Popular Science Was the Best Magazine Ever

**Frogacuda** · 15 Jul 2009, 03:32 AM

Ok, so brief backstory: I grew up poor and bought almost everything I had at flea markets until I was 12. As a result everything I owned was old. We listened to music on a crank-driven Victrola. The cars we owned included a Nash Rambler, a Studabaker, and an International. My childhood was basically the Great Depression plus a TV and Atari. I grew up on 1950s and 60s MAD Magazines and games I bought for $1.

One of my favorite things at flea markets were old issues of Popular Science (and Popular Mechanics/Modern Mechanix). If you grew up in the 80s and not the 40s like I (vicariously) did, you probably remember this as a pretty legitimate magazine, but the fact is, it was way more awesome in the 30s, 40s, and 50s, when it was more about (badly) predicting the Next Big Thing. Submitted for your entertainment are some highlights from the web. I can't even find my favorite ones, but I'll keep digging.

**gamevet** · 15 Jul 2009, 03:39 AM

At least they got the fishing game right.

**The_Meach** · 15 Jul 2009, 03:39 AM

I love the Mechanix w/an X for eXtra mechanization. Even the 80's issues were fun; tons of gee-whiz Beat the Ruskies military stuff.

**Frogacuda** · 15 Jul 2009, 05:11 PM

I found more awesome. Man, did they love monorails for some reason. They were convinced that we'd be riding them everywhere, but it never really made it out of Disneyland. This one has wings for no obvious reason.

The other one practically begs to be an avatar.