In this article, I'll show you how to make an awesome "Death Ray" using the large magnifying lens from an old projection TV. The lens is called a Fresnel lens; a device that employs several ridges to focus light, rather than a complete curve. When sunlight passes through the ...more
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has been widely used by the military for surveillance and reconnaissance missions—even armed combat. But there are other beneficial applications of an unmanned aircraft, such as search and rescue operations, scientific exploration, lo ...more
Vintage plans for building motorbikes, lawnmowers, and old automobiles are fun to browse, but who actually builds them? Meet Bob Ferry, a 51-year-old machinist from Louisville, Kentucky. According to Inside Google Books, Ferry dug through Google's massive catalogue of 3 milli ...more
Remember what life was like before your iPhone? Before there were palm-sized smartphones with seemingly endless features, there were phones like Motorola's RAZR that peaked with its embedded camera. Before that, there were simple flip phones with texting capabilities, bulky tw ...more
Just the other day, we featured Perry Watkins' "Wind Up" mini car, plus his extreme lowrider, the "Flatmobile". Both impressive. But somehow I missed Watkins' most delightfully absurd vehicle. "FastFood" is a 130 mph Queen Anne dining room table, complete with the fine silver ...more
You may think you'll never be in an emergency situation, but you can never be too prepared! This video provides excellent tips on what to bring and do in an emergency situation. It takes only a small investment of your time and money to be prepared should you run into a probl ...more
If you want to save money on your electric bill, try building some of these solar panels using solar cells wired in a series. You can save money by using extra glass you or a friend may already own if it isn't being used. Soon you can harness the power of the sun by creating y ...more
What happens when a bunch of Bollywood filmmakers unleash their imagination with the aid of Maya and After Effects (plus lots and lots of paisas)? The sci-fi flick Enthiran (Robot), the most expensive Indian film ever produced. Non-stop action, violence, explosions... absolut ...more
Yep, anything (on Earth). Below, BBC One's Bang Goes the Theory demonstrates how normal sunshine can become a lethal heat-ray of 3,500 degrees celsius (with the aid of a high-performance solar furnace). That's hot enough to melt rocks. More by Bang Goes The Theory: Vortex Can ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to read the information displays inside a 2010 Prius. There are a lot of features on the Prius that can improve your fuel economy. The energy monitor and hybrid system indicator can help you save gas and tell you how your car is running, along wi ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to jump start a car using another car's battery. First, you will need to position the two cars in front of each other. Turn off both of the cars completely, then attach the jumper cables. You need to connect the positive post of the dead battery ...more
Electrical diagrams are hard to read for all but the most mechanically-inclined, and the ones for the power windows on cars are notoriously complicated. This three-part video will teach you how to read these diagrams and make sense of what you see. Part 1 of 3 - How to Read a ...more
A group of New Zealand students have designed the ultimate green addition for eco-friendly living: a "clip-on" Plant Room. The Plant Room is a small cubic room that bolts to the exterior of a building, allowing extra space for the typical cramped city dweller. The space is in ...more
If you own a Toyota Tundra and are looking to change things up a bit inside your car, this tutorial may be what you need. In this video you'll find out how to install a TRD supercharger to your truck. More specifically, a 2008 Toyota Tundra 5.7L V8. Adding a supercharger is a ...more
Or at least that's what Nick Homer and Stewart Clyde, students at Brigham Young University, claim. Nick and Stewart say: "Of course we get all the ladies..." But sadly their chick magnet has been banned: "Two twelve volt car batteries power the broken wheel chair moving the ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to clear the check engine light on your dashboard. This could be caused from an over-boost from the turbo charger that the engine does not recognize. The solution is to grab a tuner device and plug it into the car. Wait for it to power up, then g ...more
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to solve power steering moans. Users will need a vacuum pump. Begin by filling reservoir about half way full. Then draw a vacuum of approximately 20"/Hg and let the vacuum sit for 5 minutes. Now recheck the fluid level in the reservoir ...more
Like a timing belt, a serpentine belt is an important tool that helps make sure that various tools are working. A/C, alternator, and power steering pump are just a small set of examples. Finding the right one for your car is easy, but adding it to your car can be a very diffic ...more
In order to clean and restore your headlights, you will need the following materials: razor blades, tape, liquid rubbing compound, and a power polisher. Tape the area surrounding the headlight. To remove the yellowing film, scrape it with a razor blade. This is an alternative ...more
Gas prices haven't significantly lowered for some time and it looks like they won't either. So some people are trying to find another way to fill up their cars in order to get to work or wherever else they need to go. One way is by making ehtanol fuel or gas. This is a great w ...more
It's simple: if you've got a brushed motor, you'll want to break it in under controlled circumstances before taking it out into the world. Why break in your engine? The main idea of breaking in your engine is to wear down your engine's brush so as to maximize surface contact w ...more
Have your battery tested. If your battery is at least 3 years old, take it to a certified automotive repair facility. You do not want your battery, whose power is reduced by 50 percent during the cold weather, to go dead while you're in the middle of a snowstorm. If they are y ...more
Last year WonderHowTo's favorite daredevil Travis Pastrana attempted to land the world's very first monster truck backflip. Unfortunately, it didn't quite work out as he had hoped. Here's what happened: Now, one year later, Pastrana's fellow Nitro Circus stuntman, Cam McQueen, ...more
We have seen it before (previous post: Human Powered Ferris Wheel), but it never gets any less amazing. Talk about resourcefulness. No need for electricity. Use humans to power your ferris wheel (if you had one sitting around... I wish I had one). Via Make, "At the Hindu Swas ...more
Save that last slice of pizza! You can reheat it in its own container, using the sun's power. Turn a pizza box into a solar oven. You Will Need * A large pizza box * A ruler * A black marker * A box cutter or utility knife * Heavy-duty aluminum foil * All-purpose glue * Sciss ...more
For most automotive applications a battery needs to supply a lot of current for a short period of time to turn over the engine and get the car started. With the engine running, the car's alternator produces all the power the car needs. Thin plates inside a starting battery inc ...more
This vehicle video tutorial contains a basic testing procedure using an automotive fuel pressure gauge as a detection tool. Correct fuel pressure and fuel pressure regulator operation is essential for your truck or car's engine to operate properly. Many engine run-ability prob ...more
Graffiti is a great way of getting your message out to the masses. The earliest known graffiti dates back to 30,000 years ago and used the traditional apply-paint-to-wall technique. Though our paint now comes in cans and not from scavenged berries, the actual graffiti process ...more
With give or take 250 million cars in America, odds are most city dwellers waste time hunting for parking spots. And while a smartphone app can't make free parking spots magically appear, it can aid in the searching process. The Parker app isn't new to the iPhone, but its fou ...more
Back in the '80s, I was just a kid with a LEGO hobby. I remember building castles and floating boats, spaceships and monster trucks, even a working LEGO train powered by battery, lights and all. But I wasn't aware of the advancements underway in the educational department—lik ...more
Understandably, the tragedy in Japan has substantially risen the level of worldwide radiation-related hysteria. So much so, as an alternative to stampeding health food stores for iodine tablets, crafty individuals and organizations are hacking together personal radiation detec ...more
LIFE magazine has posted a gallery of bizarrely wonderful old school scientific models. Don't miss the giant fetus or massive colon (double ew). Behold, science education before computers ruled our world. A girl scout leans in to take a closer look at an enclosed model of the ...more
Science-fiction writer Jules Verne predicted many scientific breakthroughs, including the moon landing, tasers, and nuclear submarines. In his 1874 book The Mysterious Island, Verne writes: I believe that water will one day be employed as fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen which ...more
We've all heard of the power that red wine holds. It can help lower risks of heart disease, boost your brain power, and can even recharge your car battery. But last year, a group of Japanese physicists made headlines when they announced that they could induce superconductivity ...more
The fifth (B-5) of the National B License Tests in Gran Turismo 5 on the PlayStation 3 is all about basic cornering. This video will show you how to get the gold trophy! If you haven't unlocked these tests yet, all you need to do is purchase your first car. B-5: Basic Corneri ...more
Sounds like an odd bragging right, but hold your horses, artist Hannes Langeder's handmade Porsche is pretty damn interesting. "The bicycle Porsche functions as signifier for the fascination with the figure of an automobile that has lasted since the 1950s; yet Hannes Langeder ...more
Interested in chakras? Boost the seven energy centers from the base of your spine to the top of your head for optimum health and vitality. Learn how to awaken chakras with help from this video. What you will need: • Controlled breathing • Knowledge of chakra properties • F ...more
Learn to use solar heat to kill bedbugs with this video! 1. Take a dark plastic bag or a vacuum bag. 2. Make sure it is intact. Don't use bags with holes! 3. Place a piece of clothing or bedding in it. Don't over fill the bag! 4. Close the bag. 5. Make sure that it is firmly c ...more
Can you barely keep your eyes open at work? So bored you could sleep through the entire day? Seinfeld's George Costanza built a bed under his desk, but we'll tell you how to be a bit more subtle. Here's some tips on how to get a some quick shut-eye at work. You Will Need: • ...more
Whether you have to move into your car or you want to, there are some bases you need to cover. This Howcast guide demonstrates how to live out of your car. This is also helpful for cross country trips. You Will Need * Pillows * Blankets or a sleeping bag * A cooler * A camp s ...more
Infiniti is like no other car, it has emotion, it has soul, it inspires. There's a difference between being physically transported and emotionally moved, and you can tell them apart when you sit inside this magnificent automobile. Although the Infiniti is like a dream car, it ...more
Infiniti is like no other car, it has emotion, it has soul, it inspires. There's a difference between being physically transported and emotionally moved, and you can tell them apart when you sit inside this magnificent automobile. Although the Infiniti is like a dream car, it ...more
A CNC router machine is probably the most useful tool a hobbyist can own, but the price for a CNC machine on the market is way more than the average hobbyist is willing to spend. You can build your own CNC with very basic tools, little knowledge of machinery, mechanics, or ele ...more
Gran Turismo 5 cars, such as the Suzuki Cappuccino, drift with a lot of body motion and weight shifting. Get free Gran Turismo 5 tips and hints on how to drift with front engine rear wheel drive cars, such as the Suzuki Cappuccino with lower power in this free video. Drift wit ...more
Watch this automotive video tutorial to see how to scan your automobile for diagnostic trouble codes. If you see a "check engine" or a "service engine soon" light in your instrument cluster; your car has stored a diagnostic trouble code. This means the computer system on your ...more
It turns out that the popularity of soft circuit electronics has leaked out of the interwebs and into the hands of the U.S. military. Soft circuit electronics allow you to literally sew electronics circuits into fabric using flexible conductive thread instead of wire. Soft cir ...more
Chris Burden's latest piece is a portrait of L.A.'s hot mess of traffic, entitled Metropolis II. The artist has constructed a miniature highway system, complete with 1,200 custom-designed cars, 18 lanes, 13 toy trains and tracks, and a landscape of buildings made with wood blo ...more
Hey wizards! I've compiled a list of all the Sun, Moon and Star spells you can learn, who to learn it from and what level is required to use it. Sorry, no pics. Scroll down to the bottom for links.Solar Spell List Enchantments Cloak - 0 pips Effect: Cloak a Ward or Charm Locat ...more
Look what came in the mail today! The File Cabinet from hell. Die hard Jackass fan and file cabinet mod-junkie Jeff Dahlin tracked us down to drop off this gem at WonderHowTo HQ today. It is his official entry for the Jackass Prank Contest. It has three wheels.... so it's a tr ...more
It is the file cabinet from Hell. Look what came in the mail today! Die hard Jackass fan and file cabinet mod-junkie Jeff Dahlin tracked us down to drop off this gem at WonderHowTo HQ today. It is his official entry for the Jackass Prank Contest. It's a three-wheeler, does tha ...more
Feeling unprepared for the next earthquake? In this tutorial, learn what to do and what not to do to survive "the big one". You'll be surprised to learn that hiding in a doorway is a myth! You Will Need: • A safe place • Sturdy shoes • A fire extinguisher • A flashlight ...more
Solar power is one way that people have found to conserve energy. Learn how to install a solar panel from a professional in this free energy conservation video series. Part 1 of 20 - How to Install solar panels. Install solar panels - Part 2 of 20. Click through to watch this ...more
Today's fancy cars come with all sorts of options, from power mirrors to working seat belts. Some of us condemned to live in the reality of capitalist recession have no car, or perhaps a very modest one. But your modest car can still have some cutting edge technology wedged in ...more
I have an absolutely wonderful time making projects and writing articles for all of you mad scientists! Today, I will bring you behind the scenes for a look at the workbench, tools, and software that make the Mad Science World possible. Above is my beautiful workbench! My who ...more
How do you review an app that refuses to work for you? I was quite excited this week to review iCinegraph, an iPhone App that simplifies the creation of cinemagraphs. However, if this was a car review it'd be the kind of review where the car under consideration is never able t ...more
If you haven't had a pile of pipe and fittings to play with before, it's hard to see what is so cool about a plain, plastic pipe. All it does in the house is carry the poop away. Really, who cares? It's hard to even decide where to begin here. The first chance I personally ha ...more
Back in the Super Nintendo days, playing one RPG after the other, memorizing maps and mazes became second nature if you didn't want to look at the mini map or get lost often. I would make it a point to memorize corners and the overall structure of the dungeon or location, so t ...more
We've gathered some of our favorite pranks with the seasonally appropriate for all you college kids out there. You're more than likely cohabitating with a complete stranger, and what better way to make a good first impression and develop a strong personal relationship than sub ...more
Oh, LifeHacker, we love you. You've brought us so many handy HowTo's: Hack Wireless Internet, Bypass Blocked Websites, Convert a Laptop Into a Projector, Watch TV & Movies on the Web For Free, 10 Must-Know Google Privacy Settings, and more. And now, another great one: LifeHac ...more
How many of you know all the amendments of the Constitution? Do you even know how many there are?? Well, many of the people I speak to don't. And let me tell you, that's a bad thing. Knowing even the basics of the Amendments can have a profound effect in your lives. Ever got p ...more