Donald E. Simanek
Donald is emeritus professor of physics at Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. Visit his pages of science, pseudoscience, and humor: www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek.Author of these Magazine Articles
Screwy Light
Use throwaway 3D movie glasses to experiment with linear and circular polarized light.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
32: Design for Makers page 148
Things You Can't Make
Simple tricks of illusion make the impossible a reality.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
30: Smarter Homes page 152
The Slow Fall
Dropping a magnet through an aluminum tube takes longer than you’d think. Why?
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
28: Toys and Games page 152
Kinetic Illusion Toys
Deceive the eye with impossible falling motion.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
26: Karts and Wheels page 148
Fooling Around with Pulleys
MAKE readers hope that the things they make will work as intended. That doesn't always happen. Meet the fool's tackle.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
23: Gadgets page 160
Puzzle of the Crowned Pulleys
Real-world problems in physics sometimes take quite a while to figure out, unlike the contrived problems in textbooks that must be solved by next week.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
22: Remote Control / Wireless page 158
Toolbox
A simply great calculator, laundry alternatives, a look at music, and the 3D camera you’ve been waiting for.
In
Toolbox
from MAKE:
21: Desktop Manufacturing page 152
The Chinese South-Pointing Chariot
For fun or function? A Chinese south-pointing chariot.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
21: Desktop Manufacturing page 160
Golden Star Origami
Make a five-pointed star with a single cut.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
19: Robots page 164
Reflections on an Illusion
An illusion that never ceases to fascinate is the mirror-produced "real image" -- you'll reach out to grasp it, but your fingers close only on thin air.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
18: ReMake America page 164
The Spinning Cylinder Illusion
This is a toy, a puzzle, and an illusion all in one, with only one moving part. No batteries are required. I like simplicity, especially when it produces puzzling complexity.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
16: Spy Tech page 172
The Penetrating Magnets Illusion
Magnets are fascinating things, and they behave in unexpected ways. I will show you a little-known property of magnets, which actually allows them to pass through one another.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
15: Music page 166
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
Martin Gardner's mathemagic.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
13: Magic page 174
Mathemagician
At 92, philosopher Martin Gardner is still exploring the perplexities of math, science, mystery, and magic.
In
Maker
from MAKE:
12: Upload page 80
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
Putting a spin on a puzzle.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
12: Upload page 188
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
Friction. There's the rub.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
11: Alt Vehicles page 169
Toolbox
The best tools, software, publications, and websites. Plus: Favorite Things as chosen by the bike-crazed editors of Momentum magazine.
In
Toolbox
from MAKE:
11: Alt Vehicles page 174
Toolbox
Get started in electronics, eliminate red eye the old-school way, and touch up your walls with the screw of a lid.
In
Toolbox
from MAKE:
10: Home Electronics page 168
Reinventing the Square Wheel
Unlimited allure: the perennial search for perpetual motion.
From MAKE:
09: Fringe page 70
Toolbox
Read about crop circles, make your own temporary tattoos, and take crystal-clear photos with a circular polarizing filter.
In
Toolbox
from MAKE:
09: Fringe page 172
Photographer for these Magazine Articles
Screwy Light
Use throwaway 3D movie glasses to experiment with linear and circular polarized light.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
32: Design for Makers page 148
The Slow Fall
Dropping a magnet through an aluminum tube takes longer than you’d think. Why?
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
28: Toys and Games page 152
Fooling Around with Pulleys
MAKE readers hope that the things they make will work as intended. That doesn't always happen. Meet the fool's tackle.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
23: Gadgets page 160
Toolbox
A simply great calculator, laundry alternatives, a look at music, and the 3D camera you’ve been waiting for.
In
Toolbox
from MAKE:
21: Desktop Manufacturing page 152
The Chinese South-Pointing Chariot
For fun or function? A Chinese south-pointing chariot.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
21: Desktop Manufacturing page 160
Reflections on an Illusion
An illusion that never ceases to fascinate is the mirror-produced "real image" -- you'll reach out to grasp it, but your fingers close only on thin air.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
18: ReMake America page 164
The Spinning Cylinder Illusion
This is a toy, a puzzle, and an illusion all in one, with only one moving part. No batteries are required. I like simplicity, especially when it produces puzzling complexity.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
16: Spy Tech page 172
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
Martin Gardner's mathemagic.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
13: Magic page 174
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
Putting a spin on a puzzle.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
12: Upload page 188
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
Friction. There's the rub.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
11: Alt Vehicles page 169
Illustrator for these Magazine Articles
Things You Can't Make
Simple tricks of illusion make the impossible a reality.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
30: Smarter Homes page 152
The Slow Fall
Dropping a magnet through an aluminum tube takes longer than you’d think. Why?
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
28: Toys and Games page 152
Fooling Around with Pulleys
MAKE readers hope that the things they make will work as intended. That doesn't always happen. Meet the fool's tackle.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
23: Gadgets page 160
The Spinning Cylinder Illusion
This is a toy, a puzzle, and an illusion all in one, with only one moving part. No batteries are required. I like simplicity, especially when it produces puzzling complexity.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
16: Spy Tech page 172
The Penetrating Magnets Illusion
Magnets are fascinating things, and they behave in unexpected ways. I will show you a little-known property of magnets, which actually allows them to pass through one another.
In
Toys, Tricks, and Teasers
from MAKE:
15: Music page 166
