Ask anybody to name a gun and an AK-47 usually comes up near the top of the list. Tool of the terrorist and the revolutionary, it’s everywhere, with most acquainted with its distinct shape. It even has its own biography. A recent article in Wired recounts its history and impact in culture and world politics.

“What it may have lacked in precision and power it has made up for in ease of use, cost, reliability, and readily available parts and ammunition. It has helped ensure that even the poor, the small-statured, the dim-witted, the illiterate, and the untrained are able to acquire weapons and keep them functioning.”

The gun has been a longtime favorite in first-person shooters, a genre staple that sadly reflects its ubiquity. Read more here.

–Filipe Salgado