How {Things} Work
How everyday things work
Only for iPhone
Free · Designed for iPhone. Not verified for macOS.
iPhone
Microwaves, Wi-Fi, jet engines, MRI scanners - the bits of modern life that just kind of work, explained at three depths. Offline. No accounts. No ads.
Ever wondered how a microwave actually heats your dinner? How Wi-Fi gets through walls? How an MRI sees inside you without cutting you open?
How {things} Work is a field guide to the machinery of modern life - short, plainspoken explainers about the everyday objects, systems, and ideas that quietly run the world.
Every topic has three reading depths.
- The short version - a paragraph that answers the question.
- Go Deeper - a more technical pass, already prepared.
- The Full Picture - edge cases, context, and broader connections.
What's inside the first release:
- Around 200 topics across 30 categories - from home appliances and transport, to your senses, the weather, money, materials, AI, and more
- A quick quiz at the end of each topic, so the details stay
- Bookmarks for the ones you want to come back to
- Source links at the foot of every topic
Built to read calmly. No accounts. No ads. No tracking. Works fully offline once installed. Read on the train, in bed, or in the kitchen while something's in the oven.
For the curious - and for anyone who keeps getting asked "how does that actually work?"
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The developer, ccburns.me, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Accessibility
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Information
- Seller
- Colin Burns
- Size
- 42.7 MB
- Category
- Education
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 15.1 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 15.1 or later. - iPod touch
Requires iOS 15.1 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 12.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
4+
- 4+
- Copyright
- © 2026 Colin Burns
