Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 121)

raw water
Health

How does raw water compare to tap water?

A microbiologist explains why the risks outweigh the benefits.

a bloodied badger stares at a porcupine. the badger is covered in quills
Wildlife

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice winners capture nature at its fiercest

A fierce badger, a soaring owl, and a camouflaged stoat.

Aeropress with a cup of coffee sitting on a table
Gear

This $35 discounted AeroPress coffee maker is the Valentine’s Day gift that saves money all year long

Making out is always better with coffee breath, so get this discounted Aeropress for your Valentine this year.

Diagram showing potential labret piercing abrasions on teeth
Archaeology

Ice Age hunter-gatherers may have had cheek piercings, even as children

The body modification practice may be 29,000-years-old.

A close-in image of a protoplanetary disc around a newly formed star. Many different wavelengths of light are combined and represented by separate and various colours. A dark line across the centre is the disc, made of opaque dust: the star is hidden in here and creates a strong glow in the centre. A band going straight up is a jet, while other outflows form flares above and below the disc, and a tail coming off to one side.
Space Telescope

Newborn stars surround a planet-forming disk 450 million light years away

The gas spewing from these protostars collides with fast stellar winds.

A general view exterior of Caesars Superdome, home of the NFL New Orleans Saints, on October 13, 2024 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Technology

FAA creates ‘No Drone Zone’ around Super Bowl LIX

The NFL reports a 20,000% increase in unauthorized drone activity during games between 2017 and 2023.

Selection of coins and jewelry from Hezingen Nordic archeological site
Archaeology

‘Devil’s money’ discovered at medieval cult site

‘The results should be studied with an open mind.’

a tiny green frog looking up from water
Endangered Species

Frogs rescued from a deadly fungus welcome 33 froglets

The new arrivals survived a trans-Atlantic journey.

William Heath’s satirical 1829 colored etching was in reaction to a less ambitious, but still impossible, project of using a vacuum tube technique to move people between London and Edinburgh. Source: William Heath, A Futuristic Vision (etching) (London: Thos. McLean, ca. May 1829).
Technology

The Hyperloop: A 200-year history of hype and failure

Elon Musk's Hyperloop Alpha is another overhyped venture, recycling 200-year-old dreams and exaggerated claims of innovation.

In this photo illustration, we see a close-up of the midsection and legs of woman with an arm tattoo holding a smartphone and an illuminated insulin pump.
Diabetes

Does wearing a continuous glucose monitor help people without diabetes? We asked experts.

You can keep tabs on your blood sugar spikes, but the benefits aren't clear.

Killer whale breaching water with oceans and birds behind it
Sharks

Killer whales murder great white sharks for their livers

DNA linked the predators to a chewed-up carcass.

DJI Mini 4K drones arranged on a plain background with their controllers
Cameras

DJI Mini 4K drone deal: The best drone for most people is just $239 for a limited time

This drone is great for beginners and experienced flyers. And it hasn't been this cheap since Black Friday, so snap up this limited-time deal right now.

Yellow Cyclone V-Twin motorcycle
Motorcycles

A 110-year-old hot rod is the first motorcycle to sell for over $1M at auction

Only five Cyclone V-Twins are believed to still be in working condition.

an SUV on a dirt road in hilly area
Vehicles

The 2025 Toyota 4Runner is shockingly ready for whoops

Equipped with tuned shock absorbers from Bilstein, Fox, and Old Man Emu, the new 4Runner is adaptable for on- and off-road fun. 

An artist’s concept of the Gateway space station in a polar orbit around the moon
Moons

Gateway: The 21st-century moonshot mission

NASA has plans to launch the first deep space station for humans to live long-term. Is it a necessary step to Mars?

Macro view of organic fruit and veg food waste decomposing inside a domestic garden compost bin
Science

The US wants to cut food waste in half. We’re not even close.

Americans waste more than 300 pounds of food per person per year, study says.

Surgeons using apple vision pro in surgery
Technology

The future of Apple Vision Pro is in medicine

One year after its release, the headset is springing up in operating rooms and doctors' offices.

Selective focus, Mouth of Young Asian woman talking with a friend via speakerphone on mobile phone while sitting on sofa in living room at home, sending audio message on smartphone, holds device near mouth
Tech Hacks

How to record audio and get transcripts in Notes on iOS 18

Notes can now save and transcribe your voice memos.

STEM instruments at school
Science

When teachers dread science, students suffer

Adult anxieties about STEM can stifle children’s curiosity—but there are ways to break the cycle.

The Spotify app icon is being displayed on a smartphone with Spotify visible in the background in this photo illustration in Brussels, Belgium, on February 11, 2024. (Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto)
Tech Hacks

9 useful apps that plug into Spotify

Your music streaming could be better.