Science

Science spans our understanding of how Earth and the cosmos work. Get the biggest news on biology, physics, space, dinosaurs, and more—along with the latest episodes of the Ask Us Anything and Weirdest Thing podcasts.

Latest in Science

I developed a sturdier, crisper, and yummier apple
Science

I developed a sturdier, crisper, and yummier apple

By Amal Ahmed

astronauts spacewalk
Science

Watch astronauts fix a leaky pump in space

By Mary Beth Griggs

How South Africa’s ‘Cradle of Humankind’ got the title
Science

How South Africa’s ‘Cradle of Humankind’ got the title

By Molly McArdle

antechinus
Science

These animals spend their whole lives waiting to have sex, and then they die

By Sara Chodosh

Chinese characters on pottery
Science

Ancient ‘made in China’ label pushes back the date of shipwreck by 100 years

By Mary Beth Griggs

Laurel or Yanny?
Science

Yanny vs. Laurel is ‘The Dress of 2018’—but these sound experts think they can end the debate right now

By Sara Chodosh

NASA just added a tiny autonomous helicopter to its next Mars mission
Science

NASA just added a tiny autonomous helicopter to its next Mars mission

By Stefanie Waldek

a crocodile with a fin
Environment

This croco-dolphin has it all

By Neel V. Patel

Astronomy’s next big discovery is probably hiding in piles of old data
Science

Astronomy’s next big discovery is probably hiding in piles of old data

By Eileen Meyer/The Conversation

Data from 1997 just gave us new insight into Europa—our best chance at finding alien life
Science

Data from 1997 just gave us new insight into Europa—our best chance at finding alien life

By Mary Beth Griggs

The Leaning Tower of Pisa stays up for the same reason it leans
Science

The Leaning Tower of Pisa stays up for the same reason it leans

By Kat Eschner

What would happen if the moon suddenly disappeared?
Science

What would happen if the moon suddenly disappeared?

By Morgan McFall-Johnsen

We could move to another planet with a spaceship like this
Science

We could move to another planet with a spaceship like this

By Rachel Feltman

stephen hawking sits in front of a sign that says "Welcome Time Travelers"
Science

Stephen Hawking’s final scientific paper explores the mysteries of the multiverse—but it’s not a big deal

By Neel V. Patel

Why hasn’t the sun burned out yet?
Science

Why hasn’t the sun burned out yet?

By Emma Sarappo

pac man
Science

The universe may be a giant video game, but it certainly isn’t Pac-Man

By Kat Eschner

dna test
Science

Consumer DNA tests can’t tell you much, but they sure can get your relatives arrested

By Sara Chodosh

earth
Science

Yes, Earth’s magnetic poles can flip. But they probably won’t anytime soon.

By Neel V. Patel

NASA’s next mission will give us InSight into Mars’ interior
Science

NASA’s next mission will give us InSight into Mars’ interior

By Shannon Stirone

The most common misconceptions, debunked
Science

The most common misconceptions, debunked

By Sara Chodosh

hadfield
Science

What can you learn from Chris Hadfield’s class on how to be an astronaut?

By Mary Beth Griggs

Can my dog get me sick?
Science

Can my dog get me sick?

By Annie Cebulski

What we can learn from the new detailed map of 1.3 billion stars
Science

What we can learn from the new detailed map of 1.3 billion stars

By George Seabroke/The Conversation

Human thigh bones apparently make excellent weapons in close combat
Technology

Human thigh bones apparently make excellent weapons in close combat

By Neel V. Patel

If you grow a brain in a lab, will it have a mind of its own?
Science

If you grow a brain in a lab, will it have a mind of its own?

By Sara Chodosh

asteroid collision
Science

Scientists literally brought out the big gun to study the origins of water

By Mary Beth Griggs

Scientists just discovered a strange new DNA shape lurking in human cells
Science

Scientists just discovered a strange new DNA shape lurking in human cells

By Neel V. Patel

galaxies
Science

It’s rude to ask a galaxy’s age. Luckily, its shape offers a clue.

By Charles Q. Choi

memory experts
Science

Proving precognition, programming a screenwriter, and other tales from the field

By Popular Science Team

Scientists finally confirm that Uranus is surrounded by fart clouds
Science

Scientists finally confirm that Uranus is surrounded by fart clouds

By Rachel Feltman

Do you make the cut? Four of history’s trickiest entrance exams.
Science

Do you make the cut? Four of history’s trickiest entrance exams.

By Eleanor Cummins

Want to take a Mensa intelligence test? Here are four practice questions
Science

Want to take a Mensa intelligence test? Here are four practice questions

By Eleanor Cummins

How to become a space tourist: 8 companies (almost) ready to launch
Science

How to become a space tourist: 8 companies (almost) ready to launch

By Stefanie Waldek

spatial visualization
Science

Can you pass the test NASA gave potential astronauts in 1958?

By Eleanor Cummins

This year’s Lyrid meteor shower coincides with Earth Day, but light pollution is ruining the show
Environment

This year’s Lyrid meteor shower coincides with Earth Day, but light pollution is ruining the show

By Sara Chodosh

Watch SpaceX launch NASA’s new planet-hunting satellite
Science

Watch SpaceX launch NASA’s new planet-hunting satellite

By Mary Beth Griggs

Neolithic surgeons might have practiced their skull-drilling techniques on cows
Science

Neolithic surgeons might have practiced their skull-drilling techniques on cows

By Sara Chodosh

These diamonds are tiny, flawed, and may come from a long-lost planet
Science

These diamonds are tiny, flawed, and may come from a long-lost planet

By Mary Beth Griggs

Bat echolocation could help us understand ADHD
Environment

Bat echolocation could help us understand ADHD

By Kate Baggaley

Restaurants could save a lot of dough by letting sick employees stay home
Science

Restaurants could save a lot of dough by letting sick employees stay home

By Kat Eschner

NASA’s incredible exoplanet-hunting telescope is about to launch
Science

NASA’s incredible exoplanet-hunting telescope is about to launch

By Mary Beth Griggs

Why archaeologists are arguing about sweet potatoes
Science

Why archaeologists are arguing about sweet potatoes

By Sara Chodosh

NASA dummies test
Technology

Meet the test dummies NASA uses to simulate and study aircraft crashes

By Rob Verger

Planetary nurseries are far more varied and beautiful than we expected
Science

Planetary nurseries are far more varied and beautiful than we expected

By Kat Eschner

Is a hot dog a sandwich? The Apollo 13 astronauts had some thoughts
Science

Is a hot dog a sandwich? The Apollo 13 astronauts had some thoughts

By Stefanie Waldek

This guy ate a pepper so hot doctors thought he might be having an aneurysm
Science

This guy ate a pepper so hot doctors thought he might be having an aneurysm

By Sara Chodosh

A man raises his eyebrows
Science

Humans may have a surprising evolutionary advantage: Expressive eyebrows

By Mary Beth Griggs

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right
Science

A new study on whales suggests Darwin didn’t quite get it right

By Kat Eschner

mummified fetus
Science

DNA proved this tiny skeleton wasn’t an alien—and opened up an ethical debate about testing human remains

By Chip Colwell/The Conversation

atlantic puffin
Environment

Puffins are donning sexy little sunglasses in the name of science

By Sara Chodosh

Tornadoes are a little different when they happen on the sun
Science

Tornadoes are a little different when they happen on the sun

By Mary Beth Griggs

These seafaring robots will search for life across the solar system
Science

These seafaring robots will search for life across the solar system

By Kate Baggaley

One dinosaur footprint is worth a thousand words
Science

One dinosaur footprint is worth a thousand words

By Mary Beth Griggs

The first Antarctic greenhouse harvest may lettuce go to Mars
Environment

The first Antarctic greenhouse harvest may lettuce go to Mars

By Kat Eschner

From tornadoes to farts: Eight science books to check out this month
Science

From tornadoes to farts: Eight science books to check out this month

By Mary Beth Griggs

Rainbows are (literally) in the eye of the beholder
Science

Rainbows are (literally) in the eye of the beholder

By Sara Chodosh

Gravity and good timing helped the Hubble spot a star from the early universe
Science

Gravity and good timing helped the Hubble spot a star from the early universe

By Mary Beth Griggs

2,300 years after mathematicians first noticed prime numbers, they’re still intrigued
Science

2,300 years after mathematicians first noticed prime numbers, they’re still intrigued

By Martin H. Weissman/The Conversation

earth
Science

How to avoid sharing fake photos of the space station that just crashed into Earth

By Rachel Feltman

A Chinese space station is probably falling out of the sky today. Here’s everything you need to know.
Science

A Chinese space station is probably falling out of the sky today. Here’s everything you need to know.

By Rachel Feltman

baseball bat
Science

The physics behind a baseball bat’s sweet spot

By Sara Chodosh

The ultimate guide to hitting a home run
Science

The ultimate guide to hitting a home run

By Sara Chodosh

Why a galaxy with no dark matter could make it hard to prove there’s no dark matter
Science

Why a galaxy with no dark matter could make it hard to prove there’s no dark matter

By Mary Beth Griggs

The big bang got its name from a man who thought the theory was total nonsense
Science

The big bang got its name from a man who thought the theory was total nonsense

By Rachel Feltman

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