Indholdsfortegnelse for November/December 2020 i Popular Mechanics

ROY BERENDSOHN Test Editor Tester, editor, writer. More importantly, husband, dad to five kids: two born to me and three by marriage. BEST THING POP EVER TAUGHT ME Take your time. Do it right. Do it once. I’ve edited countless stories where you see the author apply those three simple principles to get the job done. It’s a compact motto for life. Best Money I Ever Spent $6,500 for the 1979 Chevy truck that I bought after working a year between high school and college. That pickup was transportation into the middle class, and I drove it for the next 25 years. My Favorite Products to Test Hands down: chainsaws. Once you know how to disassemble a tree, it’s amazing how fast the job gets done with a saw that…

GLENFIDDICH 14 YEAR BOURBON BARREL RESERVE (43% ABV) If you’re a bourbon buff, this Speyside expression—aged in exbourbon American oak casks, then transferred to new bourbon casks—goes down smooth. The oak whiff is unmistakable, with a sweet, fruity palate and caramel finish. BENRIACH SMOKY TEN (46% ABV) For a crash course in peat, sniff this bomb—a nod to Speyside’s pre–Industrial Revolution past—that offers strong hints of smoked vanilla and Korean barbecue. Oak, vanilla, and honey from the bourbon cask combine with Highland peat smoke for notes of pepper and leather, too. JURA 18 YEAR OLD (44% ABV) First matured in American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels and finished in Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux barriques, this is an Islands whisky for wine fans. Catch cinnamon on the nose, bitter chocolate on…

WIND/SHOCKWAVE A simulation of asteroid impacts on land revealed around 60 percent of fatalities would result from organ-rupturing shockwaves and wind gusts some call “hypercanes,” which reach 500-mph speeds. FIREBALL Thermal radiation generated during some asteroid impacts can reach 500 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt your skin. Overall, the study showed exposure to this heat would cause about 30 percent of deaths. TSUNAMI An asteroid crashing into the ocean could create 400-foot waves, according to a 2003 study from UC–Santa Cruz. Overall, the 2017 simulations indicated such tsunamis would only cause one in five deaths. FALLING DEBRIS When an asteroid slams into Earth, it could send a torrent of rocks showering down upon the surrounding region. Stand back—the simulations showed these showers caused about 1 percent of deaths. CRATERS…

Toys and games have taken on new significance in 2020. As many of us found ourselves homebound, we turned to our consoles, models, puzzles, and especially phones for respite, entertainment, and connection during social distancing. And for parents feeling the crush of holding down jobs while simultaneously making sure their kids were staying educated, constructive toys that develop their young ones’ skills and keep them stimulated became invaluable. That’s a lot to ask of something like a video game or set of plastic bricks, and some inevitably do it better than others. Through research and testing, we determined which ones. Presenting the 47 best ways to play this year.…

Xbox Series X $499 The Series X wins on certain specs: 12 teraflops of computational capacity and a 1TB SSD. But while non-exclusive essentials like Call of Duty and NBA 2K look excellent on both this and Playstation, the Series X’s value is versatility. The system can play titles going back to the early 2000s, upgrading the graphics when possible. We’d budget for Microsoft’s Netflix-for-games program Game Pass Ultimate ($15 per month). Nintendo Switch Lite $200 If you play—or plan to play—almost exclusively in handheld mode, alone, without much multiplayer, then get the Switch Lite, which is more portable and costs less than the standard Switch. This is a Game Boy for the 2020s, with its hard-button controls that phone games just can’t replicate. Playstation 5 $399 No gaming system…

Mattel Hot Wheels Cybertruck $400 One-tenth the size of Tesla’s real Cybertruck, this version from Hot Wheels features functioning head- and taillights, a telescoping tailgate, and “Chill” and “Sport” modes. Tesla and Mattel are even leaning into the now-infamous incident from the actual Cybertruck’s unveiling—a cracked window sticker comes included. It’s a fun distraction for those of us who may never own a Cybertruck to pretend like we do. Spin Master Kinetic Sand Kalm $30 This tiny sandbox is like a zen garden for adults, but more fun. The squishy, granular Kinetic material feels like something between sand and Play-Doh, clumping together so you can mold it with the included scoop, rake, and knife. Our testers loved its therapeutic effects. Spikeball $60 Spikeball continues to be one of our favorite…

Much like the choice between gas and battery power, choosing one or two stages has a lot to do with snow volume and the area you need to clear. ‣One-stage blowers are so-called because they have one curved paddle that collects the snow and ejects it. This limits how far the snow can be thrown, as well as the amount that can pass through the machine. But on the plus side, one-stage units are simple to operate, light, easy to maneuver, and less expensive than their bigger twostage counterparts. ‣Two-stage units have a horizontal auger that collects snow and pushes it to a rotating impeller that ejects it. These machines can throw snow 30 to 60 feet, which makes it easier to clear large spaces without piling snow that you’ll…

GROWING UP, OUR VISION OF the future was filled with flying cars and robots that did our work for us. While the airborne vehicles of The Jetsons have yet to materialize, robot vacuums have arrived. (No, they don’t look like George’s Rosey.) Ranging in cost from a bit under $200 to over $1,000, these wafer-shaped, dirt-sucking automatons come with a wide range of features and technology, like bump-and-go navigation, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) floorplan mapping, and even mopping. We tested a range of popular models to see how well they work and which ones do so best. You’ll likely need to keep your current vacuum, but a robot vacuum can absolutely cut down on time spent cleaning and make life easier. EUFY ROBOVAC 30C $300 Eufy’s RoboVac 30C uses…

Not ready to commit the tens of thousands of dollars on your own rig, or don’t need a camper van full time? Borrow a loaner. ‣ Outdoorsy (outdoorsy.com) and RVshare (rvshare.com) both function as Airbnb meets Vrbo for camper owners, with a variety of rigs. $134 average per night on Outdoorsy, $150 on RVshare ‣ Peace Vans (peacevansmodern.com) loans Getaway Metris campers along with its own “full camper” (read: full galley) Metris. $225 per night ‣ Though it’s more set up as a peer-to-peer car rental company, Turo (turo.com) and its owners offer plenty of Vanagon- and Microbus-based campers. From $75 per night ‣ If you’re traveling to Southern California, Vintage Surfari (vwsurfari.com) is a good, reliable source for a Bay Window, Vanagon, or Eurovan camper. From $149 per night.…

WHAT WOULD YOU GET IF YOU smashed the Earth into little bits? To answer that question, scientists from the U.S. and Hungary ran a series of simulations illustrating the ways that rock fractures. The results help us understand the natural shapes on Earth and across our solar system. They also confirmed what philosopher Plato had theorized in ancient Greece: As you break down the Earth, it crumbles into cubes. This explains the distinct fracture patterns observed in nature, says study coauthor Douglas Jerolmack, Ph.D., a geophysics professor at the University of Pennsylvania. “Since fragmentation is a ubiquitous process that breaks rock and ice across the solar system, our findings help to explain the shape and size of planetary materials.” In the first of the computer simulations performed by teams from…

MÖBIUS STRIP (fig. 2) Known as the “twisted cylinder,” the Möbius strip is a one-sided, non-orientable surface. In other words, it’s a shape that, if you trace a line along it, will bring you back to the mirror image of your starting point (that initial point’s reflection on a 2D coordinate plane). You can make your own Möbius strip if you give a strip of paper one half-twist and tape the ends together to form a continuous loop. Most simply of all, a Möbius strip is essentially the infinity symbol manifested in 3D space. KLEIN BOTTLE (fig. 3) The Klein bottle is a type of non-orientable surface that is impossible to consistently plot in a two-dimensional space. And because it is a one-sided surface, you will gradually flip upside down…

The Last of Us Part II $50 Few games hit as hard as this tale of revenge, which combines a mature narrative with visceral gameplay that continually asks you to question the morality of your actions. The original The Last of Us was the pinnacle of PS3 game design at the time, with its painstaking attention to detail, realistic character models, and beautifully orchestrated story. The sequel improves on virtually everything, imbuing the title with a sense of humanity, raw violence, and heartrending emotion previously unseen in any game. Ellie’s pain practically seeps through the controller. Borderlands 3 $15 We always appreciate cooperative shooting games with a sense of humor. Of course, humor is subjective—don’t look for elevated comedy here. It’s more like crass jokes and ’80s references, but as…

Abacus Brands Professor Maxwell’s VR Science Lab $50 This science-lab kit opens doors to fun, hands-on STEM experiences. Kids can conduct 25 experiments (with step-by-step instructions and help from augmented-reality videos), then put on the included VR goggles to explore how each experiment relates to real-life examples, such as flying over an active volcano or going deep into a crystal cave. Lego Creator Ford Mustang 10265 $150 Pass on your mechanical knowledge by working with your kid to build this Lego Ford Mustang. Modeled after the GT 1967, the 1,471-piece replica includes a detailed interior, opening hood and trunk, and addons like a supercharger and spoiler. Crayola Marker Maker $20 Don’t constrain creativity to premade color options. Crayola’s Maker Series allows kids to DIY their own hues. This Marker Maker…

POGO The joy and nostalgia of playing a classic board game is unmatched. Luckily, all you have to forfeit is the tactile component. With Pogo, choose from free games like Monopoly and Scrabble to play with friends. Simply create a private room and invite others to join. STEAM REMOTE PLAY With Steam Remote Play, one player buys and runs a game, streaming it to everyone else in the group. The platform is free, but you must purchase a title to get started—something like Overcooked! ($17) is great for two to four players. ZOOM Who said video-conferencing was only for work? Invite your friends to a video call, fire up a game, and share your screen. We recommend The Jackbox Party Pack 3 ($25), which includes five quirky multiplayer games.…

BIG OL’ PUFFIES ARE GREAT FOR STAYING WARM, BUT SHEDDING their bulk frees you up to actually do things. That’s why many of the latest jackets are slimmed down, some with the help of next-level synthetic insulations that mimic the structure (and attempt to match the warmth) of down. Our list of this year’s best winter coats includes options so you can stay toasty while at the job site, carving lines on the slopes, or running to town for supplies. To find the best performers, we considered price, insulating ability, comfort, and style. Our test editors wore more than a dozen coats to assess the fit, feel, and performance of each. We also did a warmth-comparison test, during which our editors sat or walked outside for an hour while wearing…

Our team of test editors has researched, evaluated, and tested these four robot vacuums. We set up three separate 8 x 8-foot concrete areas and covered one with a low/medium-pile carpet, one with laminate, and one with smooth concrete but obstacles. To simulate different types and sizes of dirt and debris, we spread five grams of flour, five grams of sawdust, 15 grams of dried rice, and 20 grams of kidney beans in each area before setting the vacuums loose. We then emptied each model and cleaned their filters before moving to the next area. We observed and rated the vacuums on speed, how well they picked up the debris, and how they dealt with obstacles. For the one model with a pet-accident avoidance feature, we threw down both novelty…

FOR A SPIRIT THAT ONLY REQUIRES three ingredients to make, Scotch gets surprisingly complex. Like wine, each glass hails from one of several distinct regions that forms its final flavor. That terroir primarily comes from the turf-like material that makes Scotch smoke, but it also shows up in the barrels used for aging. Knowing your Macallans from your Lagavulins takes some science, a bit of history, and plenty of tasting. Scotch’s story starts with peat, a decomposed plant matter that accumulates over time and compresses naturally. One-fifth of Scotland’s land mass is covered in peat bogs; for centuries, thanks to the country’s lack of forests, Scots used peat to heat their homes, cook food, and especially make whisky. Peat comes in during the kilning stage of production. Distillers place barley—the…

IN 2013, A METEOR EXPLODED 14 MILES above Chelyabinsk, Russia, knocking out windows across 200 square miles and injuring more than 1,600 people. It was a wake-up call for astronomers to help defend Earth from more potentially hazardous asteroids. Of the almost 1 million known comets and asteroids in our solar system, more than 2,000 have the potential to be hazardous to Earth. These asteroids are typically 450 feet wide or larger, on an orbit that swings them within 14 million miles of Earth’s orbit. “Although asteroid deflection might sound like science fiction, it is a serious topic,” says Flaviane Venditti, Ph.D., an observatory scientist at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. “Out of all natural disasters, an asteroid impact is the only one we have the power to avoid.”…

NORTH AMERICAN: INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA 16,447 Including 9,949 P-51 Mustang fighters, 3,208 B-25 bombers, and 2,163 AT-6 advanced trainers Camo: Tone-down LOCKHEED: BURBANK, CALIFORNIA 13,385 Including 9,423 P-38 Lightning fighters and 2,189 Hudson patrol bombers Camo: Urban neighborhood camouflage CONSOLIDATED VULTEE: DOWNEY, CALIFORNIA 11,687 Including 11,537 BT-13 and BT-15 Valiant basic trainers Camo: Tone-down CONSOLIDATED VULTEE: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 9,630 Including 6,725 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers and 2,833 Navy patrol bombers Camo: Tone-down DOUGLAS: LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA 9,439 Including 4,285 C-47 cargo planes and 3,000 B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers Camo: Tone-down BOEING: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 7,340 Including 6,942 B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers Camo: Urban neighborhood camouflage Source: Army Air Forces Statistical Digest, WWII, Men and Equipment (Table 75)…

Tapestry $99 If you’re looking to sink your teeth into something long and complex, Tapestry is your game. Take a couple of hours, whether by yourself or with up to four friends, and build your own civilization using “advancement tracks” like science, technology, exploration, and military. Designer Jamey Stegmaier built in some flexibility here: You can choose to focus on one of the four approaches (and reap improved benefits as you progress) or take a more “jack-of-all-trades, master of none” track. Abandon All Artichokes $13 Abandon All Artichokes requires players to become “heartless” by ridding their starting deck of any artichokes, as the title suggests. To do so, they must take new vegetables from the “Garden Row”—a series of five face-up vegetable cards that players may draw from—and use their…

Our colleagues at Good Housekeeping (another Hearst publication) have been testing products for more than a century, just like we have. And they take toy evaluations seriously, making sure that the top games and devices hold to ASTM standards, and then sending the most promising ones out to the most relevant testers: kids. We partnered with the Good Housekeeping Institute for this package, combining some of their test results with our own evaluations to bring you this authoritative list of STEM and builder toys and entertaining games for your little tinkerer or future programmer.…

Down and synthetic materials are the most common types of insulation used in winter coats. Each has its own advantages, but the way they keep you warm is similar: Your body generates heat and warms the still air that’s trapped between the fibers and filaments of the materials. “We know air is the best insulator on earth,” says Hsiou-Lien Chen, a textile researcher and associate professor at Oregon State University. “If you can create more spaces to trap that air, the material will have better insulation.” Here’s how each does it. DOWN Numerous filaments diverge from a central point. This creates the spherical shape of—and pockets of air in—down clusters. And the clusters offer the most warmth for their weight of any insulator. But they collapse when wet, losing their…

SIMON TOPMAN, 66, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF ACME WHISTLES, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND A WHISTLE’S SOUND IS MORE than a noise. It’s a sound of authority. It’s a distinctive message, whether that’s a warning, a penalty, a call for help, or a sound among an orchestra. It’s something I never knew when I first started at ACME Whistles in sales in 1982. I was fortunate enough to take over a decade later, and before and after that time, we have always strived for innovation in the many markets we serve. Today I might speak to a top referee organization. Tomorrow I might speak with police and security people. Then bands and orchestras. Then dog trainers. It makes for a very interesting and varied life because you get a wide variety of products that…