The Wet Collodion Process
Developing a better negative
An intellectual property lawsuit in the mid-1800s ended in defeat for both sides, but it left us with the process whereby a photographic negative could make any number of prints.
Pie Funnels
A piecrust’s best friend
A pie funnel won't help you to pour your pie into a bottle. This small ceramic doohickey helps to vent steam while your pie bakes, keeping the crust intact and preventing the filling from boiling over.
Light Pollution
Urban assault on the night sky
The excessive or injudicious use of lights at night can lead to several different forms of light pollution. Besides annoying stargazers whose view is obscured, it can cause safety hazards and even be dangerous to your health.
Crème Brûlée
Why every kitchen needs a blowtorch
Take a simple custard, sprinkle some sugar on top, and grab the nearest blowtorch to caramelize it. The custard with the crispy crust you've just created is a crème brûlée.
Dead Media
Preserving past communication for the future
Long before 8-track tapes died out, many other methods for transmitting data bit the dust. As technology marches on, who will catalog all the kinds of media we can no longer access?
Emperor Norton
Monarch of San Francisco
San Francisco was once the proud home of an eccentric character who called himself Emperor of the United States. He wisely outlawed use of the term "Frisco."
The Dvorak Keyboard Controversy
Chasing QWERTY
The QWERTY keyboard layout is weird and hard to learn. A competitor, the Dvorak layout, may be superior, but arguments on both sides are so full of hype and bias that it's hard to determine who to believe.
The Influence of Color on Taste Perception
Palette vs. palate
From green eggs and ham to purple ketchup, foods with unusual colors can be incorrectly perceived as tasting different from their normal counterparts.
Throat Singers
All-natural one-man bands
By careful manipulations of the vocal tract, a person can sing two, three, or even four distinct notes at once. This art form was popularized by the residents of Tuva in central Asia.
Work Week and Vacation Variances
Stress, rest, and productivity
The American idea of what constitutes a normal work week (or normal vacation time) is very different from what most of the rest of the world thinks. It's also, arguably, less sane and healthy.