In this issue

Launched locally in 2002, Popular Mechanics is the acknowledged voice of science and technology in South Africa. Underpinning its rich sci-tech content is an ever-changing mix of articles covering a broad range of interests, from automotive news and outdoor adventures to DIY projects and exploration of the universe.

Craft brewers have broken the IPA

INDIA PALE ALES DOMINATE TODAY'S CRAFT beer landscape, with 10 or so styles laying claim to the name. Now there's one more: the 'clear hazy' IPA. San Diego's Ballast Point Brewing Co pioneered the category, which upset plenty of beer nerds and confused others, with the February 2021 release of Big Gus.

4 mins

Humans can develop a sixth sense, study proves

AS ANIMALS GO, HUMANS HAVE RELAtively limited senses. We can't smell as well as dogs, see as many colours as mantis shrimp, or find our way home using the Earth's magnetic poles as sea turtles do. But there's one animal sense we can learn: bat-like echolocation.

3 mins

The hidden binary of knitting could create the toughest gear you've ever worn

THE UNRULY STITCH OF A DRAGON FIRST attracted Sabetta Matsumoto to the mathematics of knitting. Unlike the regimented stitches of a sweater that march two-by-two across a textile, the whiskers of this dragon stretched daringly across a lace shawl in a way Matsumoto had never seen before and she was determined to understand the maths behind it.

3 mins

The US Army's new goggles let soldiers see right through walls

THE US ARMY IS DEVELOPING INTEGRATED Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) goggles for close-combat forces, including mounted and dismounted troops, particularly infantry. The goggles can help soldiers see in the dark, check around corners, and even project digital maps and other data on to the lenses.

3 mins

Elizabeth Ann is the first clone of a US endangered species. She was 33 years in the making

For the first time, scientists have created a clone of an endangered US species - a black-footed ferret named Elizabeth Ann. The researchers used cells from a donor that had been dead for more than 30 years, and the procedure's success could mean not only rescue for one of North America's most endangered mammals, but a watershed moment in conservation biology.

4 mins

Can America's Fastest Super-Computer Defeat Covid for Good?

Marti Head, PhD, had a bad feeling. It was mid-February of 2020. She'd just returned to her home in Tennessee from a work trip. Somewhere, probably in an airport, she'd picked up what she thought was just a cold.

10+ mins

Long-Tongued Flies: Bold Pollinators of Namaqualand

The recent discovery of a new fly species deepens our understanding of what it’ll take to conserve a bevy of endemic long tubed flower species in Namaqualand. But still, there are far more questions than answers.

4 mins

How 'bout them apples?

South Africa is known for its delicious fruit, but have you ever thought about what goes into getting those crisp, sweet apples from the orchards to our supermarkets? PM toured the Ceres Fruit Growers facility in Ceres to get the low-down.

7 mins

Jaguar I-Pace AWD (Electric)

WE’RE AT A significant point in the evolution of the automobile. We’re in the middle of the transition phase, moving from the dominion of the internal combustion engine over to battery – or electric – power. In many ways, it’s uncomfortable; those of us who’ve only really ever known internal combustion engines are having to come to terms with new technology. And this technology is changing quickly, ever-advancing and improving. In ten years’ time, electric cars will be very different to the ones we’re driving now. Motoring is changing.

3 mins

Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid

GLOBALLY, IT'S ONE of the most widely known car model names. Hear the word "Toyota' in South Africa, and you'll probably think 'Corolla'or ... Hilux, of course, or both.

2 mins

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Popular Mechanics South Africa Magazine Description:

The acknowledged voice of science and technology in South Africa

The South African edition of Popular Mechanics was launched in 2002 and has fast become the acknowledged voice of science and technology in South Africa. Underpinning its rich sci-tech content is an ever-changing mix of articles covering everything from automotive news and outdoor adventures to DIY projects. In essence, it explains how our world works.