DIY science is the perfect way to use your creative skills and learn something new. With the right supplies, some determination, and a curious mind, you can create amazing experiments that open up a whole world of possibilities. At home-made laboratories or tech workshops, makers from all backgrounds can explore new ideas by finding ways to study their environment in novel ways – allowing them to make breathtaking discoveries!
So why is the grass nearly up to the window? Even if you just lived through the rains of 2009, your neighbors probably expect you to do your suburban duty of maintaining your piece of the neatly trimmed green ribbon of society. Since yours is likely a four-stroke gasoline engine, you might enjoy this visualization […]
You can thank Nikola Tesla for helping you read this. Before his harnessing of the energy of Niagara Falls, most electricity was transmitted via direct current. Tesla pioneered the use of alternating current that is used in our electric grid. Check into the documentary film excerpted above for more info and links.
MAKE subscriber “Cobbler” sent us this video and a note: Remember the first issue? Here’s my video of the homopolar motor project that was featured there. The motor works like a charm. It is mesmerizing to watch and makes a cool conversation piece for your cubicle. Update: The motor Cobbler built is actually different than […]
Interesting urban design pops up in Toronto. A really creative approach to guerrilla gardening. The planter is made from layers of old advertising flyers!
This is a great how-to for reclaiming solar cells from old, or broken, electronics. It looks like a fairly easy process that can save you some money on your next solar powered project. More about Salvaging solar cells for your projects Related: In the Maker Shed: SolarSpeeder 2.0 Kit
Design News has an article and slide show piece on electric dragsters. The car pictured here is Mike Willmon’s electric Pinto, the Crazyhorse. The infamous Pinto gas tank (and the back seat) has been replaced with 848 lbs of lead-acid battery. The car is powered by two nine-inch diameter brush DC motors, coupled back-to-back. The […]
Peter Semmelhack, Founder and CEO of Bug Labs, sent us the following piece on creating an open source movement in health care technology. We thought it was interesting and something MAKE readers might want to chew over and chime in on. – Gareth This is my first attempt at putting into words what I’ve been […]
