Design

Tony Hawk Helped Design a Hoverboard, Just in Time for Back to the Future Day

Marty McFly would approve.

10 Design Facts About U.S. Bills

The design stories behind the bills (including a tiff between Founding Fathers!).

What Do Those Numbers On Your Toaster Mean?

No, they don't correspond to minutes. At least not always.

8 Antique Maps That Were the First of Their Kind

Columbus’ first map of Hispaniola was a little sparse on details.

Untangling the Secrets of Sea Silk, the Ancient Mediterranean’s Elusive Luxury Textile

The ancient fabric is shrouded in myth, but it's still being woven today.

Don’t Call This Wearable Device a Smartwatch

"Digital canvas" is the preferred term.

6 Awesome Mancaves With Hidden Entrances

Every home needs one of these cool, secret spaces.

Become a Sabrage Samurai With This Modern "Sword"

It's not just about getting the champagne flowing, it's also about how you do it.

Throw Wildflower Seed Bombs to Bring Back the Bees

The colorful seed balls bloom into honeybees' favorite wildflowers.

Florida's Incredible Coral Castle

Edward Leedskalnin spent nearly 30 years building this stone monument to the fiancée who jilted him.

A Geographically Accurate Map of the London Underground

After a Freedom of Information request, London's transportation authority finally created a Tube map that shows the actual distance between stops.

This Elegant Pavilion Is Made Of 10,000 Recycled BIC Pens

You'd never know this gorgeous crystalline netting was made of an everyday office supply.

Build Your Own Nautilus Bookshelf

This bookshelf is inspired by the nautilus and perfect for the kids.

Artists and Graphic Designers Remix Everyday Street Signs

For the 50th anniversary of Britain's road sign designs, artists and designers came up with new ways to use the familiar objects.

15 Vintage Postcards From Around the World

From Paris, France to Amarillo, Texas, here's what the world looked like to travelers in the early 1900s.

This Simple Toilet Can Improve Health and Safety

This cheaply mass-produced toilet to developing nations, a toilet manufacturer is helping individuals gain access to clean, sanitary, and secure bathroom facilities.

A Vietnamese University Is Turning Its Campus Into a Forest

Vietnam’s FPT University is covered in trees. A lot of trees.

A Chart That Diagrams Closing Sentences From Classic Novels

The closing lines of novels are grammatically different than their opening lines. Here's how.

10 Secrets of the White House Calligraphers

A few things you might not know about these stately handwriting masters.

5 Game-Changing Mobile Health Devices

Medical gadgets that used to seem like science fiction are becoming reality.

A Special Whisky Glass for Special Space Whisky

One Scotch maker is already planning for space tourism.

People Who Suffer From Incontinence Now Have Sexy Underwear

Confitex lingerie is aimed at the millions of people in the world who can’t always hold it in.

Apple’s Ex-CEO Designed a Smartphone for the Developing World

The newly-announced phones strike the elusive balance between quality and affordability

Dutch Designers Make Leather Bags Out of Discarded Fruit

One man's trash is another man's fashion-forward material.