RSSVolume 07: Backyard Biology
Available as a Single Volume
Volume 07: Backyard Biology
Hack your plants, extract your DNA, 70's soapbox saga, build a videocam rocket, and head-mounted water cannon.
View a list of all links referenced in this volume
Table of Contents
Maker's Corner by Dan Woods
in Maker's Corner
Advice and news for MAKE readers. Page 12
News from the Future by Tim O'Reilly
in News from the Future
Virtual meets real. Page 13
The Simplest Thing That Could Possibly Work by Merlin Mann, Danny O’Brien
in Life Hacks
Get more done by trying to do less. Page 14
A for Anything by Cory Doctorow
in Make Free
Creative destruction opens more doors than it closes. Page 16
Penny-Powered LED by Matthew Ruschmann
in 123
Power an LED with some salty water and $1.21. Page 17
Made On Earth by David Albertson, Xeni Jardin, Arwen O'Reilly, Bruce Stewart, Megan Mansell Williams
in Made on Earth
Report from the world of backyard technology. Page 18 
Download Sample PDF of this article.
The Interventionists by Bruce Sterling
in Hands On
The "creative class": tech geeks and fine artists are jostling onto the same page. Page 26
Mark Pauline's Machine Mayhem by David Pescovitz
in Maker
For nearly three decades, Survival Research Laboratories has redirected the technology of industry, science, and the military to create the most dangerous theater on Earth. Page 28
Spinout by Colin Berry
Was building a Soap Box Derby racer my brother's last best chance at escaping his fate? Page 36
Shopping Cart Chair by Tim Anderson
in Heirloom Technology
Turn a shopping cart into a comfortable and stylish wheelchair. Page 40
Garage Biotech by Bob Parks
in Proto
For a safer world, Drew Endy wants everyone to engineer life from the ground up. Page 42
How To How-to by Saul Griffith
in Making Trouble
Use a head-mounted video camera to produce instructions for making things. Page 46
Genuine Ingenuity by Dale Dougherty
True stories and authentic experiences at the first annual Maker Faire. Page 48
Digi-Comp Redux by Tim Walker
in Maker
A maker in the middle recreates a kit classic. Page 49
Magnetic Switches from Everyday Things by Cy Tymony
in 123
Control many devices from afar with the magnetically sensitive Sneaky Switch. Page 51
Arduino Fever by Daniel Jollife
in Maker
The tale of a cute, blue microcontroller that fits nicely in the palm of your hand, and the expanding community of developers who love and support it. Page 52
Life and Death at Low Temperatures by Charles Platt
How to freeze and revive a garden snail. Page 54 Download Sample PDF of this article.
A Sublime Machine by Mike Kuniavsky
Mike Wilder makes Lego robots for time-lapse 3D videos of carnivorous plants. Page 57
Kitchen Counter DNA Lab by Dr. Shawn Carlson
Extract, purify, and experiment with the blueprint of life. Page 59
Home Molecular Genetics by UBC Advanced Molecular Biology Lab
Extract, fingerprint, and replicate your own DNA. Page 65
Hack Your Plants! by Robert Luhn
Play God in your garden--create custom fruits, flowers, veggies, and more. Page 72
Rocket-Launched Camcorder by John Maushammer
Hack a $30, single-use camcorder to make it reusable, then launch it up in a model rocket and capture thrilling astronaut's view footage of high-speed neighborhood escape and re-entry. Page 78
The Two-Can Stirling Engine by William Gurstelle
The Stirling engine has long captivated inventors and dreamers. Here are complete plans for building and operating a two-cylinder model that runs on almost any high-temperature heat source. Page 90 Download Sample PDF of this article.
Home Mycology Lab by Philip Ross
Use an off-the-shelf home air purifier to make a laminar flow hood for your own miniature mycology lab. Then use it to culture and grow mushrooms, and to perform other experiments that require a clean-room environment. Page 102
Head-Mounted Water Cannon by John Young
in DIY: Outdoors
Use steel fire-extinguisher power to pummel plastic squirt toys. Page 111
Weatherproof Wi-Fi Access Point by Will O'Brien
in DIY: Outdoors
Outdoor router with minimal coaxial run maximizes network range. Page 114
Convertible Jockey Box by Carlo Longino
in DIY: Outdoors
Portable cooler taps and dispenses ice-cold beer from both kegs and mini-kegs. Page 119
Beepkiller: Parental Revenge by Erica Sadun
in DIY: Home
Three ways to silence annoying toys. Page 121
iPod Video Converter Cable by Erica Sadun
in DIY: Home
An easier way to watch iPod video on your TV. Page 123
Automate Your Voicemail Greeting by Dave Mabe
in DIY: Home
Program Asterisk to daily update your outgoing message in your own voice. Page 126
USB-Powered Fan by Erica Sadun
in DIY: Computers
12 easy steps to a cooler you. Page 127
Installing Bluetooth Internally on an iBook by Timothy B. Hewitt
in DIY: Computers
Tuck a USB wireless adapter inside the case. Page 129
Thumb Life by Russ Ethington
in DIY: Computers
USB keydrive lets you listen to, read, and play what you want on any machine. Page 131
El Cheapo Cantenna by Will O'Brien
in DIY: Mobile
"Mountain Grown" coffee can makes homegrown wi-fi range extender. Page 133
Backup Power To Go by Erica Sadun
in DIY: Mobile
9V battery USB-compatible charger juices up portables in a pinch. Page 135
Palm Pilot Notebook by Allen Wong
in DIY: Mobile
Modified hardback book contains extra-powered PDA and travel keyboard. Page 138
Scribbler Bot by Douglas McDonald
in DIY: Imaging
Homemade two-axis plotter finds work as a cariacature artist. Page 141
How to Drink Beer on C-SPAN by Bill Barminski
in DIY: Imaging
Put yourself into somebody else's video. Page 144
Monster MIDI Detector by David Battino
in DIY: Music
Here's an easy-to-build MIDI detector packaged in a small Japanese action figure. Page 147
Duct Tape and Cyclotrons by Michael Shapiro
in Maker Trips
Incredible machines at thte Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Page 152
The Bugeye Lens by Joost Bonsen, Nick Dragotta, Saul Griffith
in Howtoons
Water droplet lens with special bottle-cap twist focus. Page 154
MakeShift by Lee D. Zlotoff
in MakeShift
The creator of MacGyver challenges you to save a man stuck in a fissure filled with toxic gas. Page 156
MIDI Control by Peter Kirn
in Primer
Music equipment language isn't just for audio anymore. Page 158
Toolbox by Rob Bullington, Saul Griffith, Ty Nowotny, Tim O'Reilly, Ross Orr, Joseph Pasquini, Dave Prochnow, Matthew Russell
in Toolbox
Create ant farm documentaries, play record albums with a plastic cup, and dosome pocket-sized instant messaging. Page 166
Digital Spelunking by Tom Owad
in Retrocomputing
Unearthing ancient Apple II files on AOL. Page 176
Puzzle This by Michael H. Pryor
in Aha!
MAKE's favorite puzzles. Page 177
Workshops, Big and Very Small by Mister Jalopy
in Blast from the Past
Build a stowable mini workshop for modest tasks like lamp rewiring and scissor sharpening and soon you'll be building your dreams. Page 178
Reader Input
in Reader Input
Where makers tell their tales and offer praise, brickbats, and swell ideas. Page 182
Maker's Calender by William Gurstelle
in Maker's Calendar
Our favorite events from around the world - September, October, and November 2006. Page 186
iTune In, Turn On, Make Stuff by Phillip Torrone
in Tales from the MAKE: Blog
Looking for a weekend project or steam-powered robots? All aboard! Take a tour of the new video features, including projects, interviews, and virtual tours. Page 187
Strange Love by George Dyson
in Retrospect
Or, how they learned to start worrying and love to hate the bomb. Page 188 Download Sample PDF of this article.
My Robosapien in a Can by Dave Prochnow
in Homebrew
Page 192
Extras
Additional content for this volume available only online.
MakeShift 07: Analysis, Commentary, and Winners
by Lee D. Zlotoff;
January 05, 2007
MakeShift 07: Erik Brown's Most Plausible Winning Entry
by Lee D. Zlotoff;
January 05, 2007
MakeShift 07: Greg Hora's Most Creative Winning Entry
Greg Hora's entry was awarded the MakeShift Master Creative award for his solution to MakeShift 07.
by Lee D. Zlotoff;
January 05, 2007
Mulitimedia for this Volume
High-Flying Video from Rocket-Launched Camcorder
Footage captured by John Maushammer's rocket-launched camcorder.
Download now: MPEG
Launch 1 from Rocket-Launched Camcorder
Download now: MPEG
Launch 2 from Rocket-Launched Camcorder
Download now: MPEG
Monster MIDI Detector from Monster MIDI Detector
Download now: QuickTime .MOV
Steam Rover on Grass from Made On Earth
Steambot action video.
Download now: Windows Media Player
Steam Rover Climbing from Made On Earth
Steambot action video.
Download now: Windows Media Player
Top View of Steam Rover from Made On Earth
Steambot action shot.
Download now: Windows Media Player
Ground View of Steam Rover from Made On Earth
Steambot action video.
Download now: Windows Media Player
Steam Rover Pulling from Made On Earth
Steambot action video.
Download now: Windows Media Player
MAKE: Amends Errata for this volume.
| Where it appears | Penny-Powered LED, Page 17 |
| The error | In the Penny-Powered LED article on page 17, we implied there was zinc on the outside of the dimes, when in fact there isn't any zinc on the exterior surface of any U.S. coins -- it's all nickel. Zinc is too soft and reactive, but there is still enough potential between the nickel and the copper to make a battery. However, it would work better with zinc. |
| Where it appears | Home Molecular Genetics, Page 66 |
| The error | The batteries shown in the "Gel Box" illustration on page 67 of Volume 07 are shown connected in parallel. The text, however, explains setting the batteries up in series. Setting the batteries up in parallel will push the DNA through more slowly, so we recommend setting them up in series, as stated in the text of the article. Here's a revised illustration. |
| Where it appears | Home Molecular Genetics, Page 67 |
| The error | On p. 67, "Prepare the DNA," the amount of running buffer should read "75 µl (3 droplets)." In "Stain the Gel," the dilution ratio for 2.3% Methylene Blue should be 115:1. |
| Where it appears | Home Molecular Genetics, Page 69 |
| The error | In the diagram on p. 69, mineral oil only surrounds the reaction tube; the PCR reaction mix inside the tube is a water-based solution. See http://scq.ubc.ca/MAKE for a full discussion of the project. |
| Where it appears | Hack Your Plants!, Page 74 |
| The error | In the Tips, Tricks, and Traps section on page 74 in Volume 07 the fifth bulleted item should express degrees in Fahrenheit, not Celsius.
The sentence should read: "Keep your scions cool. "Dormant scion wood -- stems from pear, apple, peach, cherry, and other trees -- is best stored between 30 and 38 degrees [Fahrenheit]," notes Real. |
| Where it appears | The Two-Can Stirling Engine, Page 92 |
| The error | The direction of rotation of the pulleys is incorrect. Here's a corrected PDF of the page. |
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