The North American International Auto Show kicked off Monday in Detroit. It's no secret that technology changes fast -- and the auto industry is no exception. So what's in store for future cars?

Jan. 9 is National Static Electricity Day. Most of us have seen the device, known as a Van de Graaff generator, that makes your hair stand on end. Find out how Van de Graaff generators create static electricity and why they were invented in the first place.

Everyone knows that the things we buy at retail are marked up to help vendors make a profit. But the final cost depends on what you're buying -- and where you buy it. Which items are you grossly overpaying for?

Last week, President Obama announced a new military strategy that includes a focus on China and Iran. China is generally viewed as the next candidate for "superpower" distinction, but does that mean it will take over the world? What would that entail?

If at first you don't succeed, launch a new online social network. Google's Orkut failed to hit the big time on the world stage, but could Google+ challenge Facebook for the title of King of Social Media?

Whether it's a tiny city car with a direct-injected engine or a supercar with a "push to pass" hybrid booster button, these technologies promise that the future of driving will still be fun.

The entertainment industry has tried to stop people from making digital copies of its work, but in 2011, they enlisted the help of the U.S. government. What is the Stop Online Piracy Act and what would it achieve?

On Monday, Iran’s Revolutionary Court handed down a death sentence to former United States military serviceman Amir Mirzaei Hekmati, who was charged with spying for the Central Intelligence Agency. Spies have shaped foreign policy, altered the course of wars and left a deep (though usually hidden) impression on world history. Learn more about this tense and often deadly job.

Hundreds of people in the Netherlands were evacuated last Friday due to a threat of a dike break. In the U.S., the Hoover Dam holds back enough to cover the state of Connecticut 10 feet deep. How much damage would be done if that dam broke?

The Ramnit Facebook worm is currently spreading through Facebook, hacking passwords and financial information. Viruses range from pesky to outright dangerous. How can you protect your computer from getting one?

Watch Josh and Chuck as they explore social isolation, the mysterious burial of a fervent Canadian and the topic of Japanese World War II stragglers.

The U.S. gained 200,000 new jobs in December, signaling an improved economy for the new year. While these dirty jobs probably weren't on your list of what you wanted to be when you grew up, they may be more profitable than your desk jockey career.

Stephen Hawking recently turned 70 and is best-known around the world as an acclaimed physicist, but there’s more to him than just that. From his work as an author to his beliefs about alien life, what are some of the most surprising things about Stephen Hawking?

Sales of smartphones are expected to increase in 2012. If you are one of the many people who feel completely lost when choosing a smartphone, see these tips to figure exactly what you need, what you want and what you can do without.

Some people believe that the world will end in the very near future -- Dec. 21, 2012, to be exact. It's a date that the Mayans predicted long ago would mark a period of great change, but should we be worried?

Commercial airtime for the upcoming Super Bowl is sold out, and there is even a wait list for the average $3.5 million, 30-second commercial spots. If you wait impatiently each year for these ads, you know some American traditions can be kind of bizarre. See 10 of the weirdest.

Your first weekend coffee of the year might be a little more expensive than normal. Starbucks increased its prices in the Northeast and Sunbelt regions of the U.S. this week due to increasing coffee, milk and fuel costs. Everyone likes to save money -- you'll be shocked at how much these no-brainer tips can save you.

McDonald's topped the list of the Dow Jones Industrial Average best performers in 2011. See these 10 most popular menu items that have kept the business hopping.

Every time disaster strikes, one man's name arises alongside the obsessive news coverage: Nostradamus. According to some folks, the famed French seer has predicted many of the planet's gloomy twists and turns. What did he have to say about 2012?

Now that the year 2012 is underway, discussion regarding what exactly will happen to the world and human civilization continues to heat up. What are some of the wackier conspiracy theories about the year 2012?

What happens if you accidentally encounter an animal that feels threatened or frightened by you? What if it attacks? Take this quiz to see whether you've got what it takes to survive or if Mother Nature will reign supreme.

The average American household throws away 470 pounds of food waste every year. Sure, composting is the responsible thing to do, but isn't it complicated and labor-intensive? Doesn't it stink up your yard? Take our quiz and find out.

Even if you haven't cracked open any of the seven enormous volumes in the series, you probably know who Dumbledore is and how Harry got that scar on his forehead. If you have read them all, you know that 20 questions barely scratch the surface -- so don't dwell on what we've missed. Pretend this quiz is your N.E.W.T. exam and see if you pass.

Is it really possible to love more than one person? People who practice polyamory think so. Find out how much you know about polyamorous relationships with this quiz.

What was your favorite toy when you were a kid? How much do you really know about classic toys, such as Silly Putty, Monopoly or Mr. Potato Head? Take our quiz to find out.

Do you have hair in weird places? Do you find yourself suppressing an urge to howl at the moon? Does your significant other call you an animal -- and not in a good way? Well, you’re either extra quirky or you’re a werewolf. Take this quiz to find out what’s really keeping you up at night.

We read about them in books and see them on the silver screen, but what's the real deal on coffins? Test your knowledge of the realities and myths that surround these creepy containers with this fact-or-fiction quiz.

Sometimes it feels like Google is taking over the world. Seriously, "Google" is actually in the dictionary as a verb. And rumors are always swirling about the next new Google development. Do you know which of them are true? Take our quiz and find out.

Unless you're an automotive designer or a car fanatic, you probably don't know too much about automotive physics. But don't be intimidated if you don't know a carburetor from an alternator -- take our quiz and you'll learn a little something about what's going on under the hood of your car.

Worried about your online passwords being compromised? Think you're playing it safe? Take the quiz to find out if you're doing all you can to protect your information online.

The Google Chrome Web browser is full of fun and useful features. How much do you know about Chrome? Surf through this quiz to find out!

Wireless networks are easy to set up and inexpensive. They're also unobtrusive -- unless you're on the lookout for a place to use your laptop, you may not even notice when you're in a hotspot. But as you’ll find out in this quiz, there’s a lot more to them than meets the eye.

Learning to ride a bicycle seems to be a universal experience for children around the world. Whether you've been riding bicycles since you were a child or just recently started pedaling, how much do you know about this elegant and simple vehicle?

When it comes to painting your home, there's more to picking a color than meets the eye. Your choices are often based on deep-seated psychological reactions to color that you may not even think about at first. Take this quiz to see how much you know about the effects of color on your mind!

So you think you know a lot about spray paint, huh? OK, smartypants -- let's see if you can tell fact from fiction when it comes to aerosol paint.

You probably figure you're a goner in the event of a plane crash, right? In some situations, yes, but don't count yourself out. With some advance planning and quick thinking you could improve your chances -- even when falling from 35,000 feet.

How much do you actually know about the unknowable? It's time to put your supernatural knowledge to the test. Pray you spent enough time in your bookstore's candlelit occult section.

Those of us who have grown up around TV can't help but have heads full of snappy slogans and jingles from watching (or really, just listening to) commercials. While you'd never admit it in polite society, you know every one of the following slogans, and probably many, many more. But can you match them with the right brands?

If you find yourself locked out of your house, you might be tempted to learn your way around a lock pick. But while the theory is easy, getting a lock to open without a key is a little harder.

We humans can do amazing things -- whether it's out of sheer will to live (see "surviving adrift at sea") or an intense desire to be globally recognized for a bizarre achievement. Can you guess what these record breakers got up to?

Empires rise and empires fall -- it's a seemingly unavoidable fact of life on Earth. But these superpowers reigned longer than any others. What can we learn from their missteps and achievements?

It may not seem that way all the time, but professional athletes are generally worth every penny they make -- except when agents and general managers hand out overpriced contracts like candy. Here are 10 of the worst.

Whether we're trying to save a sinking city or digging massive tunnels, our appetite for construction knows no bounds. But if designers had known the cost of these 10 projects, they might have gone back to the drawing board.

iTunes is like most other complex tools. It works well right out of the box, but it can become a powerful, personalized media manager with a few simple modifications and adjustments. So, what can you do to get the most out of iTunes?

Apple is one of the most successful companies around -- and one of the most mysterious. Here, we consider and debunk five of the biggest myths surrounding this tech giant.

If you think that the world's greatest inventions came from the fevered minds of solitary geniuses, think again. As you scan this list of the 10 inventions that changed the world, note how many of them perfected workable designs.

It doesn't take much skill to steal, but printing and using fake currency requires some finesse. Counterfeiting has become something of a lost art over the years, but here's a list of five of its best practitioners.

Knowing how to manage your money is a valuable skill, regardless of the state of the economy. And in today's tech-savvy climate, an array of tools can help you do just that. Read on to see the top 10 tech tools for managing your money.

If you're stranded in the wild and you're not carrying a hunting rifle, your best bet for bagging dinner is probably a snare or a trap. But how do you set one up?

In the race to find alternative energy sources, wind power is a strong contender. In fact, it's already making its mark. How much do you know about this up-and-coming energy source?

A levitating lounger, a toilet seat that rises to greet you, a fold-out balcony. Some of these household gadgets are useful, and some are absolute fluff. Which ones are the wackiest?

Even the best camera needs a good photographer to capture the best images possible. No matter your skill level, you still need to know the basic terms and tenets of photography. Here are 10 of the most important ones.

For most of us, the dream of buying an island is just that -- a dream. But if you're having fun pretending, or you've actually lucked out and inherited a ton of cash, check out these 10 secluded isles. Trust us, they're all over-the-top.

Leaving a job can be one of the most stressful occasions in your working life, but some situations make it almost mandatory for a career-minded person to change jobs. What are some of the best reasons to switch to a new job?

The airwaves bring a variety of sports, sitcoms, dramas, news and reality shows into our homes. But the best shows punch through these genres to create -- well, something new. So what are some of the shows that changed the way we view TV?

It's nice to take off for a week of kayaking, hiking and rafting. But it'd be a whole lot cooler if all that adventure were right in your backyard. Where can you live that lifestyle?

Who couldn't use a little extra cash at some point? You may not have the time to go out and hit the pavement in search of a second job, but you could use the skills you have to get the cash you need.

Necessity may be the mother of invention, but many inventors are also mothers. By the end of the 20th century, female inventors held 10 percent of all patents -- a disparity indicating the hurdles women faced in receiving credit for their ideas. The inventions on this list overcame those obstacles.

It wasn't so long ago that Apple sold its one billionth iPhone application. What are some of the best applications that run on Apple's smartphone?

There are some views so magnificent that people travel across oceans and continents to see them. What are they?

Put on your sweatbands and get ready to train your brain! Improve your concentration by matching words and colors in the Color Match Game. Flex your brain and focus your mind, play Color Match today!

With these free jigsaw puzzle games, you won't have to worry about losing a piece under the dining room table.

Take charge of your own Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) Cannon, the revolutionary gun that represents the future of U.S. Field Artillery.

Super TextTwist revolutionized casual word games. Now, TextTwist 2 takes it to the next level. Featuring 25,000 words to find, amazing new graphics, and nearly endless family fun, TextTwist 2 is a must-have for word game fans.

Peel back the curtain and visit a 19th century world that never existed in this beautiful hidden object game! The Clockwork Man takes seek-and-find gameplay to new dimensions.

Plant powerful perennials and defend your brain from hordes of hungry zombies in the all-new Plants vs. Zombies -- Game of the Year Edition. The zombies are on the march for tasty brains and only you can stop them!

Enjoy the island fun of Ranch Rush 2, a new tropical farming sequel to the hit game! More than 120 levels of farm-frenzied fun await you in this exciting new adventure.

Return to a magical world beyond your wildest dreams in The Magician's Handbook II, a hidden object adventure to defeat an evil magician pirate!

Solve three different types of hidden object challenges, including the all-new phrase-building variation. Decipher a brain-twisting series of puzzles by using the objects you find. And explore a lush landscape teeming with exotic life.

Flip Out is a game chock-full of unique twists that will tickle your brain just the right way, with a fun visual style and feel-good gameplay to keep you coming back for more.

Overcome dangers including rugged terrain, vicious animals and natural disasters. Can you get Victorious back to Rome?

Build an all-new underwater kingdom in Fishdom™ 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the hit game! Fishdom is back and better than ever with a rewarding aquarium escapade.

Expand your car repair empire in Fix-it-Up 2 -- World Tour, the fun sequel to the hit automobile restoration game!

Upgrade the hotels with charming décor, learn new skills to become more efficient and challenge eight wonderful mini-games to stay on the right track. Together, you'll help Jane and Jenny succeed in Jane's Hotel Mania!

Can you balance the urge to fulfill a prophecy and the need to survive and get out of this unbelievable predicament? Bring your adventurous spirit to life and take part in this wild journey.

You only have 80 days to circumnavigate the globe. Think that sounds easy? Travel back in time to the late 19th century and get ready for spectacular adventures on land, sea and air together with the English daredevil Phileas Fogg and his loyal French servant Passepartout.

Think you have what it takes to make the high score? Get to the top spot and earn extra treats for being the queen or king of online Mahjongg Age of Alchemy.

You'll flip over our new word game: Flip Words! Click on letters to make words and solve familiar phrases.

Prove that you’ve got those keen special eyes with Auto Channel: Picture Pieces!

Play two extra mini-games, test three difficulties, and enjoy a fine balance between fast-paced battles and brain-teasing puzzles.