control, and more options....

Life at the top: Mercedes ups the ante in the premium sedan wars with a fast, agile, sinfully luxurious and technologically awesome new S-Class.(NEW CARS)(Mercedes-Benz)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Any automaker's flagship carries the burden of being the company's best. When the automaker is Mercedes-Benz, that burden can be unbearable, Well, having spent time immersed in its technology at the Formula One track in Hockenheim, and flogging...

A little less Lucerne.(V8-powered Lucerne sedan)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... While the V8-powered Lucerne has replaced Buick's Park Avenue, this Lucerne, with a V6 engine, replaces the LeSabre in the 2006 lineup. Built on the same platform as Cadillac's DeVille, the new model has a bright grille, unlike the V8's...

Blowing Nitro's cover.(auto shows )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Peeling the covers off the front of a Dodge Nitro prototype shows some changes from the concept seen at auto shows. Note that the headlight composite is framed in bright metal to continue the grille surround. A big difference is seen in the...

Subtle but expensive.(Chrysler invests on product upgrade)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Given the investment Chrysler has made in updating the Pacifica for '07, the results seem rather modest. We see that headlights, front fenders, grille insert and lower fascia are changed. Still, the effect is less than striking. Note the wider...

Charging ahead.(NEW CARS)(Dodge Charger 5RT8)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... Take all the machismo of the new Dodge Charger R/T and multiply it by 10 and you have the Charger 5RT8. (See "Room to Move," Nov. 2005, page 82, for more on the "plain" Charger R/T.) On the front straight at Laguna Seca, where I sampled Dodge's...

The next beast lives.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Check out the rounded headlights and biplane wing. This is the new Porsche 911 Turbo. Engine details are few, but we know it's more potent than the current car.

Maximum mini.(Spy REPORT)(stretched Mini)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... How far can Mini stretch? Maybe a long-wheelbase model? Shown as the Traveller Countryman concept in Frankfurt, here's the real thing. Expect it here in 2007.

The other jaguar shoe.(Spy REPORT)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Now that the XK coupe is out of the bag, you know the convertible has to be close behind. Well, here's a creatively disguised prototype XK ragtop during a testing session.

Svelte Swedish sedan.(Volvo sedans)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Amid the hoopla of its sexy C70 coupe, Volvo is quietly at work on its core models. As this $80 prototype shows, the sedans and coupe have much in common.

Feline sensuality.(Jaguar XK sports cars)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... First, you notice the styling. You instantly know this is a Jaguar, the latest of the sexy XK sports cars. And, like its predecessors, it has a long, sloping hood, short front and rear overhangs, and an oval grille--like the XKE. But the '07 XK...

Sunny.(Volvo 70-Series)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... Bye-bye boxy. Volvo's latest is an all-new C70 with a folding metal top. The car replaces both the old C70 convertible and coupe. While folding steel tops are the current rage with carmakers, thanks to their sleek appearance, quiet ride and...

Little gator, big bite.(Porsche new automobile Cayman )(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... Everything else being equal, a car with an integral steel roof has a stiffer structure than one with a folding top. Now, if that hardtop happened to start life as a Porsche Boxster, the resulting coupe would be amazingly stiff. Enter the...

Scion of the times.(Spy REPORT)(Toyota Corolla)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... This is the next Toyota Corolla slated. for the European market. The States' current Corolla won't be replaced for years, and when it is, it won't share any of the bodywork of this car. However, a new five-door hatchback with a sporty...

The beauty of evolution.(Mitsubishi Concept-X )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Mitsu's Concept-X is really the next-generation Lancer Evolution. The '07 Evo X gets a new 350-hp Four and an optional six-speed, paddle-shifted auto/ manual transmission. The car also debuts an awd system called Super/All-Wheel Control, which...

Size matters.(Acura new RDX)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Acura will market a competitor to the BMW X3 with the new RDX. The RDX shares components with the next-generation Honda CR-V. Expect the RDX to feature Acura's high-tech Super Handling All-Wheel Drive that was first launched in the RL. Don't be...

But I saw it on TV.(automobiles with cooking oils)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... We often get mail asking why we haven't reported on some car that runs on old cooking oil (or sunflower seeds or turkey waste or moonshine). After all, these folks say, they've seen one on the TV news. Why isn't this great technology available...

Long-term tests: new executions of two age-old automotive ideas join our fleet as one truly innovative vehicle takes its leave.(AUTOMOTIVE)
December 1, 2005... first report JEEP LIBERTY SPORT CRD When we tested a Jeep Liberty CRD against a Ford Escape Hybrid a year ago ("Diesel vs. Hybrid," Feb. 2005, page 60), they were the only two compact SUVs you could buy that weren't powered solely by...

Road map to Mars: so far, NASA's plan to reach the red planet has been short on detail. Here, in a PM exclusive, Apollo astronaut Buzz Aldrin unveils his own step-by-step proposal for mankind's next giant leap.(Cover Story)
December 1, 2005... The heart of Aldrin's plan is a craft he calls a Cycler, which other vehicles will link to in a multistage mission. Mars lander, which docks with Cycler, transports astronauts to the planet's surface. Habitat module in Cycler holds...

Living un-plugged: one family's valiant quest to kick the oil habit--and how you can (try to) do it, too.
December 1, 2005... POWER HOUSE The author, who lives off the electrical grid in rural Vermont, will experiment with alternative energy systems for POPULAR MECHANICS over the next six months. Currently, his household 1) burns four to five cords of wood for...

Top 50 inventions: in the past half-century, scientific and technological advances have transformed our world. PM convened a panel of 25 experts to identify innovations that have made the biggest impact, from the hospital to outer space to the kitchen. Here, then, are the breakthroughs of our time.
December 1, 2005... 1955 TV REMOTE CONTROL It marks the official end of humanity's struggle for survival and the beginning of its quest for a really relaxing afternoon. The first wireless remote, designed by Zenith's Eugene Polley, is essentially a...

The kindness of strangers: in the wake of Hurricane Katrina hundreds of volunteers rushed to New Orleans, bringing their own skiffs, airboats and helicopters. Working with local law enforcement, military units, even state wildlife officials, these ordinary civilians launched one of the largest ad hoc rescue efforts in U.S. history.
December 1, 2005... There are so many helicopters buzzing in and out of the triage center at Louis Armstrong International Airport, it sounds like a nest of mammoth hornets. Navy Seahawks. Coast Guard Dolphins. Army Chinooks and National Guard Black Hawks....

Toilet troubleshooting: common problems and how to fix them--fast.(HOME JOURNAL: YOUR HOME'S ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ICE DAMS EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS UTILITY VEHICLE TEST)
December 1, 2005... If your toilet won't shut off, try jiggling the handle. It might work. When you get tired of that, and you will, it's time for a more proactive approach--and that doesn't mean picking up the phone. Residential toilets are remarkably simple...

The electrical system: hard-wiring made easy.(How Your HOUSE Works: PART 2 of a new PM series)
December 1, 2005... Harnessing energy isn't new. If anything, it's signature human characteristics. But of all the energy sources we've rained, electricity is Unique Because, quite simply, it's so portable. All you need are wires--and a few utility poles,...

Attic furnace and ice dams.
December 1, 2005... Q My split-level home was remodeled recently. We raised the roof and added a master bedroom suite. In order to heat the new space, an additional gas-fired furnace was installed in the attic above the new rooms. The attic has insulation between...

Be prepared: better to have, than have not.(emergency preparedness measures and kits)
December 1, 2005... Almost everyone in America, from the government to your next-door neighbor, has free advice on emergency preparedness. Despite its recent bad publicity following Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security actually has a Web...

Whistling water pipes.(HOMEOWNERS CLINIC)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Q Could you address the issue of whistling water pipes? The pipes in my house are driving me crazy. JOE CARL Lee's Summit, MO A A whistling sound in water pipes is usually caused by water flowing rapidly through a constriction....

Long-term test.(HOME JOURNAL: Homeowners Clinic)
December 1, 2005... KAWASAKI 2510 It's a shame this diesel Mule was discontinued. It's stubbornly reliable. KUBOTA NTV900 A Johnny-come-lately, but it has proved to be a hard-working vehicle. KAWASAHI 3010 It's about 120 pounds lighter than...

Wovel $140 *.(Editor's Choice Awards: A few of our favorite new gadgets)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2005... The Wovel looks odd, but the shovel-on-a-wheel is designed to outperform a small gas-engine snowthrower. Just sink its 26-in.-wide shovel into the snow, wheel it where it needs to go and flick the snow off. It provides carrying power without...

360 Outlet $8.(Editor's Choice Awards: A few of our favorite new gadgets)
December 1, 2005... The top and bottom receptacles on this outlet rotate 360 degrees, providing unfettered access to accommodate DC adapters and plugs entering from different angles, not just vertically. The device is rated for 15 amps, 120 volts, and installs in...

L4 Liquid Wrench $5.(Editor's Choice Awards: A few of our favorite new gadgets)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... L4 comes as close to being an all-purpose lubricant and penetrant as you're going to find. Its success is due to a mixture of natural and synthetic lubricants with microscopic ceramic particles suspended in the blend. The particles act like...

Frozen exhaust.(exhaust fan maintenance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Q I installed a bathroom exhaust fan and vented it outside. (The old fan vented into the attic.) When it gets below 32 F, the exterior vent freezes up, despite the fact that the duct from the fan to the outside wall is already insulated. Is...

Instantaneous water heaters.(Bosch AquaStar Water Heaters)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Q In a recent issue of your magazine I read about a Bosch AquaStar Tankless Water Heater, but these are not available locally. Where can I purchase one? A.R. HEARN Mullens, WV A For readers unfamiliar with these appliances,...

Loose tile hazard.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Q Four rooms in my old house have square 1-ft. ceiling tiles. In three of the four rooms some of the tiles are drooping. Is there a quick repair that doesn't look too bad or is it the old "tear them down" fix? GEORGE DECKER Edison, NJ...

Reader project.(studio garden shed construction case studies)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... While designing a studio for my wife, I was inspired by the garden shed featured in the October 2004 issue of POPULAR MECHANICS. (Go to www.popular mechanics.com/gardenshed to read the story.) The studio is 12 x 16 ft. and sits on a row of...

How to dispose of hazardous waste.(SATURDAY MECHANIC)
December 1, 2005... It's time to clean out your garage. This generally happens around my house when there is too much stuff in the garage to get a car in it anymore. Your mileage may vary. After a morning of cleaning and rearranging, you've got a pile of...

Keeper of the keys.(starter motor maintenance)
December 1, 2005... Q I have an intermittent problem starting my Corvette. Most of the time, it starts up fine, but once in a while, it won't crank over. Twice I've had it towed to the shop down the street, and it starts just fine for them. In fact, if I let it...

One word--plastics.(Plastex for crack repairs)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio or Mrs. Robinson when someone needs to reattach a tab or fix a crack in some plastic bracket or widget? Enter Plastex. Just mix it up and repair cracks, even ones that require filling. It cures within minutes....

Oil burner.(minivan gas tank maintenance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Q I filled my minivan's gas tank last night. My wife took it to the store today, and had a hard time starting it on the way home. There's a strong odor of diesel fuel around the car. I suspect the station may have mixed in some diesel...

Service tips: help from vehicle makers tech bulletins.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... * Does life seem to be passing you by? Or is it just that the instrument cluster clock on your 2004-05 VW Touareg gains an extra 30 seconds every day? Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 05-03 has a fresh flash update for the instrument cluster...

What say, sparky?(spark plugs info)
December 1, 2005... Q The owner's manual for my 1997 Mercury Sable says to use two separate types of spark plugs when doing a minor overhaul. Every mechanic that I have spoken to says that's nonsense--one type of plug is all that is necessary. Who is right? ...

Have it your way: with a few simple add-ons, you can customize your PC's desktop and beef up your browser.(TECHNOLOGY)
December 1, 2005... Your personal computer could be a lot more personal. For most computer users, the desktop is little more than a clutter of shortcut icons obscuring a vacation picture, while the Web browser serves as a simple windowpane to the Internet. But,...

Plug and play.(TECH CLINIC: Q + A)
December 1, 2005... Q I just bought a high-definition digital television and there are a variety of inputs on the back of it. Once and for all: Which input offers the best-quality image? Are they all carrying digital signals? JON NOVAK Baltimore, MD ...

Pardon the interruption.(management of update programs run in the personal computers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Q My computer is constantly interrupting me with reminders to update programs that I don't even use. Is there an easy way to shut down, or at least minimize, the nagging? AVIVA WERTKIN Tempe, AZ A It depends on the program. Most...

Clean slate.(computer hardware maintenance)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Q I know I need to defragment my computer's hard drive on a regular basis to keep it running smoothly, but do I also need to defragment the hard drive on my iPod? What about my TiVo? How would I go about doing that? BRETT BETTENFIELD ...

The devil's bargain.(adhesive wire spoors from Smarthome)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The devil's bargain of multichannel surround sound is that multiple speakers generally require tots of ugly speaker wire. If you'd rather not purchase wireless speakers (most of which I wouldn't recommend anyway) or cut into your drywall to...

Neurosurgeon.(computer-aided navigation in brian surgery)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... A bullet penetrates a man's skull. An 8-year-old cracks his head. A Parkinson's patient suffers incapacitating tremors. These are just some of the cases that might appear on neurosurgeon Jaimie Henderson's operating table: One potent new tool:...