Ed Grabianowski has worked as a contributing writer for HowStuffWorks (you may know him as The Grabster if you’re a Stuff You Should Know fan) and also io9. His fiction has appeared in Black Static, David Wellington’s Fear Project, and other publications and anthologies. In his other lives, Ed has driven a race car, designed monsters for fantasy role-playing games, and is the singer and lyricist for a rock band called Spacelord.
Recent Contributions
Getting stuck behind a car with malfunctioning brake lights can be extremely frustrating. But before sounding your horn, consider that the driver might not even realize that his brakes lights are out.
We're all exposed to tiny levels of radiation, but a blast of it can leave you in agony — that is, if it doesn't kill you outright. What is it, what causes it and how can we treat it?
When a Supreme Court justice retires, there's a lot of speculation and political maneuvering regarding the replacement. Find out how Supreme Court justices are nominated, who is qualified to serve and how a nominee is approved.
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The U.S. Supreme Court may be the highest court in the land, but the justices that sit on the bench sometimes reverse course. It doesn't happen often, but here are 13 Supreme Court cases in history that have been overturned.
Unique among the U.S. armed forces, the Coast Guard is perpetually on active duty, entrusted with lots of responsibilities, including saving lives at sea and enforcing maritime laws.
The legend of the samurai continues to permeate our culture, with countless movies and TV shows dedicated to the subject. How much of what we know about the samurai is truth and how much is myth?
Heavy snowfall is just one mark of a bad snowstorm. But the biggest snowstorms of all time also brought strong winds and in some cases, major power outages.
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月光了evolved from backwood stills in the South. In fact, it's downright trendy in some bars. But, why is homebrewing and winemaking legal, but not distilling your own moonshine?
Initial public offerings have been around for centuries – every company with shares that are publicly traded on the stock market had an IPO at one point. Find out what an IPO is and how it makes people rich.
Vegetable oil as a fuel? While it certainly is an option for a few engines, we're probably a long way from using last night's grease as the fuel of the future.
Dishwashers are not very mechanically complex. We'll show you how they work from the inside out, plus tell you how to get the most out of yours.
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Unlocking cellphones is not the problem it used to be. Here's how it changed.
The Mafia has controlled everything from the street-corner drug trade to labor-union leadership to high-level politicians. How did it start and what's its status now?
Torture was a very popular form of punishment in the Middle Ages, but it also served as a social deterrent and as entertainment for the masses. These 10 devices show just how creative torturers became with their tools.
Most automotive electronics can be powered using the cigarette lighter in our cars and trucks. Everything from mobile phones to heated air fresheners. But what if you wanted to power a blender or even a toaster?
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According to a 2005 report by the Department of Justice, there are at least 21,500 gangs and more than 731,000 active gang members in the United States. Learn how and why street gangs form.
Did you know that parts of your car are built with special structures designed to be damaged, crumpled, crushed and broken? These components redistribute the force of an impact before it reaches the vehicle's passengers.
Have you ever gotten a chain e-mail that promised riches if you just sent $5 to everybody on the list? The person who began that e-mail is a con artist -- someone who lies, cheats and fool people into thinking they've happened onto a great deal. Learn about basic cons, how to avoid being conned and what to do if you're a victim.
The National Guard serves many purposes and does many jobs for the United States. But how does it differ from the U.S. Army? And what can the president authorize the Guard to do?
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Boxing is one of the oldest sports in history. Learn the basics of boxing, how you win or lose, the science behind it and the danger of the sport.
Axis & Allies is a popular board game that allows players to fight World War II on a variety of fronts. Would you like to defend Pearl Harbor or help invade Normandy? Here's your chance!
Bet on this: There are tricks to this trade and plenty of odds to beat, so get educated before you pull out your wallet.
第一个在线赌博网站开了10年ago, and paved the way for the hundreds of gambling sites that now exist on the Internet. But what is the appeal? Learn about the legality of online gambling and find out what it's like to gamble online.
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"Poltergeist" reigns as the king of supposedly cursed films. How did this classic 1980s horror flick and nine others gain their reputation? Is your favorite on the list?
With their colorful masks and spectacular acrobatic wrestling style, Mexican wrestlers have carved out their own unique space in the ring. Read all about the long-standing tradition of lucha libre -- before we pin you!