Popular Science. Demystifying the worlds of science and technology since 1872.

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Rachel Feltman

Rachel Feltman

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Four desktop homescreens showing SETI@home software running
Deep Space

100 mystery sounds under review for signs of extraterrestrial life

Over 11 years, citizen scientists collected billions of data signals for the SETI@home project.

Depiction of the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, Death, riding a mythical creature, presumably a winged lion. Below him is a personification of famine (Fames), pointing to her open mouth. The depiction was created in Erfurt in the mid-14th century; the connection to Neuses may be drawn due to the date – St. Mark’s Day – of the annual memorial procession leading to the mass grave. Source: Klassik-Stiftung Weimar
Archaeology

Medieval plague victims likely found in mass grave in Germany

Archaeologists say they located a Black Death burial site containing some of a village’s 12,000 dead.

White axolotl seen underwater
Endangered Species

Is it illegal to own an axolotl? It depends.

A recent pet seizure at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport illustrates ongoing confusion.

Peregrinen 4 quadcopter drone taking off from launch pad
Drones

Father and son reclaim Guinness World Record for fastest quadcopter drone

Luke and Mike Bell’s Peregrine 4 achieved the milestone barely a month after it was taken from them.

a team stands on a beach with two pigs in kennels
Animals

Abandoned pigs rescued on Tennessee’s Looney Islands

The animals are in good hands thanks to patience and a ‘pig whisperer.’

Diver underwater investigating Viking shipwreck
Archaeology

600-year-old Viking shipwreck is the largest of its kind

The medieval ‘cog’ was nearly 92 feet long and featured castles on its bow and stern.

Close up of man's hands reaching into box of apples at orchard
Agriculture

Test your apple farming skills with this free video game

Race Against Rot shows how engaging with community may be a valuable resource.

a small black insect standing on white snow
Wildlife

Snow fleas use their tail to jump around the ice

The tiny insects are older than dinosaurs.

The central square image, taken with the MUSE instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, shows shock waves around the dead star RXJ0528+2838. When a star moves through space it can push away nearby material creating a so-called bow shock, which in this image is glowing in red, green and blue. The colours represent hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen, respectively. These shocks are usually produced by a strong outflow expelled from the star. However, in the case of RXJ0528+2838 –– a white dwarf with a Sun-like companion –– astronomers discovered that the shock wave can’t be explained by any known mechanism. Some hidden energy source, perhaps magnetic fields, could be the answer to this mystery.
Space Telescope

Dead star emits perplexing shock wave for 1,000 years

A cosmic outflow like this ‘shouldn’t be there.’

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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.
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