Popular Mechanics

{{about|the magazine|the short story by Raymond Carver|Popular Mechanics (short story)|the album by Piano Magic|Popular Mechanics (album)}}

{{Infobox magazine

| title = Popular Mechanics

| logo = Popular Mechanics logo.svg

| image_file = Popular_Mechanics_Cover_Vol_1_Issue_1_11_January_1902.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| image_caption = Popular Mechanics first cover (January 11, 1902)

| frequency = Six print issues/year

| circulation = 401,507"AAM: Total Circ for Magazine Media". abcas3.auditedmedia.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2025. Retrieved April 12, 2025.

| total_circulation = 17.5M{{cite web |last1=Albiniak |first1=Paige |title=Popular Mechanics Highlights "Responsible Innovation" In Issue Guest Edited by Apple CEO Tim Cook |url=https://www.mediavillage.com/article/popular-mechanics-highlights-responsible-innovation-in-issue-guest-edited-by-apple-ceo-tim-cook/ |website=MediaVillage |access-date=14 June 2024 |language=en |date=12 September 2022}}

17.9M digital

0.4 print

{{cite web|url=http://abcas3.accessabc.com/ecirc/magtitlesearch.asp|title=eCirc for Consumer Magazines|date=December 31, 2017|work=Audit Bureau of Circulations|access-date= July 2, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120724165959/http://abcas3.accessabc.com/ecirc/magtitlesearch.asp|archive-date=July 24, 2012|url-status= dead}}

| circulation_year = 2024

| category = Automotive, DIY, Science, Technology

| company = Hearst

| firstdate = {{start date and age|1902|1|11}}

| country = United States

| based = New York City, New York

| language = English

| website = {{Official URL}}

| issn = 0032-4558

}}

Popular Mechanics (often abbreviated as PM or PopMech) is a magazine of popular science and technology, featuring automotive, home, outdoor, electronics, science, do it yourself, and technology topics. Military topics, aviation and transportation of all types, space, tools and gadgets are commonly featured.{{Cite web|url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/|title=Popular Mechanics}}

It was founded in 1902 by Henry 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, now Hearst Communications.{{Cite book |last=Seelhorst |first=Mary |title=Ninety Years of Popular Mechanics |work= |publisher=Seawell |year=1992 |editor-last=Wright |editor-first=John |location=St. Paul, Minn |pages=62}}

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."{{Cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/media/story/2014/10/the-60-second-interview-ryan-dagostino-editor-in-chief-popular-mechanics-002986|title=The 60-second interview: Ryan D'Agostino, editor-in-chief, Popular Mechanics|date=October 20, 2014|website=Politico.com|access-date=Jan 3, 2019}} The magazine added a podcast in recent years, including regular features Most Useful Podcast Ever and How Your World Works.{{Cite web|url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/podcasts/|title=Popular Mechanics podcasts}}

History

File:PopularMechanicsApril1924.png

Popular Mechanics was founded 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. For decades, its tagline was "Written so you can understand it."{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tNwDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA127|last= Whittaker|first= Wayne|title=The Story of Popular Mechanics|magazine=Popular Mechanics|date= January 1952| pages=127–132; 366–380}} The magazine was a weekly until September 1902, when it became a monthly. The Popular Mechanics Company was owned by the Windsor family and printed in Chicago until the Hearst Corporation purchased the magazine in 1958. In 1962, the editorial offices moved to New York City.{{Cite journal|last=Seelhorst|first=Mary|date=October 2002|title=In the Driver's Seat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AtEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA94 |journal=Popular Mechanics|pages=96}} In 2020, Popular Mechanics relocated to Easton, Pennsylvania, along with the additional brands in the Hearst Enthusiast Group (Bicycling and Runner's World).{{Cite web |last=Rhodin |first=Tony |date=2020-10-14 |title=Hearst Magazines to soon move its Enthusiast Group into Easton building |url=https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/2020/10/hearst-magazines-to-soon-move-its-enthusiast-group-into-easton-building.html |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=lehighvalleylive |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Keith J. |date=2019-01-30 |title=Popular Mechanics HQ headed to Easton amid Hearst struggles |url=https://nypost.com/2019/01/29/popular-mechanics-hq-headed-to-easton-amid-hearst-struggles/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |language=en-US}} That location also includes Popular Mechanics' testing facility, called the Test Zone.{{Cite web |last=Wescoe |first=Stacy |date=2018-09-20 |title=Hearst to move Bicycling, Runner's World operations to Easton |url=https://lvb.com/hearst-to-move-bicycling-runners-world-operations-to-easton/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=LVB |language=en-US}}

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" x 9.5" trim size beginning with the July, 1911 issue. It maintained the small format until 1975 when it switched the larger standard trim size. Popular Mechanics adopted full-color cover illustrations in 1915, and the look was widely imitated by later technology magazines.{{Cite journal|last=Seelhorst|first=Mary|date=May 2002|title=The Art of the Cover: The most memorable covers from the past 100 years and the stories behind them.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TNMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA92|journal=Popular Mechanics|pages=94}}

Several international editions were introduced after World War II, starting with a French edition, followed by Spanish in 1947, and Swedish and Danish in 1949. In 2002, the print magazine was being published in English, Chinese, and Spanish and distributed worldwide.{{Cite journal|last=Seelhorst|first=Mary|date=March 2002|title=Zero to 100|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6dIDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA117 |journal=Popular Mechanics|pages=117}} South African{{Cite web|url=http://www.ramsaymedia.co.za/company-brands/popularmechanics/|title=Popular Mechanics|website=RamsayMedia.co.za|access-date=Jan 3, 2019}} and Russian editions were introduced that same year.

The march 1962 issue of popular mechanics magazine aided in the June 1962 Alcatraz escape attempt, where 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.

Articles have been contributed by notable people including Guglielmo Marconi, Thomas Edison, Jules Verne, Barney Oldfield, Knute Rockne, Winston Churchill, Charles Kettering, Tom Wolfe and Buzz Aldrin, as well as some US presidents including Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. Comedian and car expert Jay Leno had a regular column, Jay Leno's Garage, starting in March, 1999.{{Cite book|title=The Best of Popular Mechanics, 1902-2002|publisher=Hearst Communications|year=2002|isbn=1-58816-112-9|editor-last=Seelhorst|editor-first=Mary|location=New York|pages=1}}

Editors

class="wikitable"

|+Editors*{{Cite journal|last=Seelhorst|first=Mary|date=October 2002|title=In the Driver's Seat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AtEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA95 |journal=Popular Mechanics|pages=95–97}}

!Name

!Dates

Henry Haven Windsor

|Jan 1902 – Jun 1924

Henry Haven Windsor Jr

|Jul 1924 – Dec 1958

Roderick Grant

|Jan 1959 – Dec 1960

Clifford Hicks

|Jan 1961 – Sep 1962

Don Dinwiddie

|Oct 1962 – Sep 1965

Robert Crossley

|Jul 1966 – Dec 1971

Jim Liston

|Jan 1972 – Dec 1974

John Linkletter

|Jan 1975 – Jun 1985

Joe Oldham{{Cite journal|last=Oldham|first=Joe|date=September 2004|title=Editor's Notes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ItMDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA6 |journal=Popular Mechanics|pages=8}}

|Aug 1985 – Sep 2004

Jim Meigs{{Cite web|url=http://www.hearst.com/newsroom/ryan-d-agostino-named-editor-in-chief-of-popular-mechanics|title=Ryan D'Agostino Named Editor-in-Chief of Popular Mechanics|date=April 22, 2014|access-date=December 31, 2018}}

|Oct 2004 – April 2014

Ryan D'Agostino

|May 2014 – March 2019

Alexander George

|March 2019 – April 2021

Bill Strickland{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Rudy |date=2022-11-22 |title=Roads, trails and a world-class track. Why the Lehigh Valley is a cycling mecca. |url=https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2022/11/roads-trails-and-a-world-class-track-why-the-lehigh-valley-is-a-cycling-mecca.html |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=lehighvalleylive |language=en}}

|April 2021 – Present

File:191203 Furnaces of the world - Popular Mechanics - Global warming.jpg on Earth's climate was succinctly described more than a century ago in this 1912 Popular Mechanics article.]]

*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.

Awards

National Magazine Awards

1986 National Magazine Award in the Leisure Interest category for the Popular Mechanics Woodworking Guide, November 1986.
2008 National Magazine Award in the Personal Service category for its "Know Your Footprint: Energy, Water and Waste" series, as well as nominations for General Excellence and Personal Service (a second nomination).{{Cite web |last=Shea |first=Danny |date=2008-05-10 |title=National Magazine Awards 2008: The Winners |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/national-magazine-awards_n_99770 |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}
2011 National Magazine Award nomination for "General Excellence" in the "Finance, Technology and Lifestyle magazines" category.{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Noah |title=Magazine Of The Year And 21 Other Predictions For Monday's National Magazine Awards |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/national-magazine-awards-asme-ellie-new-yorker-esquire-gq-vqr-vanity-fair-2011-5 |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}
2016 National Magazine Award Finalist in "Personal Service" category for "How to Buy a Car" and "Magazine Section" category for "How Your World Works."{{Cite web |last=Steigrad |first=Alexandra |date=2016-01-14 |title=American Society of Magazine Editors Unveils Finalists for 2016 National Magazine Awards |url=https://wwd.com/business-news/media/national-magazine-awards-ellies-asme-finalists-2016-revealed-10314630-10314630/ |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=WWD |language=en-US}}
2017 National Magazine Award nomination in the "Magazine Section" category for "Know-How" and in "Feature Writing" for "Climb Aboard, Ye Who Seek the Truth."{{Cite web |last=Bloomgarden-Smoke |first=Kara |date=2017-01-19 |title=American Society of Magazine Editors Announces Finalists for 2017 Awards |url=https://wwd.com/feature/asme-10757430/ |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=WWD |language=en-US}}
All together, the magazine has received 10 National Magazine Award nominations, including 2012 nominations in the Magazine of the Year category and the General Excellence category and a 2015 finalist in both categories.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hearst.com/magazines/popular-mechanics|title=Popular Mechanics News and Updates|website=Hearst Communications|access-date=December 31, 2018}}{{Cite web |last=Bloomgarden-Smoke |first=Kara |date=2015-01-15 |title=The Finalists for the National Magazine Awards Are … |url=https://observer.com/2015/01/the-finalists-for-the-national-magazine-awards-are/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Observer |language=en-US}}

Other awards

2011 Stater Bros Route 66 Cruisin’ Hall of Fame inductee in "Entertainment/Media" category.{{Cite web |last=Nolan |first=Michael |date=2011-09-14 |title=Route 66 Rendezvous: revved up, ready to roll |url=https://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20110914/route-66-rendezvous-revved-up-ready-to-roll/ |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Daily News |language=en-US}}
2016 Ad Age "Magazine of the Year."{{Cite web |date=Dec 19, 2016 |title=Ad Age's Magazines of the Year 2016: See all the Winners |url=https://adage.com/article/media/ad-age-s-magazines-year-20016/307205}}
2017 Webby Awards Honoree for "How to Fix Flying" in the category of "Best Individual Editorial Experience (websites and mobile sites.)" {{Cite web |title=PopuplarMechanics.com, "How to Fix Flying" |url=http://winners.webbyawards.com/2017/websites-and-mobile-sites/features-design/best-individual-editorial-experience/17968/popuplarmechanicscom-how-to-fix-flying |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=NEW Webby Gallery + Index |language=en}}
2019 Defence Media Awards Finalist in "Best Training, Simulation and Readiness" category for "The Air Force Is Changing How Special Ops Fighters Are Trained"{{Cite web |title=2018 - 2020 Award Winners |url=https://www.defencemediadinner.com/2020-award-winners |access-date=2024-06-14 |website=Defense Media Awards |language=en}}
2021 American Nuclear Society "Darlene Schmidt Science News Award" to contributor Caroline Delbert for her "passion and interest in all things nuclear and radiation."{{Cite web |title=Award Recipients / Darlene Schmidt Science News Award -- ANS / Honors and Awards |url=https://www.ans.org/honors/recipients/award-schmidt/ |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=www.ans.org}}
2022 Aerospace Media Awards finalist in the category "Best Propulsion" for "The Space Shuttle Engines Will Rise Again" by Joe Pappalardo.{{Cite web |title=2022 Award Winners |url=https://www.aerospacemediadinner.com/2022-award-winners |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=www.aerospacemediadinner.com |language=en}}

In popular culture

In 1999, the magazine was a puzzle on Wheel of Fortune.{{Cite web |last=andynwof |date=2021-06-30 |title=WoF Retro Recap: April 6, 1999 |url=https://andynwof.wordpress.com/2021/06/29/wof-retro-recap-april-6-1999/ |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=WHEEL of FORTUNE with Andy Nguyen |language=en}} In April 2001, Popular Mechanics was the first magazine to go to space, traveling to the International Space Station aboard the Soyuz TM-32 spacecraft.{{Cite web |last=Dunstan |first=James |title=Doing Business in Space: This isn't your Father's (or Mother's) Space Program Anymore |url=https://space.nss.org/wp-content/uploads/Space-Manufacturing-conference-13-290-Doing-Business-In-Space.pdf |website=Space Studies Institute, Inc}} In December 2002, an issue featured the cover story and image of "The Real Face of Jesus" using data from forensic anthropologists and computer programmers.{{Cite web |last=Legon |first=Jeordan |title=CNN.com - From science and computers, a new face of Jesus - Dec. 26, 2002 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/science/12/25/face.jesus/index.html |access-date=2024-06-25 |website=CNN}}

In March 2005, Popular Mechanics released an issue dedicated to debunking 9/11 conspiracy theories, which has been used frequently for discrediting 9/11 "trutherism."{{Cite web |date=September 7, 2006 |title='Popular Mechanics' Tackles Sept. 11 Theories |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5782277 |website=NPR |series=Talk of the Nation}} 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 senator John McCain.{{Cite web |last=Stahl |first=Jeremy |date=2011-09-06 |title=9/11 "Truth": How believers in the 9/11 conspiracy theory respond to refutations. |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/trutherism/2011/09/the_theory_vs_the_facts.html |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Slate Magazine}}

An October 2015 issue of Popular Mechanics, featuring director Ridley Scott, included an interactive cover that unlocked special content about Scott's film The Martian.{{Cite web |last=O'Shea |first=Chris |date=2015-09-08 |title=Popular Mechanics Updates Logo |url=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/popular-mechanics-updates-logo/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=www.adweek.com |language=en-US}} In June 2016, the magazine ran a cover story with then-Vice President of the United States Joe Biden called "Things My Father Taught Me" for its fatherhood issue.{{Cite web |last=Webber |first=Stephanie |date=2016-05-18 |title=Joe Biden Opens Up About Past Family Tragedies With Son Hunter Biden |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/joe-biden-opens-up-about-past-family-tragedies-with-son-hunter-biden-w206970/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=Us Weekly |language=en-US}} Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook guest-edited the September/October 2022 of Popular Mechanics.{{Cite web |last=Albiniak |first=Paige |date=September 12, 2022 |title=Popular Mechanics Highlights "Responsible Innovation" In Issue Guest Edited by Apple CEO Tim Cook |url=https://www.mediavillage.com/article/popular-mechanics-highlights-responsible-innovation-in-issue-guest-edited-by-apple-ceo-tim-cook/ |access-date=2024-06-26 |website=MediaVillage |language=en}}

The magazine is mentioned in the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street.{{Cite web |last=Winter |first=Terence |title=The Wolf of Wall Street Script |url=https://www.sellingyourscreenplay.com/wp-content/uploads/screenplay/scripts/The-Wolf-of-Wall-Street.pdf |website=Selling Your Screenplay}}

Criticisms

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.{{Cite web |last=Concha |first=Joe |date=June 17, 2020 |title=Popular Mechanics publishes how-to guide to take down statues 'without anyone getting hurt' |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/503121-popular-mechanics-publishes-how-to-guide-to-take-down-statues-without-anyone/ |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}

In early December 2020, Popular Mechanics published an article titled "Leaked Government Photo Shows 'Motionless, Cube-Shaped' UFO."{{cite web |last1=Daniels |first1=Andrew |title=Leaked Government Photo Shows 'Motionless, Cube-Shaped' UFO |url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/a34908126/leaked-ufo-photo-motionless-cube-shaped-object/ |website=Popularmechanics.com |publisher=PopMech |access-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103212448/https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/a34908126/leaked-ufo-photo-motionless-cube-shaped-object/ |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |date=December 8, 2020 |quote=The U.S. Intelligence Community has known about the mysterious object for two years. What could it be? |url-status=live}} In late December, paranormal claims investigator and fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI), Kenny Biddle, investigated the claim in Skeptical Inquirer, reporting that he and investigator and CSI fellow Mick West identified the supposed UFO as a mylar Batman balloon.{{cite web |last1=Biddle |first1=Kenny|authorlink=Kenny Biddle |title=Popular Misinformation |url=https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/popular-misinformation/ |website=SkepticalInquirer.org |publisher=CFI |access-date=January 3, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103205311/https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/popular-misinformation/ |archive-date=January 3, 2021 |date=December 29, 2020 |url-status=live}}

References

External links

{{Official website}}
[https://books.google.com/books/serial/ISSN:00324558?rview=1 Overview] on Google Books
[http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/ Popular Mechanics] South African edition
{{Gutenberg author |id=Popular+Mechanics+Company}}
{{Internet Archive author |sname=Popular Mechanics}}
[https://books.google.com/books?id=S98DAAAAMBAJ Works by or about Popular Mechanics] at Google Books

Category:Monthly magazines published in the United States

Category:Science and technology magazines published in the United States

Category:Hearst Communications publications

Category:Magazines established in 1902

Category:Magazines published in New York City

Category:Popular science magazines

Category:Ten times annually magazines