The Italian icon of mid-century transport is back in the States, zipping around in irresistible candy colors. Paola Antonelli, design curator at the Museum of Modern Art, has her own soft spot for the scooter. Produced by Angela Frucci.

Jeremy Kinney of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum explains how the Wright brothers’ wooden propeller -– designed using the world’s first wind tunnel -- made the dream of defying gravity come true. Produced by Dennis Nishi.

Robots taking over the world? Stealing all the jobs? Robotics engineer Daniel H. Wilson says we shouldn't fear the all-knowing floor-cleaning unit called Roomba. Produced by Caitlin Lindsey.

Cartoon characters have helped sell burgers and fries for years. But for graphic designer Steven Heller, there’s one icon that stands above the rest. He’s a pudgy little boy with a pompadour, checkered overalls and a Double-Decker burger in his hand.

Along with a keyboard, the mouse is the main tool most people use to control their computers. But it’s not exactly subtle. Bill Verplank, one of the founding fathers of interaction design, tells us about the past and future of the mouse. Produced by

The Wall Street Journal has a new look – the paper recently shaved off a few inches of its width. In this week’s installment of Design for the Real World, we asked design guru Chee Pearlman to give us the skinny on the new format.

Almost 100 years ago, the Leica camera changed the world of photography. It was the first practical 35mm camera, and it has inspired passion in those who shoot with it. In Design for the Real World, photojournalist Deborah Copaken Kogan - the author of Shutterbabe - explains what makes the ...

As we approach the first Tuesday in November, we're awash in red, white and blue bumper stickers, buttons, and lawn signs. Graphic designer Michael Bierut explains why so many of these campaign signs look the same, no matter what side of the fence they're planted on. Produced ...

Samina Quraeshi grew up in a prominent family in Pakistan in the 1960s. She remembers the exact moment she decided to become a designer: when she saw the tail fins on the American ambassador's car.

Lifelong baseball fan and graphic designer Steven Heller looks at the most American piece of headwear -- the baseball cap.

Firearms expert Gary James explains why a pistol designed a century ago is still being issued to some forces in Iraq, and why it remains popular with law enforcement. Produced by Dennis Nishi.

Home renovation guru Duo Dickinson sings the praises of the invisible stuff that's all around us. Literally. Produced by Alexis Shoenberg.

Caffeine is about the last non-prescription drug you can use without social stigma, and a growing number of Americans are obsessed with the finer points of getting it. Corby Kummer, who writes about food for the Atlantic Monthly, tells us about a brewing device he thinks is ...

Paola Antonelli, a design curator at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, appreciates the classic design of this staple of your medicine cabinet.

Paola Antonelli explains the origins of everybody's favorite ear cleaner.

Buy any robots lately? Robotics engineer Daniel H. Wilson explains what's so special about a sentient little vacuum cleaner called the "Roomba." Produced by Caitlin Lindsey.

Chris Spurgeon explains the strange inaccuracies of an iconic map.  

Curator Paola Antonelli remembers how the tiny, energetic Superball made havoc in classrooms and workplaces.

Design curator Paola Antonelli on the fall of Apple's Newton handheld computer, the rise of the Palm, and what makes a great "personal digital assistant" tick.

With only one speed, no flywheel, and no brakes, the fixed-gear reduces the modern bicycle to its most basic machinery. In today’s Design for the Real World, graphic designer and amateur racer Naz Hamid tells why he loves to ride on the wild side. Produced by Jonathan Menjivar.