Short answers, pulled from the story.
Popular Mechanics was first published on the 11th of January 1902 by Henry Haven Windsor. Windsor established the magazine as a weekly publication in Chicago to explain complex technology to the average person.
An issue published in March 1962 contained the blueprint for the escape of Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers. The magazine provided technical knowledge that allowed the inmates to construct life vests and a raft from rubber raincoats and contact cement.
Popular Mechanics became the first magazine to travel to space in April 2001. The magazine rode aboard the Soyuz TM-32 spacecraft to the International Space Station to demonstrate its commitment to exploring technology frontiers.
Contributors to Popular Mechanics include Guglielmo Marconi, Thomas Edison, Jules Verne, Teddy Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, Buzz Aldrin, and Charles Kettering. Jay Leno launched his regular column Jay Leno's Garage in March 1999.
Popular Mechanics relocated its editorial offices to Easton, Pennsylvania in 2020. The magazine joined two other brands in the Hearst Enthusiast Group and established a testing facility known as the Test Zone.