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JULY 2016 JULY MATHS MASTER: THE NEW BREED OF CLASSROOM ROCK STAR GREAT TECH » SCIENCE » WHEELS » HOME » OUTSIDE www.popularmechanics.co.za NEW STUFF: MUST-HAVE GADGETS JULY 2016 POPULAR MECHANICS RSA: R36,90 Other countries: R32,37 excl VAT BE THE FIRST TO KNOW BE THE FIRST TO KNOW TECH EXCLUSIVE UPGRADE HANDS-OFF WITH THE HIGH-TECH TRANSPORT NEW MERC E-CLASS + REGENERATIVE HOMES THE SCIENCE OF FLOUR GROWING YOUR DAILY BREAD SPACE RACE II CAN PRIVATE INDUSTRY PULL IT OFF? THINGS MY FATHER SKILLS TAUGHT ME VOLUME 14, NO. 12 PROJECT: THE GREASE CAR > CLUTCH TECHNIQUE > GET STARTED: R/C DRIFTING IDENTIFY TRACKS > CHOOSE A POOL CUE CNC MACHINE BASICS > TIE OFF A BOAT > TELL SOMEONE OFF > USE SAFETY EQUIPMENT TESTED GETTING PERSONAL WITH E-MOBILITY Cover JULY.indd 1 5/31/16 10:18 AM The new E-Class. Masterpiece of Intelligence. www.mbworld.co.za A Daimler Brand CONTENTS JULY 2016 I VOL 14, NO 12 I I BE THE FIRST TO KNOW HOW YOUR WORLD WORKS SCIENCE 14 Space Race, part deux 42 In the light fields The Pentagon has to replace the Russian rockets it uses How a few seedlings in a warehouse turned into a to spy on Moscow. sustainable indoor farm. Sound barrier Using tech to protect ears against permanent damage CARS in motorsport. 72 The NSX (finally) returns Is homework obsolete? Honda’s supercar is awakened in hybrid guise. Does all work and no play make Jack a dull boy? Launch reports Hardcore BMW X5 xDrive40e, Smart Fortwo, Smart Forfour. Sharlto Copley on his latest movie PM Drives This new roller coaster breaks six world records Ford B-Max, Merc S500e, Chevrolet Captiva 2,4 LT. Valravn is the tallest, fastest and features the longest drop of them all. SKILLS 78 The grease car FEATURES Converting a 1979 Mercedes-Benz to run on used 36 Things my father taught me vegetable oil. Good old know-how passed down from one generation The bio alternative to the next. If you don’t want to get your hands dirty, then just 56 Upgrade use biodiesel. Closed-loop communities The amazing CNC machine High-style transport A simplified guide to a sophisticated tool. 48 147 years of wisdom PM kids project: Ice lantern PM senior home editor Roy Berendsohn was taught all Shop notes he knows by his father, Oscar. Ask Roy 60 Somerset College: STEM school of note Home of the best maths student in SA – and the world. MONTHLY 64 The science of the loaf 4 Credits What’s artisanal about it? 6 From the editor 8 Letters TECHNOLOGY 10 Time machine 32 In the vanguard 12 Calendar The semi-autonomous Mercedes-Benz E-Class takes 24 Great new stuff us on a pre-launch drive. 100 Do it your way TESTED 28 Airwheel SA rideables Z3, Landslider, S6, M3. 2 www.popularmechanics.co.za _ JULY 2016 24 14 28 72 64 78 Cover: Fifty years after the original space race, the superpowers are engaged in another battle that’s out of this world as rockets are all the latest rage. This page: Not simply confined to race tracks, Mercedes-Benz’s latest Silver Arrow is one of the sleekest, most luxurious motor yachts currently available. 44 42 JULY 2016 _ www.popularmechanics.co.za 3 SUBSCRIBE NOW BE THE FIRST TO KNOW EDITOR: Anthony Doman GROUP PUBLISHER: Neil Piper EDITORIAL TEAM Associate editor Lindsey Schutters Journalist Kyle Kock Digital content manager Nikky Oosthuizen Proofreader Margy Beves-Gibson GREAT PRODUCTION AND CREATIVE TEAM THE NEW BREED OF CLASSROOM ROCK STAR Group production manager Keryn Rheeder JULY 2016 MATHS MASTER: www.popularmechanics.co.za NEW STUFF: OUTSIDE Production manager Judy Romon HOME » » WHEELS » MUST-HAVE » SCIENCE TECH GADGETS Art director Thea Woodman Designer Sharon Gunst Group digital designer Bianca Liebenberg Group developer Cicero Joseph JULY 2016 RSA: R36,90 Other countries: R32,37 excl VAT BUSINESS AND SALES TEAM André Stadler Group national sales manager POPULAR MECHANICS Group digital business manager Wendy Lucas Advertising sales executives Gauteng – Joanne Thompson, Patrick Kennedy, Nicky Lloyd, TECH EXCLUSIVE Jackie Browning BE THE FIRST TO KNOW VOLUME 14, NO. 12 HANDS-OFF WITH THE Durban – Lindi van den Heever NEW MERC E-CLASS Cape Town and PE – Ingrid Versfeld UPGRADE Advertising sales co-ordinator Linda Delport HIGH-TECH TRANSPORT Group marketing services analyst Thembi Mokoena + REGENERATIVE HOMES Campaign manager Nawhaal Fakir THE SCIENCE MARKETING, EVENTS AND CIRCULATION OF FLOUR Group marketing and sponsorship manager Dean Dicks GROWING YOUR DAILY BREAD Subscriptions marketing manager Lizl Joseph Retail marketing manager Dalene Gallagher Group promotions manager Amanda Africa Group show and events operations manager Kathryn Frew Group events coordinator Janice Bekker Subscriptions operations Karin Mulder SPACE RACE II Subscriptions administration Lynn Heiberg CAN PRIVATE INDUSTRYTHINGS PULL IT OFF? MY FATHER TAUGHT ME GROUP SUPPORT SKILLS > CLUTCH TECHNIQUE Finance manager Zanfre Gorgosilich > IDENTIFY TRACKS PROJECT: THE GREASE CAR HR officer Emmelia Fouché > CHOOSE A POOL CUE GET STARTED: R/C DRIFTING > TIE OFF A BOAT CNC MACHINE BASICS > TELL SOMEONE OFF DIRECTORS > USE SAFETY EQUIPMENT TESTED Paul Jenkins (Chairman), Anton Botes, Jacques Breytenbach, Tim Holden, SAVEGETTING PERSONAL Terry Moolman, Neil Piper, Cornelios Vamvadelis WITH E-MOBILITY PUBLISHED BY RamsayMedia (PTY) LTD 5/31/16 10:18 AM 30% Company registration number: 1934/005460/07 ISSN number: 1682-5136 Cover JULY.indd 1 12 DIGITAL ISSUES Cape Town head office: 36 Old Mill Rd, Ndabeni, Western Cape, South Africa 7405 P O Box 180, Howard Place, Western Cape, 7450 FOR JUST R168 Tel: 021 530-3100, Fax: 021 531-9495 Gauteng office: Caxton House, 368 Jan Smuts Avenue, Randburg, 2196 P O Box 78132, Sandton, Gauteng, 2146 Tel: 011 449 1100, Fax: 011 449 1104 Email address: [email protected] www.ramsaymedia.co.za HOW TO SUBSCRIBE OR CONTACT US Call: 0860 100 205, Fax: 0866 704 101 or 021 530 3143, ACCESS TIME, E-mail: [email protected] Online: www.magsathome.co.za or www.popularmechanics.co.za Web site: www.popularmechanics.co.za WHERE. For our current subscription rates, see page 55 Visit www.popularmechanics.co.za/subscribe Published and distributed by RamsayMedia (Pty) Ltd by permission of Hearst Communications Inc, New York, New York, United States of America. Single issues are also available. We cannot be responsible for loss of unsolicited queries, manuscripts or photos. For return, they Be sure to rate & review us! must be accompanied by adequate postage. As a service to readers, POPULAR MECHANICS publishes newsworthy products, techniques and scientific and technological developments. Due to possible variance in the quality and condition of materials and workmanship, POPULAR MECHANICS cannot assume responsibility for proper application of techniques or proper and safe functioning of manufactured products or reader-built projects resulting from information published in this magazine. Total monthly sales: 37 285 (January – December 2016) This offer closes 31 July 2016. Other subscription gifts and prizes do not apply to this offer. By providing your details, you give Popular Mechanics permission to communicate with you via email or SMS. www.popularmechanics.co.za _ JULY 2016 PM DigiSubs JULY16_half vertical.indd 1 5/31/16 3:46 PM Huawei_P9_Key_Visua 2016-05-23T09:24:09+02:00 MAKE IT POSSIBLE consumer.huawei.com/za Call Centre 0860 86 11 11 REINVENT SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY MAKE IT POSSIBLE Call Centre 0860 86 11 11 Product colour, shape and interface are for reference only. The actual product may vary. UI functions and applications may vary by region. T&Cs apply. FROM THE EDITOR... THE OLD MAN he golden thread running through much of this issue of Popular Mechanics is Things My Father Taught Me. From life lessons Tto basic life skills, appropriately we celebrate Dadly wisdom – particularly given our proximity to Father’s Day. As the son of a photojournalist, it’s safe to say that an important lesson I learnt from my old man was to avoid clichés like the plague. It just so happens that I, too, am a father. In my time, I attempted to teach our daughter many things: how to make a kite, ride a bike, drive a car. Some of my teachings clearly stuck. What we have now is a grown woman who is confidently able to a) tell me to go fly a kite b) order me to get on my bike and the hell out of here and c) drive me insane. When I pointed out that I was trying to teach more a way of thinking than an actual motor skill, I discovered there was something you could learn from your offspring: how to roll your eyeballs until only the whites showed. The man pictured alongside with me isn’t my father, by the way. On a three-week visit to South Africa, Tim Leatherman swung by RamsayMedia to talk about his eponymous multitools. Our paths first crossed when he visited three years ago and I have his dated autograph engraved on the flank of my Super Tool to prove it. This time around, he engraved the other side to restore the balance. Look out for that interview with Tim, by associate editor Lindsey Schutters, in a coming issue – and by the way, don’t forget to visit our YouTube channel to view the video we shot of Tim in action. Although “action” sounds a little excessive as a description of a laconic man whose movements are measured and who serves his wit extra dry. Tim could justifiably claim to be the father of the modern multitool as we know it. The story of how he created the tool out of necessity while on holiday has already passed into legend.