 | |
 Popular Mechanics first cover (January 11, 1902) | |
| Categories | Automotive,DIY,Science,Technology |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Six print issues/year |
| Circulation | 401,507[1] |
| Total circulation (2024) | 17.5M[2] 17.9M digital |
| First issue | January 11, 1902; 123 years ago (1902-01-11) |
| Company | Hearst |
| Country | United States |
| Based in | New York City, New York |
| Language | English |
| Website | www |
| ISSN | 0032-4558 |
Popular Mechanics (often abbreviated asPM orPopMech) is a magazine ofpopular science and technology, featuringautomotive, home,outdoor,electronics,science,do it yourself, andtechnology topics.Military topics, aviation and transportation of all types,space,tools andgadgets are commonly featured.[4]
It was founded in 1902 byHenry Haven Windsor, who was the editor and—as owner of the Popular Mechanics Company—the publisher. For decades, the tagline of the monthly magazine was "Written so you can understand it." In 1958, PM was purchased by the Hearst Corporation, nowHearst Communications.[5]
In 2013, the US edition changed from twelve to ten issues per year, and in 2014 the tagline was changed to "How your world works."[6] The magazine added a podcast in recent years, including regular featuresMost Useful Podcast Ever andHow Your World Works.[7]
Popular Mechanics was founded as a weekly in Chicago by Henry Haven Windsor, with the first issue dated January 11, 1902. His concept was that it would explain "the way the world works" in plain language, with photos and illustrations to aid comprehension.[5] For decades, its tagline was: "Written so you can understand it."[8]
In September 1902, the magazine, formerly a weekly, became a monthly. The Popular Mechanics Company was owned by the Windsor family and printed in Chicago until theHearst Corporation purchased the magazine in 1958. In 1962, the editorial offices moved to New York City.[9]
In 2020, Popular Mechanics relocated toEaston, Pennsylvania, along with the two additional brands in the Hearst Enthusiast Group (Bicycling andRunner's World).[10][11] That location has also included Popular Mechanics' testing facility, called the Test Zone.[12]
From the first issue, the magazine featured a large illustration of a technological subject, a look that evolved into the magazine's characteristic full-page, full-color illustration and a small 6.5-by-9.5-inch (170 mm × 240 mm) trim size beginning with the July 1911 issue. It maintained the small format until 1975 when it switched to a larger standard trim size.[clarification needed][13]
In 1915,Popular Mechanics adopted full-color cover illustrations, and the look was widely imitated by later technology magazines.[13]
After World War II ended, in 1945, a number of international editions were introduced, starting with a French edition, followed by Spanish in 1947, and thenSwedish andDanish in 1949. As of 2002, the print magazine was being published in English, Chinese, and Spanish and distributed worldwide.[14] South African[15] and Russian editions were introduced that same year.[citation needed]
The March 1962 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine aided in theJune 1962 Alcatraz escape attempt, in which three men (Frank Morris and John and Clarence Anglin) used the magazine as a reference to build life vests and a raft out of rubber raincoats and contact cement.[citation needed]
Notable people who have contributed articles have includedGuglielmo Marconi,Thomas Edison,Jules Verne,Barney Oldfield,Knute Rockne,Winston Churchill,Charles Kettering,Tom Wolfe, andBuzz Aldrin, as well as US presidents such asTeddy Roosevelt andRonald Reagan. Comedian and car expertJay Leno had a regular column,Jay Leno's Garage, that started in March 1999.[16]
| Name | Dates |
|---|---|
| Henry Haven Windsor | January 1902 – June 1924 |
| Henry Haven Windsor Jr | July 1924 – December 1958 |
| Roderick Grant | January 1959 – December 1960 |
| Clifford Hicks | January 1961 – September 1962 |
| Don Dinwiddie | October 1962 – September 1965 |
| Robert Crossley | July 1966 – December 1971 |
| Jim Liston | January 1972 – December 1974 |
| John Linkletter | January 1975 – June 1985 |
| Joe Oldham[18] | August 1985 – September 2004 |
| Jim Meigs[19] | October 2004 – April 2014 |
| Ryan D'Agostino | May 2014 – March 2019 |
| Alexander George | March 2019 – April 2021 |
| Bill Strickland[20] | April 2021 – Present |
*In general, dates are the inclusive issues for which an editor was responsible. For decades, the lead time to go from submission to print was three months, so some of the dates might not correspond exactly with employment dates. As the Popular Mechanics web site has become more dominant and the importance of print issues has declined, editorial changes have more immediate impact.
In 1999, the magazine was a puzzle onWheel of Fortune.[33] In April 2001, Popular Mechanics was the first magazine to go to space, traveling to theInternational Space Station aboard theSoyuz TM-32 spacecraft.[34] In December 2002, an issue featured the cover story and image of "The Real Face ofJesus" using data fromforensic anthropologists andcomputer programmers.[35]
In March 2005,Popular Mechanics released an issue dedicated to debunking9/11 conspiracy theories, which has been used frequently for discrediting 9/11 "trutherism."[36] In 2006, the magazine published a book based on that article entitled "Debunking 9/11 Myths: Why Conspiracy Theories Can't Stand Up to the Facts," with a foreword by then-senatorJohn McCain.[37]
An October 2015 issue ofPopular Mechanics, featuring directorRidley Scott, included an interactive cover that unlocked special content about Scott's filmThe Martian.[38] In June 2016, the magazine ran a cover story with then-Vice President of the United StatesJoe Biden called "Things My Father Taught Me" for itsfatherhood issue.[39]Apple Inc. CEOTim Cook guest-edited the September/October 2022 ofPopular Mechanics.[40]
The magazine is mentioned in the 2013 filmThe Wolf of Wall Street.[41]
In June 2020, following several high-profile takedowns of statues of controversial historical figures,Popular Mechanics faced criticism from primarily conservative commentators and news outlets for an article that provided detailed instructions on how to take down statues.[42]
In early December 2020,Popular Mechanics published an article titled "Leaked Government Photo Shows 'Motionless, Cube-Shaped' UFO".[43] In late December, later that month, paranormal claims investigator and fellow of theCommittee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI),Kenny Biddle, investigated the claim inSkeptical Inquirer, reporting that he and investigator and CSI fellowMick West identified the supposed UFO as a mylarBatman balloon.[44]
The U.S. Intelligence Community has known about the mysterious object for two years. What could it be?
Darren Orr wrote an analysis of the state of Popular Mechanics in 2014 as partial fulfillment of requirements for a master's degree in journalism from University of Missouri-Columbia.[4]
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