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These freaky fish use their forehead teeth to have better sex 

Plus landmine-detecting rats and other weird things we learned this week.

Rachel Feltman

Rachel Feltman

Host

At Popular Science, we report and write dozens of stories every week. And while a lot of the fun facts we stumble across make it into our articles, there are lots of other weird facts that we just keep around the office. So we figured, why not share those with you? Welcome to The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.

Latest Articles

Dubai chocolate is a dessert prepared with milk and dark chocolate, roasted shredded wheat, pistachio paste and tahini.
Social Media

Why foods like Dubai chocolate go viral

Psychologists break down how the treat delights our brain and our tastebuds.

By Andrew Paul

Security camera footage of bear entering grocery store in Japan
Bears

Bears have attacked over 100 people in Japan since March

The dangerous encounters are on the rise.

By Andrew Paul

a lemur in a tree
Wildlife

Lemurs keep evolving new species, even after 50 million years

‘Something special is happening on Madagascar.’

By Margherita Bassi

empty capsules with a colorful capsule-like device in the middle
Medicine

World’s smallest ‘bioprinter’ is the size of a pill

The ingestible device could help patients heal from the inside.

By Mack DeGeurin

A dramatic, wide-angle photo of a scarecrow standing in a dry cornfield or patch of tall, brown crops at sunset. The scarecrow is dressed in a dark hat and long coat, with a sack covering its head and stick arms outstretched. The sky above is colored with orange and pink clouds.
Agriculture

How scarecrows went from ancient magic to fall horror fodder

The autumnal decor wasn’t always so spooky.

By Mark Hay

Paranthropus boisei. Reproduction of an adult skull. 1,8 million years ago. Pleistocene. Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Evolution

This overlooked human ancestor wielded tools with a gorilla-like grip

Researchers in Kenya excavated the first hand and foot bones belonging to ‘Paranthropis boisei.’

By Andrew Paul

Close up of stink bug on leaf
Wildlife

These stink bugs use cordycep-like fungus to fend off parasitic wasps

The special glands located on their legs were first mistaken for ‘ears.’

By Andrew Paul

Aerial photo of ancient ice storage facility excavation next to photos of a burial jar containing Chinese coins
Archaeology

Ancient underground freezer unearthed at South Korean castle

The 1,400-year-old ‘bingo’ is the oldest known facility of its kind.

By Andrew Paul

a baby sea turtle crawling on sand
Endangered Species

Green sea turtle no longer Endangered

These gentle, 400-pound giants are splashing back from the brink of extinction.

By Laura Baisas

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Popular Science has been demystifying the worlds of science and technology since 1872. We explain the inner workings of the phone in your pocket, explore world-changing innovations, and examine everything from the marvels of deep space to the secret lives of staples like bread. We deliver an engaging, approachable, and inclusive look at emerging technologies and scientific advances.
Daily, Popular Science unpacks the science behind the top current new stories, dissects the latest technology and digital trends, and helps readers live smarter, safer, and happier through clever DIY projects.

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