Nov. 17, 1790: A Rather One-Sided Affair

It's the birthday of August Ferdinand Möbius, a pioneer in topology and putative inventor of the Möbius strip.

Do Speedy Math in Your Head

Math wizard Arthur Benjamin shares three secrets to how to multiply big numbers — without a calculator and faster than even if you had one.

Learn to Hack Barcodes With Your Brain

Whiz kid Jonathan Washington showed he could read a barcode in about 15 seconds. Want to learn how? Break the mystery of barcodes by learning what those straight black lines mean, and then learn some practical ways to use them.

Google Submits New Proposal for Library of Future

Google hopes that it can find a creative legal solution that lets it create the library of tomorrow by scanning millions of books. Late Friday, it submitted a new proposal for paying authors, but is it enough to keep the feds from seeing a monopoly in the offing?

Makeshift N.Y. Museum Shows Off Mario Oddities

Vintage collectibles showcase the peppy plumber through the ages, as commemorated on lunch boxes, tape players and other colorful items. It's all part of a New York City launch party for New Super Mario Bros. Wii that draws the Nintendo faithful.