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My Pop Life
Tips, gear picks,
and confessions
from our staff.
p.From the Editor
The stealth cooling
operation that
powers the Mac Pro.
p.Games & Toys
Lessons from
an unbeatable
chess AI.
p.Machines
A weapon so
dangerous the
U.S. military
wouldn’t test it.
p.// STA NDAR DS //Drinks
The secret to
freezing crystal-
clear ice for your
cocktails.
p.Sci-Fi
Your guide to
2020’s science-
fiction cinema.
p.Deep Math
A guess-free
shortcut for
solving quadratic
equations.
p.Science
Researchers examine
the bizarrities
of quantum
superposition.
p.Food
The efficient
electricity for
making gluten-
free bread.
p.To o l s
The best mowers
to shear the shag
from your lawn.
p.Home
Cast-iron skillets
that will only
improve with time.
p.Pro Notes
Intel from our
Pop Mech Pro
members.
p.Hoax
Is your phone
really using apps
to spy on you?
p.Why I’m
Building My
Own Plane
The rewards of
building every pilot’s
dream: a personal
aircraft. p.5 Ways
to Craft
a Legacy
A toolbox, knife,
shed, garden, and
home-brewing creed
that will last for
generations. p.The LEGO
Revolution’s
44-Pound Star
Destroyer
Inside the burgeoning
world of custom LEGO
projects. p.// FEATURES //// ON THE COVER // PHOTOGRAPH BY JOSÉ MANDOJANA2020 Tools
of the Year
48 exceptional tools
that will unleash your
capability and help
you take any project
to the next level.
p.How to Be Good
at What You Do
This builder
designs to serve.
p.March/
April
2020FROM LEFT: JOSÉ MANDOJANA; ANDREW SPEAR; COLE WILSON; TREVOR RAAB
March/April 2020 3