A small independent project
Familiar things.
A fresh pair of eyes.
A free English-language publication about how ordinary objects work — and why their details exist.
One question at a time.
A zipper closes a jacket. A pump lifts soap. A pen stays out after a click. We start with a familiar detail and follow the cause, using a short answer, an explanatory drawing, and links you can inspect.
Our library contains 36 stories across fasteners, materials, and everyday machines. It is a curiosity publication, not a comprehensive engineering reference.
How this is made.
This project uses AI to help with research, drafting, code, and original illustrations. Explanations are checked against the cited documents; simplified drawings are made separately from the artwork. We do not claim physical product tests, reader interviews, or professional engineering credentials.
The byline “Things Unpacked” identifies the publication. No fictional authors or expert reviewers are presented. Read our sources and method.
Your reading shelf is yours.
Saved story IDs are stored locally in this browser, without an account or synchronization. Clearing site data removes saved stories; browser storage restrictions can prevent saving.
Site analytics.
We use cookie-free Vercel Web Analytics to see aggregate page views and referring sites. We do not send email addresses, correction drafts, saved lists, or free-text searches to analytics. Its visitor hash expires daily; these counts do not tell us which readers return after a week or a month.
The site respects Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control signals. You can also switch analytics off in this browser using the control below. This preference is stored locally. Without JavaScript, the analytics script does not run. Vercel also processes normal hosting requests under its own policies.
Vercel Web Analytics privacy information
Optional Google Analytics.
With your separate permission, Google Analytics uses first-party cookies to measure return visits and public story interactions. It does not load before you choose Allow analytics. Reject optional keeps Google Analytics off. Your choice stays in this browser and you can change it below. Switching all analytics off overrides this choice.
We send cleaned page addresses without query strings or fragments, public story IDs, mechanism state numbers and feed types. Public campaign labels from an explicit allowlist may be retained; other query parameters are discarded. We do not send your saved list, search text, correction drafts, or email addresses. An article engagement event means at least 30 visible seconds and 70% of the explanation reached; it is not proof that a person read it.
Event data may be retained for up to 14 months; aggregate return-visit reports cover consenting visitors only. Google Signals, advertising personalization, advertising integrations and session replay are not enabled. Browser privacy signals also keep this optional analytics off.
Still a work in progress.
This is a free personal project made for curiosity. Its name and visual direction are working choices. We have not tested whether readers prefer the brand or whether the explanations improve learning.
To flag an explanation that needs checking, use the correction link on the story or email dpustovalov.work@gmail.com. Include the article URL, the passage, and a supporting source. Read the corrections policy.
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