Home Improvement

They keep the contents of your school locker safe. They secure precious documents and monetary instruments. Some of them can even take a bullet. Learn about what's going on inside combination locks.

By Robert Valdes

This set of articles includes explanations of lockpicking and safecracking, as well as the mechanical workings of many of the most common types of locks.

By Marshall Brain

The metal used to construct buildings resists all sorts of damage, making it a very reliable material -- and very difficult to manipulate into the appropriate form. Enter the plasma cutter. Learn all about the amazing device that cuts through metal like a knife through warm butter.

By Robert Valdes

If you want a surefire way to improve the look, durability and value of your home, hardwood floors are the way to go. Besides being beautiful and hard-wearing, hardwood floors are environmentally friendly, too.

By Allison Klein

Think a swimming pool is just a big hole in the ground? Think again -- there's a whole lot of technology and chemistry that goes into building and maintaining a pool. Check it out.

By Tom Harris

While there's a good chance that your fire extinguisher will sit on the wall for years, collecting dust, it could end up saving your property and even your life. Learn the correct way to use an extinguisher and see what sort of fire suppressant works best on different types of fires.

By Tom Harris

You probably don't spend too much time pondering the inner workings of a doorbell, but it's actually a pretty cool device once you get inside. Find out exactly what happens when someone rings your bell.

By Tom Harris

The super of our apartment building is always going into everyone's apartment when something needs to be fixed. There must be a hundred apartments, but he only carries one key around with him. How does he get into all those apartments?

Super glue definitely deserves its name -- a 1-square-inch bond can hold more than a ton. So, what if find yourself in a super-sticky situation?

By Katherine Neer

The Downy fabric-softener ball has to be one of the simplest inventions ever. Learn how this fabric-softener ball uses Newton's first law of motion with the help of this article.

Patented in 1934, this electrically-charged invention has made a big difference for modern day picnic-goers. But in recent years it's come under scrutiny, as scientists began to question its effectiveness.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

How do spray bottles (like the ones used for cleaning products) pump fluid? Why do you have to pump them a couple of times before they start spraying? Find out the answers to these questions with this helpful article.

Historically, "barn red" is not the bright, fire-engine red that we often see today, but more of a burnt-orange red. How did rural American barns suddenly turn crimson?

Americans generate more than 200 million tons of trash each year. Want to put some of it to work? Try composting. It creates a natural fertilizer and can save valuable space in that landfill.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D. & Kristen Hall-Geisler

Have you ever noticed that in most all homes, the entry doors open inward, but in most public buildings, the entry doors open outward. Why is this? Read this article to find out.

Security systems can range from do-it-yourself kits for $10 to sophisticated whole-house networks installed by professionals. But most alarm systems are actually built around the same basic design concepts.

By Tom Harris

I have several smoke detectors in my house, and recently the battery went dead on one of them. It started chirping, so I took the battery out, only to have the others complain about it. My question is, how do all of the smoke detectors talk to one an

Towels are always made of cotton, and they work really well at absorbing water. On the other hand, water-repellant jackets are made of nylon, and they work pretty well at keeping you dry. Why is cotton more absorbent than nylon?

A friend told me that the bad smell coming from my toilet indicates that the seal under the toilet is broken and needs to be replaced. He also said that I could probably do the job myself. I'd like to try.

You are so excited to wear your new blue jeans, but the tag tells you to wash them first. What's up with this? Check out this article to learn why you might want to wash those jeans first after all.

Zippers are found on so many products. But have you ever noticed that "YKK" is on the pull-tab of most zippers? Find out where these mysterious initials come from.

By Kathryn Whitbourne

If you've ever thought about lighting your yard or walkway, solar is the easiest way to go -- no wires! Learn how solar yard lights gather power during the day so they light up at night.

By Marshall Brain

A number of tools, like wrenches and C-clamps, have the words "Drop Forged" stamped on the handle. What does that mean? Find out with the help of this article.

If you're a homeowner looking to clean up a few trees in the yard or cut some firewood, a chain saw will be a very handy tool. Get a good look at the inner workings of a chain saw.

By Marshall Brain

What is plywood? Why do people use it so much? What about oriented strand board (OSB)?