Alcatrazs Only Successful Prison Break Was Inspired By an Article in Popular Mechanics. Here’s How It Happened

In 1962, three men broke out of Alcatraz and tried to cross San Francisco Bay using an improvised raft and DIY life vests inspired by projects in the magazine.

View in Browser  SHOP EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBE Alcatrazs Only Successful Prison Break Was Inspired By an Article in Popular Mechanics. Here's How It Happened In 1962, three men broke out of Alcatraz and tried to cross San Francisco Bay using an improvised raft and DIY life vests inspired by projects in the magazine. Read More We're Really Picky About Our Backpacks. These Are the Ones We Always Reach For Our go-tos from Yeti, Thule, Cotopaxi, Filson, and more. Read More A Father and Daughter Went Fishing—and Accidentally Discovered a 152-Year-Old Shipwreck You don't reel in one of those every day. Read More Cats and Dogs Are Weirdly Starting to Look Like Each Other, Thanks to Human Evolution It's giving "fur mom" a whole new meaning. Read More Scientists Think There May Be a Massive Helium Well Right Near Yellowstone Advanced technologies like superconductors and nuclear reactors require helium, but finding it isn't easy. Read More Archaeologists Were Excavating the Site of Two Ancient Forts—And Found a THIRD Ancient Fort This one's even older. Read More Need Assistance? Contact Us. Follow Us Unsubscribe | Privacy Notice | CA Notice at Collection Popular Mechanics is a publication of Hearst Magazines. ©2025 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This email was sent by Hearst Magazines, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3779