Popular Science magazine sat down with Indy Racing League driver Dan Wheldon three days after his May 29th triumph in the 2005 Indianapolis 500. The 26-year-old British driver for the Andretti-Green Racing team discussed his experiences on the track, the role of technology in auto racing, and the future of the sport

“Now we are getting nearer to true submarines,” PopSci proclaimed in June 1949 of the Navy’s newly revamped U.S.S. TUSK, “not just buttoned-up surface ships that can dunk for a few hours.” The TUSK, first commissioned as a torpedo boat in 1946, reemerged as a deadly spy sub capable of remaining in the deep for weeks, thanks to a snorkel that allowed its diesel engines to run underwater while its upgraded batteries recharged. This technology and a sleek aircraft-inspired design improved the sub’s speed from 10 knots to 15 knots.

With the help of the Popular Science Buyer’s Guide to Cars, perhaps you’ve successfully scored your shiny new ride. That doesn’t mean you can stop thinking about it. Do you know what kind of gas you can put in? How often—really—should you change the oil? What kind of tire and wheel upgrades will improve your car’s performance, and which will degrade it?

Cadillac used to make cars for old people, but times change. Caddy sedans are now squarely aimed at recent retirees. Take, for example, the CTS. This angular four-door sedan is easy, and, despite its prodigious amount of technological options, it is definitely for those who enjoy only the benefits of the digital revolution—for a fully loaded sedan, its dash is remarkably free of technoclutter.

As is the current fashion, all electronics are accessed through a central LCD screen.

The automotive buyer’s guide published in the August issue of Popular Science featured a variety of key technologies consumers should know about when comparing new cars. What follows are additional categories likely to pique your curiosity in the showroom—diesel tech, off-road capability and all-important in-car entertainment options.

DIESELS
Tech
Diesel engines are more efficient and more powerful than their gas cousins.

Last spring Canada became the first and only country to approve a drug called Sativex to treat the chronic pain endured by most of the 2.5 million people with multiple sclerosis. The announcement caused, ahem, quite a buzz. Sativex is a whole-plant extract of high-grade Cannabis sativa, a.k.a. marijuana, and is the first prescription drug to contain all 60-plus of the plant’s cannabinoids, those compounds that include the psychoactive chemical THC.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, hundreds of
underground bunkers in enemy territories serve as weapons silos, command
centers and safe havens for rogue leaders. Drilled several hundred feet or deeper into the ground, many of the hideouts are far beyond the reach of conventional weapons. The Pentagon’s solution: Build a super-slim bomb called a Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator (RNEP) capable of piercing 20 feet of solid rock and unleashing shock waves on par with a magnitude-7 earthquake.

This fall Congress will decide whether to approve $8.5 million to complete a

1. Academic Scan Ban University presses say that Google´s plan to scan their books and create searchable, full-text indexes of their content is infringement and are trying to shut the project down. 2. Copyright CraziesThe official who runs the U.S. Copyright Office is suggesting to Congress that copyright infringementis used to fund terrorism, citing only rumors.3. Invasive Acts If the latest iteration of the Patriot Act passes, the FBI will be able to get your health records, e-mail, and banking details without a judge´s approval.

Hand tools for turning nuts and extracting nails can be a man’s best friend—or foe. These innovative new grippers are designed to deliver unparalleled leverage and versatility, making it easier than ever to squeeze into tight spots to dislodge a rusted nut or extract a headless nail.

Learning to fly a helicopter takes hundreds of hours, and even then few pilots feel safe maneuvering one over enemy terrain or forest fires. Yet missions such as these are precisely what choppers are good for, where on-the-fly surveillance may mean the difference between life and death. It doesn´t take a genius to appreciate the potential benefits of a miniature copter, mounted with a remote-control camera, that flies itself.To build one, though, takes real ingenuity, as choppers are not inherently aerodynamic.