Down to the wires

Did you know …

That “wire” is actually just long, thin metal? It’s true!

But hold on, Professor Wire, wire expert, aren’t there lots of long, thin metal things? Are those things wires as well?

Yes, and sometimes. Here’s a quick list of some of the more common long, thin metal products, and a guide to whether they are wire or not.

-Antennae: Yep, these are wires. They often stand up straight, which can make it tricky to tell if they’re wires or not, but they are.

-Knives: No, these are not wires. Depending on the variety of knife, they can be very long and thin, but they are not wires. If you aren’t sure if what you have is a wire or a knife, try cutting your sandwich with it; it will be much more difficult to cut your sandwich with a wire than with a knife.

-String: Nope, not wire. String is very long and thin, but if you look closely you’ll see that it is not made of metal!

-Needles: Hmm. Yes, these are basically wires.