Jan. 11, 1902 — Popular Mechanics Is Born 77
Today, back in 1902 Henry Haven Windsor published the first issue of Popular Mechanics, helping to empower geeks of future generations with straightforward explanations of scientific and mechanical advances. "The magazine has reported both the brilliant and ridiculous ideas of its times, depending on the writer, scientist or editor. It once published an article about a Philadelphia physician who supposedly used X-rays to turn blacks into whites: probably not a great editorial decision. Betting on blimps over planes for so long might not have been advisable, and hyping excessive consumption during the birth of the environmental movement in the 1960s also rates a demerit. But beyond those probable transgressions, Popular Mechanics paved the way for the people’s incursion into science’s once-exclusive domain. Its longevity argues that science and its sometimes inscrutable possibility have raw mass appeal — even if the subject is cars with steering wheels in the back seat or self-diagnosing appliances."
Love the old ones! (Score:5, Interesting)
And the car reviews are great as well - one copy has the release of the Edsel, which is just a straightforward review saying it has this and that, and what should appeal to buyers, A later one has an article explaining why it was such an inevitable disaster! (Which strangely the first article hadn't predicted at all). Tail fins and white picket fences, and not a care in the world - great reading!
The first issue about transistors. (Score:2, Interesting)
I can still remember reading their first issue about transistors. This would've been in the early 1960s. I mean, it was cutting edge research at the time. Virtually nobody knew what a transistor was, and only slightly more people knew about computers. It's unbelievable how much of an impact they've had since then!
I would've been under 10 years old, but I was damn interested in physics and electronics. I begged my grandfather to pay for a subscription, and eventually he did. I'd read those magazines from cover to cover! And I didn't really understand what a transistor was, but they sounded pretty fucking cool.
It was magazines like Popular Mechanics that helped fuel the engineering, science and technology fire in many youth around the world. It's too bad we don't see it as popular today as it was in the past.
Re:Love the old ones! (Score:2, Interesting)
Today we call them "wacky dot-com's" and "spam".
Re:Love the old ones! (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:The Gaussian (Score:4, Interesting)
All Popular Mechanics does is demonstrate that the people populating the middle and left of the IQ Gaussian are active consumers. In this, it stands shoulder to shoulder with the National Enquirer, Fox News, and other amazingly low quality media outlets.
This is really quire unfair when you look at the magazine historically.
Popular Mechanics published science and craft projects for both kids and adults for the better part of 100 years.
The books, with titles like The Boy Mechanic, have been reprinted often - and the originals are treasured.
Mission Furniture: How to Make It [doverpublications.com]
How To Draw Cartoons the U.S. Army Way! [blogspot.com]
Popular Mechanics Build-It-Yourself Ranch-Type House [digmodern.com]