Science & Industry
The Weirdest Cars Ever Made
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Article
Automobile designers and engineers have often pushed boundaries to make faster, sleeker, and more attractive cars. But sometimes that effort results in vehicles so eccentric that the world looks on in bemusement. These automotive oddities aren’t necessarily bad cars, but they certainly stand out for being well beyond the norm, whether it’s a vehicle so tiny it can fit through a doorway or a propeller-powered safety hazard. Here are seven of the most curious cars ever presented to an unsuspecting public. Credit: © Jim/stock.adobe.com Leyat Helica In 1913, French biplane designer Marcel Leyat had what ...Read More
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Science & IndustryArticle52When Did Companies Start Designing Products To Fail?
When our gadgets slow down after an update or come with batteries that are impossible to replace, it’s hard not to wonder if they’re designed to fail in order to…
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Science & IndustryFact5The first microwave ovens were about 6 feet tall.
Microwaves are near-ubiquitous in American kitchens today and come in all kinds of sizes, including itty-bitty ones designed to fit in dorm rooms. But when they were first invented, these…
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Science & IndustryArticle507 Everyday Office Items You Never See Anymore
American office life once looked very different than it does today. Through clouds of cigarette smoke, you’d see lines of desks in open-area bullpens or, starting in the late 1960s,…
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Science & IndustryFact7New York City once had miles of hidden underground mail tubes.
In October 1897, construction of a high-speed network designed to service an ever-expanding city was underway beneath the streets of Manhattan. No, it wasn’t the subway; that would take a…
