Talon was instilled with a passion for cars, engineering, and technology practically from birth. An old home videotape shows him at 2 years old, calling all his Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys by make and model. He's applied this knowledge and enthusiasm to pieces for The Drive, Popular Mechanics, Car and Driver magazine, and now to HowStuffWorks.
Recent Contributions
If you have trouble sleeping you might have been told to get a white noise machine. But white isn't the only color of noise out there.
Heat pumps use a small amount of energy to move heat from one place to another. But is one right for your home?
By Laura Cowan & Talon Homer
You've probably seen solar panels on satellites, call boxes, road signs, homes and businesses. But how do solar panels work?
By Scott Aldous & Talon Homer
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Is a random number you don't know blowing up your phone? Try reverse phone lookup and maybe you can solve the mystery of who it belongs to.
It's one thing to see something scary in a movie; it's another to feel like you've experienced it firsthand in one of the scariest video games of all time.
Why do flight attendants instruct us to turn our mobile devices on airplane mode before takeoff? And what does airplane mode even do?
By Talon Homer
Why are governments, private businesses, and academic institutions collaborating to research develop and produce fuel cells? Learn how fuel cells work and how efficient they really are.
By Karim Nice, Jonathan Strickland, Talon Homer & Yara Simón
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Today's phones have handy features that allow users to monitor the location of the device if it ever gets lost or stolen. Here's how to track both iOS and Android devices.
By Talon Homer
Radio waves are the backbone of nearly all modern media technology, from TV to smartphones and wireless internet. Yet, they're actually a simple technology.
Pre-paid cell phones, aka burner phones, are a common way for people to make calls and text anonymously, but can burners really escape detection?
By Talon Homer
We've all used one, and most of us are sitting in front of one right now. Curious to know what's going on inside that ever-present PC? Here's your chance to find out — without prying open your own.
By Jeff Tyson & Talon Homer
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Smartphones can do just about anything these days. But how can we use them to control our televisions?
By Talon Homer
Car wheels spin at different speeds, especially when they're turning. So how does the differential help make them turn with such ease?
By Karim Nice & Talon Homer
If you have a car with a battery that needs replacement, follow the steps outlined in our article. We'll show you how to change your car battery easily.
By Josh Clark & Talon Homer
Get your extra-large soda and popcorn ready: You'll need them to last during these 10 supersized movies. Which one is the longest?
By Talon Homer
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You have your favorites on YouTube but can you download them and keep them? We'll explain when and how.
By Talon Homer
Room soundproofing might not be on your HOA rules, but what if your neighbor's drumming is taking a toll on your last nerve? Here's how to soundproof a room without and make everyone happy.
By Sara Elliott & Talon Homer
Cars with an automatic transmission use a device called a torque converter instead of a clutch. So what does a torque converter do?
By Karim Nice & Talon Homer
It's raining and your internet went down. Again. Are the two connected?
By Talon Homer
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There is something exotic about the traffic lights that "know" you are there — the instant you pull up, they change! How do they detect your presence?
By Talon Homer
Ring lights are not just for social media influencers. They're a quick and easy way to brighten up video conferences for improved image quality. Find out how to set up a ring light.
By Talon Homer
If your iPhone's home screen is getting out of control with apps, hide some of them. It's easy and your phone will never look better.
By Talon Homer
For your average computer user, operating systems like Windows or the MacOS are par for the course. But what if there wasn't an operating system? Would the computer still, well, compute?
By Kate Kershner & Talon Homer
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Email clients like Outlook and Gmail have a handy recall message feature that allows you to delete or edit emails after you've sent them. We'll tell you how to use them.
By Talon Homer
Although the amount of fuel may seem high, when you do the math, it's actually not so bad.
By Talon Homer