When comparing the versatility of erasers, the kneaded variety wins my vote every time. Among its attributes, two stand out above the rest — pliability and tackiness. It has the consistency of putty ...

A pencil eraser (Alexis Madrigal). It's true, as Arthur C. Clarke said, that the most advanced technologies are indistinguishable from magic. It's not true, however, that the world's most magical ...