Popular Mechanics articles from February 2002

Popular Mechanics archives from February 2002

To the rescue. (Editor's Note).
February 1, 2002... Last summer, when I first discussed with science editor Jim Wilson the idea of an article focusing on one of the Navy's elite combat rescue units, little did either of us know that our nation would be at war when the article went to press. That...

Mysteries of the bible. (Letters).
February 1, 2002... In my opinion as a scientist, your article "Science Solves More Mysteries Of The Bible," solved nothing. For example, the fact that ancient Jericho's walls fell due to a miraculous act of a powerful God at a specified time was indicated in the...

Hands-free. (Letters).
February 1, 2002... Your article missed the point of the cellphone ban. It's not simply holding the phone. The main problem is the distraction a phone conversation is to the driver. BOB SMYNTEK FAYETTEVILLE, NC I agree with the lawmakers who are...

Reader project of the month. (Letters).
February 1, 2002... I built this 820 Super Crawler Excavator from plans, but I had to figure out how to put the parts together, and I designed my own tracks. I made them 21/4 in. wide, cut finger joints in each small piece, and drilled and pinned them with 1/8-in....

Reader stories. (Letters).
February 1, 2002... Editor's Note--On the occasion of our 100th birthday, we're ever more aware that POPULAR MECHANICS has not only become an American cultural icon but also touched the lives of many of our readers. You, the reader, make us something special As...

Longtime subscribers. (Letters).
February 1, 2002... My 80-year-old father has been a subscriber since 1936. He had shelf after shelf of POPULAR MECHANICS issues going back to the late '30s. When he moved in with us he had to sell most of them--and actually made a good buck on them. But he kept a...

Time machine.
February 1, 2002... 100 Years Ago: February 1902 Riding High Readers with a fear of heights might have felt uneasy looking at this article about the aerial tramway over Deep Gulch, in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The tram, reaching a height of 2000...

Rare auroras light both poles. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A massive gust of solar wind gave NASA's Polar spacecraft the opportunity to capture the first-ever movie of auroras dancing simultaneously around and over the north and south poles. Auroras occur when fast-moving particles trapped in...

Solar bulldozers dig Mars. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation)).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Tiny solar-powered bulldozers may help dig a toehold on Mars. Weighing only 8 pounds each, they would work in teams. A dozen could quickly clear the over-burden above rock formations and eventually dig trenches for habitats and utility lines....

Nature film delves deep. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... When naturalists learned Sir David Attenborough planned to turn his talents to the sea, they expected to see a stunning documentary. They were surprised to discover his camera team had returned with a bonus--footage of 50 species of fish filmed...

Surf the Net with coins. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A new type of pay phone will let travelers surf the Internet. The WebPhone from Siemens Elasa of Zaragoza, Spain, augments the familiar pay phone with a keyboard, USB port and 12-in. color screen that Siemens says is sturdy enough to endure...

Radar-based cruise control. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The opening of a factory that makes inexpensive gallium arsenide sensors could make radar systems standard equipment on cars. Capable of detecting obstacles as far as 330 ft. away, the new radar will override cruise control to increase or...

Electric separation. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The problem with adhesives strong enough to keep experimental devices attached to jets flying at Mach 2, is getting the glue to let go when the test is done. EIC Laboratories of Norwood, Mass., attacked the problem electronically. It developed...

Futuristic valet parking. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... British engineers have invented a valet you never have to tip. The parking assistant developed at Siemens's Roke Manor Research uses a combination of cameras, radar and ultrasonic sensors. The cameras identify the shape of the parking space...

Return of the variable V8. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... General Motors plans to bring back the variable cylinder engine. GM says it has worked out the noise, shaking and torque problems that plagued its 1970s-era 4-6-8 design. The new Vortec Displacement On Demand engine will operate as a V8...

Gentle chemicals kill anthrax. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A powerful new anthrax killer has some chemical cousins in the typical American home. Several of the active ingredients in the anti-anthrax agent known as Decon Foam are the same ones found in toothpaste and hair conditioner, says its...

Understanding DNA damage. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).
February 1, 2002... The environment surrounding DNA plays a surprisingly important role in determining the health of a cell. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology discovered that the sodium ions in cells control the migration of radical cations...

Historic space lesson. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).
February 1, 2002... Students at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., got a rare history lesson from retired Gens. Chuck Yeager and Joe Engle. Yeager broke the sound barrier. Engle flew the X-15 above the 50-mile threshold of...

New way to sleep, and ride. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A new way to make waves may change the way you sleep, relax and drive. Canadian inventor John Saringer has developed a cheap but rugged mechanical system that uses an electric motor and a cam to produce sinusoidal waves in a sheet of...

Breathing digital air. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A computer model, which shows how fine particles in air pollution move into the nose and through the lungs of a rat, has been developed by scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Wash. To construct their...

Planet watch. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... * ARCTIC OCEAN Scientists report increasing volcanic activity in the the Gakkel Ridge, which runs beneath the North Pole. "We found more hydrothermal activity on the 2001 research cruise than in 20 years of exploration on the Mid-Atlantic...

Sports car of the air. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The seven-place Sino Swearingen SJ30-2 business jet has completed the first two stages of its eight-step static testing program and is on track for first deliveries in mid-2003. A veritable sports car of the air, the all-metal SJ30-2 is...

Electric armor blunts the blow. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Electricity may protect tanks more effectively than steel, ceramics or outward-exploding reactive armor. Army scientists are investigating two technologies. Both use a fiberoptic sensor to detect when a round has struck, and then respond by...

New approach to treating prostate cancer. (Technology watch: aviation * computers * energy * environment * medicine * military robotics * space * transportation).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... A drug that slows the growth of prostate tumors in mice could form the basis of a less invasive treatment for the cancer in men. Produced by Genentech of San Francisco, the drug is called 2C4. It is a member of a class of pharmaceuticals...

Blimps clear hurdles. (Following Up ...).(CargoLifter's CL 75 AirCrane)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... After years of slow progress, lighter-than-air transportation got a big lift this past October when Germany's CargoLifter achieved a critical milestone. The company's CL 75 AirCrane lifted 24 tons about 20 ft. off the ground during a test at...

Space plane grounded. (Following Up ...).(X-33)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The X-33, an experimental air-to-space vehicle to test technology for the Venture Star (a replacement for space shuttles) and a military space plane, crashed and burned before getting anywhere near a launchpad. The lightweight composite-fuel...

RVs get wired. (The Komando report: computers).
February 1, 2002... You and your better half are finally taking that road trip you've always dreamed of. Packing up, picking up and making a move. That's right, it's just the two of you, your RV and the open road. Sure, a cellphone keeps you in touch with...

Come together. (Audio).(iPod MP3 player)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
February 1, 2002... If you're a Mac lover, life just got a little sweeter. And crisper. The iPod MP3 player is Apple's latest coup. Weighing only 6.5 ounces but packing an enormous drive in its designer casing, the iPod is the Mac must-have accessory of the year....

Honda's turbocharged PWC. (PWcs).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... I aim the slender red and white bow up the Colorado River, shift my weight forward like a jockey in the gate and pull the trigger on Honda's new turbocharged personal watercraft. There's a high-pitched whine that grows in intensity and a...

2003 Toyota Corolla. (New Cars).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Think of this all-new Toyota Corolla as a pint-size Camry. From its fit and finish down to the smooth ride, it's bred of Toyota's best-selling genes. This ninth-generation Corolla is longer, taller and wider than any before it. Wheelbase is up...

2003 Toyota Matrix. (New Cars)).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Automakers all crave young buyers. Get 'em while they're young and hopefully they'll stay with you for life. Despite its recent market success, Toyota has had a tough time getting the latest generation into the showroom. To help lure today's...

2002 Yamaha Road Star Warrior. (New Cars).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Yamaha's new Road Star Warrior joins Honda's VTX and Harley-Davidson's V-Rod in the hot performance muscle-cruiser segment. Standing on cruiser tradition, the bike has a V-twin powerplant, low rpm torque, a belt drive, and can be easily...

2002 Porsche 911 Carrera GT2 and 4S. (New Cars).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Porsche continues to fiddle with the already awesome. For 2002, the company has made incremental changes to the venerable 911 series. One important change is the increase of displacement of the flat Six water-cooled engine from 3.4 liters to...

2002 Acura NSX. (New Cars).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Still the engineering tour de force of an engineering-driven company, the NSX has been refined in looks and handling for '02. The changes are subtle but effective, and they help this sports car for many seasons age gracefully. The car's nose...

2002 Triumph Bonneville America. (New Cars).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... Triumph motorcycles disappeared from these shores for a number of years, and have slowly reappeared with a larger selection of models. Capitalizing on the current love affair with cruiser bikes, Triumph is bringing in the Bonneville America....

2005 Ford Crossover Vehicle. (Detroit Spy Report).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Ford will use a highly modified Volvo V70 chassis as the basis for an upcoming crossover vehicle. The still unnamed passenger car/SUV will be sold as a 2005 model. While the sheetmetal on this prototype does not exactly conform to the final...

2003 Saturn S.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... We caught this prototype for the 2003 Saturn S model going through high-speed testing at one of GM's proving grounds in Michigan. While the camouflage covers virtually all of the exterior, it shares much with the current model. The arched...

2004 Ford Fusion. (Detroit Spy Report).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... This Fiesta-based vehicle will be Ford's smallest SUV. The Fusion will feature front-wheel drive with an awd option. A concept version of this vehicle made an appearance at Frankfurt in September. While the concept vehicle was equipped with...

Fail-safe fission. (Physics).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... The alarm in the control room of the Prairie Island 1 reactor, 28 miles southeast of Minneapolis, sounded at 7 am. Inside the adjacent reinforced concrete containment structure, a sensor had detected a sudden drop in the production of neutrons...

Great stuff: from home improvement to outdoors, automotive to electronics, here's the newest gear you'll want to own.(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... 1. Tight Squeeze You may not be able to fit yourself into this 1:24 scale Callaway C12 Corvette, but then, you can't put a full-size model inside a showcase on your shelf. To celebrate 25 years of Callaway cars, the Franklin Mint has...

Pilot down: when fliers land behind enemy lines, the world's hottest combat rescue team swings into action. (Science)(Cover Story).
February 1, 2002... Patches of blue sky, purple rock and swirling sand flash past the open door of the gunship like a series of stop-action photos. We are on the last leg of a spiraling, stomach-churning approach toward a cluster of burned-out tanks that lie...

King of all laptops: one laptop rises to the top of the pack. Check out the mighty Dell Latitude C400. (Computers).(Brief Article)(Evaluation)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... If a svelte but powerful laptop is what you desire, Dell Computer's new Latitude C400 could be the perfect mate. At 3.8 pounds and 1 in. thick, it's about the size of a child's picture book. And unlike the hefty monsters of the past, the C400...

Stories by the rich and famous: what do Babe Ruth, Buzz Aldrin, Winston Churchill and Bob Hope have in common? They're a few of the famous people who have written for us in the past 100 years. (From the Annals of Popular Mechanics).
February 1, 2002... Want to know how to hit the perfect home run? We did too, so we had Babe Ruth explain how he did it in the pages of POPULAR MECHANICS in 1928. Think privacy in wireless communication is a new issue? Think again. Guglielmo Marconi sounded the...

This is your life: save every memory with these new and easy digital video cameras. (Video).
February 1, 2002... Everyone's a critic. But this shouldn't stop you from making the home movies you've always dreamed about. Armed with the latest in digital video camera technology, you could be the next Steven Soderbergh. Okay, that's a stretch, but if you...

Go Army! We join the Army as an associate sponsor on an NHRA Top Fuel dragster. (Motorsports).
February 1, 2002... Poised to launch for a 4.5-second burst to the stripe painted across the pavement a quarter-mile away, the U.S. Army Top Fuel drag race machine piloted by Tony Schumacher expresses power in the most unrestrained form imaginable. Idling with a...

Long-term test cars: bye, bye birdies. Half our fleet leaves us. (Update).(Evaluation)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... As you read this, exactly half of our vehicles are driving off into the sunset, their test stints complete. As we eagerly await the arrival of our newest recruits, we look back at how well their predecessors fared. Subaru Outback H6-3.0...

Wrapped to go: we put our Centennial Tour in gear and head out for a Western roll.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Our Centennial Tour Coachmen Cross Country motorhome is hitting the road all decked out in its birthday suit. You can't miss it. The RV has the Coachmen "smiling face" front end, and, of course, the POPULAR MECHANICS 100th Anniversary logo...

Anniversary chair: the first in a new furniture line designed to commemorate 100 years of Popular Mechanics. (Furniture).
February 1, 2002... No woodworker of 100 years ago could have guessed what lay in store--what amazing new tools and materials waited in the wings. Who could have known that compact, powerful electric motors would come to dominate every basement workshop activity?...

Power trip.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... If it's power and reliability that you want, look no further than No. 27524, a 48-in. garden tractor equipped with an automatic transmission and a liquid-cooled, 23-hp V-twin Kohler engine. The engine's radiator is top mounted to keep it clean...

Get wired.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Almost every toolbox has a beat-up electrical tool in it--you know, the one you bought because it was cheap. Craftsman has introduced a suite of six electrical tools that are models of substance and innovation. Model 82563, shown here, is built...

Power on tap.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... What's the good of having adequate power at the outlet if you can't get it to the tool? Exactly. Craftsman's automatic-winding cord reel carries 40 ft. of 12-ga. cable crowned with a triple-tap outlet on its end. It carries 15 amps over its...

Air power.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... Craftsman went the extra mile for its customers on this one-of-a-kind product: a lightweight air tool that fires 1/4-in. crown staples from 3/4 to 1 1/2 in. long and 16-ga. brad nails from 3/4 to 2 in. long. Its magazine capacity is...

Rip hit.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... We can't speak for everyone at the conference, but we'll say this about the Accu-Rip: It was a hit. The 17-ounce device is the first really good circular saw guide that we've ever seen. It's made from extruded aluminum, and its workmanship and...

Socket to 'em.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
February 1, 2002... For sheer cleverness, the Companion Ready Ratchet is hard to beat. Rotate its endcap counter-clockwise and draw out the socket tray inside. The tray holds seven 12-point sockets in 1/16-in. increments from 3/8 to 3/4 in. And its price makes it...

Air to spare.(design of new air compressor from Craftsman)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Question: How much air power does Craftsman's new 150-psi compressor offer? Answer: Plenty. Enough to run four framing nailers at once, the company says, and even enough to compete with 220-volt machines of similar capacity. Sears says this...

Not the same old saw.(compound miter saw with laser beam)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Woodworking may be as old as the ages, but it gets a high-tech twist with the Craftsman 10-in. compound miter saw equipped with Laser Trac. The device shoots a laser line onto the workpiece to indicate where the 40-tooth carbide blade will cut....

Homeowners clinic. (Journal).(electronic air cleaning systems; warning devices; hot-water heater maintenance; thermostat)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... Electronic Air Cleaners How effective are the electronic air cleaning systems that can be retrofitted to an existing furnace? Are they easily installed? JACK LEE BOWIE, MD There are a number of companies that manufacture electronic...

How To Use Your Multitester. (Review: Help Using A Multitester).
February 1, 2002... Regardless of whether you call it a multitester or a multimeter, unless you use the device regularly it's unlikely that you'll be able to use it effectively when it comes time to diagnose an electrical problem. How To Use Your Multitester is a...

Auto clinic. (Car Care).(maintenance issues for several vehicles)
February 1, 2002... The Iceman Cometh I have a 1996 Olds Cutlass Supreme. During a recent trip I noticed the ride was extremely rough. When I examined the car, I noticed the front end was lower than normal, and the struts wouldn't compress when I pushed down...

Repairing composite headlamps. (Saturday Mechanic).(in automobiles)
February 1, 2002... It's your first chance in months to get out of Dodge. It'll be great to pack up some cold ones, a couple of fishing rods and some old clothes and escape to the country for a day or two. But as you leave the mercury-vapor-illuminated metroplex,...

Think it's new? Think again! (Ergonomic Reading Table).(Brief Article)
February 1, 2002... PRESENT Read and write: Levenger's Reader's Table Two makes reading and writing a pleasure in any situation. * Can't relax while reading--even in your favorite easy chair--because your back, neck or arms hurt? It's a common problem...