Science Hack to Locate Your Car
Ever come back from a long trip, tired and wary, only to enter the airport parking garage and realize you have absolutely zero idea where you left your car? As the wave of panic envelops you, you try in vain to use your car’s remote alarm but realize you’re likely out of range.
However, fear not—science has your back and can help you locate your car. All you need to do is use your head. Literally.
Recently, Boston’s Museum of Science shared a TikTok video featuring Alex Dainis, a science communicator with a PhD in genetics. She absolutely blew the internet’s mind with a quick hack to extend your car’s remote alarm range.
“Have you ever lost your car in a crowded parking lot? Well, I might just have the science hack to help you find it,” Dainis said as she took her car’s remote and put it up to her face.
Understanding How It Works
“When you’re out of range for your car remote to work, you can actually use your head as an antenna,” Dainis explained.
@museumofscience
Ever lost your car in a crowded parking lot?🚗❓@alexdainis has a #science hack that will help you find it in no time. #sciencetok #radiowaves #physics
♬ original sound – Museum of Science – Museum of Science
Dainis further elaborated that car remotes send out a short-range radio signal, which typically travels about “five to 20 meters until it peters out.” Nonetheless, you can “use your head to amplify it” and increase the distance that signal can travel.
It works because your head—like the rest of your body—contains a lot of water. Therefore, when you hold your key fob against your head, “the electromagnetic waves from your car remote interact with the water molecules in your head. This movement generates a wave that adds together with the remote wave, amplifying it and consequently increasing its range.”
Alternative Methods
Not loving the idea of radio waves traveling through your head? Dainis added that you can also utilize this trick with a full water bottle if you happen to have one handy.
