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A stylized digital collage featuring chess pieces, including a red king, set against a target-like background of concentric circles and a red-and-white checkered pattern.
Mental Health

Chess or video games—which actually makes you smarter? The answer may surprise you.

The science behind games, brains, and what “smarter” really means.

By Clarissa Brincat

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Chicago’s rat hole wasn’t made by a rat

Plus a retirement home for penguins 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

an illustration of an asteroid
Solar System

World’s largest digital camera spots massive asteroid

2025 MN45 is larger than eight football fields.

By Laura Baisas

Young girl on dad's shoulders next to car at a Christmas tree farm, childhood, excitement, holiday season
Science

The science behind how your winter jacket keeps you warm

New materials, old physics.

By Wan Xiong and Longji Cui / The Conversation

Photograph of lightning inside storm cloud taken above Milan, Italy, at night aboard the ISS
NASA

Astronaut snaps spectacular photo of lightning above Italy

NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers spotted the summer storm while aboard the International Space Station.

By Andrew Paul

Both sides of one of the arrowheads analysed. The left-hand image shows the organic remains in which the arrowhead residues were identified. Photo: Marlize Lombard
Archaeology

World’s oldest poison-tipped arrow discovered in South Africa

The 60,000-year-old relic contains traces of a toxic onion.

By Andrew Paul

SYMBOL - 26 May 2025, Berlin: A plaster sticks to the upper arm of a small child after a vaccination. Photo: Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez/dpa (Photo by Fernando Gutierrez-Juarez/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Vaccines

The CDC just sidelined these childhood vaccines. Here’s what they prevent.

Experts on childhood disease were baffled by the change in guidance.

By Arthur Allen and Jackie Fortiér / KFF Health News

A white woman cracks her fingers. She has muted purple nail polish on and a muted purple blouse on, too.
Medicine

Is cracking your knuckles really bad for them?

It doesn’t actually cause arthritis.

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

an iguana with blue and green scales
Endangered Species

10 vulnerable wildlife species to watch in 2026

A psychedelic spider, sign of spring, a loud primate and more make Fauna & Flora’s 2026 Species to Watch List.

By Laura Baisas

three side by side images of a large jellyfish in a deep sea canyon
Wildlife

Giant phantom jellyfish spotted deep in Pacific

These rare sea creatures live where the sun don’t shine.

By Laura Baisas

Pint of beer next to a cheeseburger
Agriculture

Beer waste helps lab-grown meat taste meatier

Brewing byproduct may be a key sustainable secret ingredient.

By Andrew Paul

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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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