Every explainer

All 10 WiredSimple explainers, grouped by subject. Each one covers a single system: what goes in, what comes out, and how it fails.

Not sure what you are looking for? The same 10 articles are also indexed by the situation you met them in, by the parts involved, and by how each system fails — or start with a reading path.

Tech 4

From Wi-Fi signals to SSDs — how the tech around you actually works.

Networking

  • How Bluetooth Works: The Invisible Cable Replacement

    Bluetooth connects billions of devices wirelessly over short distances. Here's what actually happens when you pair your headphones.

    6 min Frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) engineAdaptive power control

  • How Wi-Fi Works

    Wi-Fi is invisible, but the physics behind it aren't magic. Here's exactly how your router converts internet data into radio waves — and how your phone catches them.

    5 min Router / access pointWireless NIC (adapter)

Hardware

  • How SSDs Work: Flash Storage Explained

    SSDs have no moving parts, yet they're far more complex than spinning drives. Here's how NAND flash traps electrons to store your data — and why they eventually wear out.

    5 min NAND flash cellsFloating-gate transistor

  • What is RAM and Why Does It Matter?

    RAM is your computer's short-term memory. Here's how DRAM cells actually store bits, why more RAM helps, and when adding more stops making a difference.

    5 min DRAM capacitor cellsTransistor gate (access)

Money 3

Credit scores, mortgages, pensions — the financial system, demystified.

Credit

  • How Credit Scores Work

    A three-digit number shapes your financial life — your mortgage rate, phone contract, even your rental application. Here's exactly how it's calculated and what actually moves it.

    5 min Credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion)FICO scoring model

Banking

  • How Mortgages Work

    A mortgage is the largest financial commitment most people ever make, yet few understand how the maths actually works. Here's what happens to every payment you make.

    5 min UK Loan-to-value ratio (LTV)Amortisation schedule

Investing

  • What is a Pension and How Does It Work?

    Pensions are one of the most powerful financial tools most people barely understand. Here's how they actually work, what the different types mean, and why starting early matters so much.

    5 min UK Defined contribution (DC) potDefined benefit (DB) scheme

Science 3

Vaccines, batteries, the colour of the sky — everyday science, explained clearly.

Biology

  • How Vaccines Work

    Vaccines don't just prevent disease — they train your immune system to win battles before they start. Here's the immunology of how they work, from antigens to antibodies.

    6 min Antigen (target for immune learning)Dendritic cells (antigen presenters)

Physics

  • Why is the Sky Blue?

    It's one of the first questions children ask and one of the last that adults can actually answer. The sky is blue because of a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering — and it explains sunsets too.

    5 min Photons of visible lightAtmospheric molecules

  • How Batteries Work

    From the AA in your TV remote to the 100 kWh pack under your EV, all batteries use the same fundamental trick: controlled chemistry. Here's the electrochemistry explained.

    5 min Anode (graphite / silicon)Cathode (lithium metal oxide)