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January 3, 2020

2020

01. Holograms, Lasers & Boredom; the CED's march towards eventual invention (CED Part 4)

Alright, here it comes! The fourth part.

26min
January 3, 2020

02. Old-fashioned rice cookers are extremely clever

Bet you didn't think a rice cooker was so interesting, did ya?

11min
January 15, 2020

03. Race to the finish; RCA's final gamble (CED Part 5)

The end is near. The death knell approaches. What will become of RCA’s invention? And is this really the end? Would you like fries with that?

28min
January 26, 2020

04. Brown; color is weird

This video discusses the color brown. Seriously.

21min
February 13, 2020

05. Teleprompters are clever, simple, and also pretty neat

Yep. Teleprompters. That's what this video's about.

10min
February 22, 2020

06. The Computer-free Automation of a Jukebox (Electromechanics)

Ever wonder how we made all these crazy machines do all their crazy machine things before computers came along? Wonder no more as we explore the inner workings of a Wurlitzer 3400 series jukebox from 1970!

23min
March 8, 2020

07. The Selection Accumulator; a Jukebox's Brain

Today, we take a look at the selection accumulator; how it works, what it does, and how that relates to the rest of the machine. Strap in, folks!

29min
March 22, 2020

08. Chest Freezers; What they tell us about designing for X

This video is super cool. We're talking about refrigeration, and how the design of a refrigerator affects its energy consumption. Freezers are the perfect place to see this in action, so let's take a look!

27min
April 7, 2020

09. Coffee Percolators: An Explanation and Roast

Do you like your coffee to have a little kick? Then try a percolator! It's like tasting a shoe!

Seriously. Why are these still a thing? I don't know but let's talk about them!

25min
April 17, 2020

10. DVD+R and DVD-R; What was that about?

We're really looking at the plusses and minuses of this whole ordeal...

29min
April 29, 2020

11. Fans; High is next to Off on purpose

This video is absolutely fantastic. Ever wonder why it goes Off-High-Medium-Low? Well, it has to do with motors and the ways we cheat with them.

18min
May 12, 2020

12. Pulse Oximeters; An Amazing Use of Light

You might have been seeing a lot about these little devices lately. Have you ever wondered how they work? Well, let's find out!

13min
May 22, 2020

13. How to design an actually good toaster with lessons from the 1940's

I love this toaster so dang much.

11min
May 30, 2020

14. The US electrical system is not 120V

It's more than 120V. It's even more than the other 120V! It is the sum of the two (and sometimes a different two!) that makes us who we are. Learn about the US electrical system in this not-at-all snarky video!

24min
June 22, 2020

15. Laptop Docks! They're pretty neat!

I know, my use of a laptop (and worse, that I like it!) makes me a truly terrible person.

28min
June 29, 2020

16. Cassette adapters are remarkably simple

It's a real lost opportunity that we didn't call these Cassettepters. It's not-at-all difficult to say! OK, maybe Cassepter would be easier but isn't that, like, a sword or something? The descriptions are getting weird.

10min
July 13, 2020

17. Personal "air conditioners" aren't what they seem

You know, it's one thing when a product has a limited scope and application. It's another when it's passed off as something greater than what it is. Learn why these fad devices are fad devices in this video.

27min
July 22, 2020

18. The Impact Sprinkler - more clever than it seems!

It's that time again! Time to take a deep dive into the mundane to see what we can learn. Join me as we look at this sprinkler!

11min
July 30, 2020

19. A record player that can play CDs: The Fisher DAC-145

Well now, what do we have here? It's a CD player... but also a turntable? Hmm... very interesting. But why? How? And is it actually a good idea? Lucky for you you've clicked on this video and will find out!

28min
August 19, 2020

20. Retroreflectors; they're everywhere, and they cheat physics (sort of)

Road signage and other markings may be something you take for granted, but have you ever wondered how they can appear so brightly with just the output of your headlights? Find out how, and get a load of other trivia, in this video!

23min
August 31, 2020

21. The touch lamp; a neat idea, and older than you'd think!

I think we really oughta make this fashionable again, don't you?

17min
September 12, 2020

22. Electric car chargers aren't chargers at all – EVSE Explained

Catchy title! But it's mostly true! There's a pinned comment you might want to read, as well. But there's some links down here, too.

27min
September 23, 2020

23. Forced-air Furnaces: The What, Why, and How

Let's not get too heated, this is after an inflammable subject. Frankly it's exhausting, but we gotta do it. We gotta explain how furnaces work! And soon, we'll talk about what will replace them. I'll try to remember to put a link here when that time comes!

22min
October 10, 2020

24. Camera Tech from 1971: Match-needle exposure meter

Ever wonder how pro cameras from the 1970's worked? Learn about their single most important tool for the photographer (and lots else!) in this exposé.

28min
October 30, 2020

25. The Antique Microwave Oven that's Better than Yours

Seriously. How is this so old and yet so advanced?

14min
November 12, 2020

26. What exactly is the goop inside a lava lamp?

Yep! Gonna get questionably gloopy!

24min
November 21, 2020

27. Bubble Lights: The Weirdest Christmas Light?

Yes indeed, these are silly! Very silly! But, mesmerizing.

8min
November 29, 2020

28. Detergent packs are kinda wishy-washy (Dishwashers Explained)

Ever wonder how dishwashers work? Are you ever bummed by the performance of yours? Well, this video can answer your question and possibly provide you with a solution!

33min
December 20, 2020