We all carry supercomputers in our pockets and use dozens of electric gizmos every day but rarely stop to marvel at the magical act of flicking a switch. Use your ordinary conducting and extraordinary ...

A parallel circuit is way of connecting components on separate branches, so the current can take different routes around the circuit. The current is different in different parts of a parallel circuit.

A 6-V battery powers a circuit with parallel branches on a board. Several wires and light bulbs plug into the board to make various series and parallel circuits. The brightness of the bulbs changes ...

The flashing is thanks to LEDs with a built-in, integrated flashing circuit and the nasty noise comes from a piezoelectric buzzer — both are available from electronics stores that sell ordinary LEDs.