BALLISTIC DEVICES MAKE A COMEBACK WITH KIDS

BALLISTIC DEVICES MAKE A COMEBACK WITH KIDS

MINNEAPOLIS (Wireless Flash) – President Bush wants to build up the defense system, and an engineer in Minneapolis may be able to help – with potato cannons. Professional engineer William Gurstelle is the author of the new book Backyard Ballistics (Chicago Review Press), which teaches young amateur scientists how to build devices like potato cannons and tennis ball mortars. The potato cannon uses hair spray for fuel and the mortar uses empty Pringle’s potato chip canisters for its barrel. Gurstelle says his how-to-do-it book isn’t designed to encourage explosive pranks, it’s to inspire kids to spend more time exploring science and less time watching TV and video games.

Mon 04-23-01