Alligator clips

Simple Electric Motor

Simple Electric Motor

Everybody thinks that you could just buy a motor at a hobby shop, but here’s how to make your own, preferably for science fairs.

The Wimshurst Influence Machine

The Wimshurst Influence Machine

When assembling a proper laboratory, the gentleman or lady experimenter should be sure to include a Wimshurst electrostatic generating machine. This device will serve tirelessly in investigations into the field of natural philosophy, and provide interesting parlor games such as the โ€œelectric kiss.โ€ Herein we will demonstrate the construction of such a spectacular device, with […]

Circuit-Bend Your Casio SK Keyboard

Circuit-Bend Your Casio SK Keyboard

By Cristiana Yambo and Sebastian Boaz The easiest way to start circuit bending is โ€œplaying open circuits.โ€ Thatโ€™s where you open up an audio device and use your hands or alligator clips to mess with the board inside and see what it sounds like. But itโ€™s almost as easy to permanently โ€œbendโ€ any suitable device […]

Hydrogen-Oxygen Bottle Rocket

Hydrogen-Oxygen Bottle Rocket

Use electricity to split tap water into hydrogen and oxygen gases, then use this explosive gas mixture to power a two-stage, electronically timed rocket.