Popular Mechanics South Africa - September/October 2020

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In this issue: (28) Hoax?: Did the Titanic even actually sink? (32) Games and toys: Indie games for Nintendo Switch that you shouldn’t miss. (40) Eating invasive species: A solution to ecological harm. (64) Provisions: Learn how to make the ultimate burger;a burger, deconstructed; best hacks for grill-meisters. (74) Drinks: Why and how to fat-wash whisky.

The World's Largest Wheeled Electric Vehicle Is A Dump Truck

Who said electric vehicles can’t do hard labour? Meet Elektro Dumper, the biggest wheeled EV on the planet. eMining AG, a Swiss manufacturer of smart construction equipment, modified a standard Komatsu HD 605-7 truck, an off-highway vehicle used in quarries and mines, to operate entirely with electric energy. Plus, the thing recharges itself using rocks.

3 mins

Causality Loops And Terminator's 35-year Struggle To Make Time Travel Convincing

Science fiction is a literary laboratory for ideas that could one day fill our future. And no idea has been examined more vigorously than time travel. Terminator, the biggest time-travel franchise of them all, gets its sixth instalment with Dark Fate. The film marks James Cameron’s return to the series, as executive producer.

3 mins

After 65 Years, Supercomputers Finally Solve This Unsolvable Maths Problem

Mathematician Andrew Booker was searching for topics to present at his children’s maths club when he stumbled on a YouTube video about the sum-of-three-cubes puzzle. ‘It was a case of serendipity,’ the University of Bristol mathematics professor says. The video – produced by the popular YouTube channel Numberphile – led him to solve a curious equation that has stumped mathematicians for decades.

3 mins

The Wild Idea That The Titanic Never Really Sank

Is it actually the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean? No one is denying that a ship really sank in the icy waters of the North Atlantic on 15 April 1912. Or that approximately 1500 passengers aboard perished. However, there are some who suggest that the White Star Line, the ship’s parent company, pulled a fast one on the public in an insurance scam that ended up going horribly wrong.

5 mins

It's Time To Switch To Indie

While we'll always have space for Mario and Zelda in our hearts (and in our storage), the Nintendo Switch also offers countless indie games in its online store, which makes it easy to miss out on some real gems. Here are three of our recent favourites.

2 mins

Why I'm Building My Own Aeroplane

’I’ve always been fascinated with aeroplanes. I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, where there were barely any roads. The main road out of our area wasn’t tarred, and during the rainy season it would become flooded and muddy. When my sisters and I walked along the flooded road to school, I’d see aeroplanes flying above us. I’d be envious of whoever was in the plane because we were down on the ground, walking in mud.

8 mins

Wild Food The Sustainable Choice

Invasive species are taking over… But what if we could eat our way out of this ecological mess?

6 mins

INSIDE THE TORTURE CHAMBER

How Gore’s research lab puts the world’s most technical clothing to the test.

7 mins

Trust Us, Infusing Whisky Is Delicious

There’s a phase college students go through where they decide cheap, clear liquor needs an upgrade. But what, really, can an aspiring dorm-room mixologist do with a non-discerning palate, limited funds, and not enough time? Ah yes. Infuse. Just throw Skittles or frozen blueberries or any other easily accessible sweet accoutrement into the plastic bottle and wait. The resulting concoction is probably awful. It will be consumed anyway.

4 mins

Sim Racing On The Rise

South African racing driver David Perel is also a sim-racer extraordinaire. With this form of racing’s meteoric rise, in the time of COVID-19, PM managed to catch up with him to ask where the world of virtual motor racing is headed.

6 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.