Jan. 11, 1902 — Popular Mechanics Is Born

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."

Comments

I've generally prefered its cousin

[JoshuaZ]

I always preferred Popular Science to Popular Mechanics. While Pop Mech explained new technologies, Pop Sci has a lot more about the really cool stuff about how the world around us works. Both are very good though. Pop Sci was founded well before Popular Mechanics. According to Wikipedia it was founded in 1872 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popular_Science.

Re:Abused for straw man attacks

[gyrogeerloose]

If you ask me, attacking the "9-11 truth" (and there's an oxymoron if ever there was one) movement only adds to Popular Mechanics' credibility. I've spent a lot of time at the various WTC conspiracy Web site and if there's any real science (or credible evidence) presented on any of them, it's damned well hidden.

FYI, don't bother to try and argue your case with me--I won't read it or reply. It's a waste of time arguing with conspiracy theorists.

Just to save people time...

[PylonHead]

http://journalology.blogspot.com/2008/08/short-post-about-bentham-open.html

Bentham Open is mostly known for spamming researchers, so far as I can tell. I've received one or two spam solicitations from them myself. As for the 9/11 conspiracy paper, the editor-in-chief of that journal resigned because it was published without her knowledge or approval:

http://screwloosechange.blogspot.com/2009/04/bentham-editor-resigns-over-steven.html

They've also accepted nonsense articles:

http://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2009/06/10/nonsense-for-dollars/

Doesn't seem to be a very professional organization ...

Of course.. this just shows you how deep the conspiracy goes... ;)

1910 issues online

[fm6]

One of the books in Google Books is this collection of all the articles from the first issues of 1910.

http://bit.ly/7Xwqj5