Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 122)

Image of nanoflower structure
Medicine

Future bandages could be armed with nanoflowers

The tiny structures may help fight deadly bacteria like E. coli.

Boto Amazon River Dolphin close up
Wildlife

Male Amazon river dolphins pee into the air, confusing scientists

Researchers finally confirmed the unique behavior, but no one is quite sure why they do it.

Sierra Space Dream Chaser spaceplane landing on runway
International Space Station

Curvy spaceplane is one step closer to its ISS rendezvous

Sierra Space’s reusable Dream Chaser recently passed a major NASA test.

People gather around a tall bonze sculpture of a dragon that emits actual fire
Science

Fire-breathing dragon sculpture not allowed to breathe fire

Krakow's Wawel Dragon has been guzzling too much gas.

A long awaited astronomical event dubbed as the planet parade or planetary alignment. Four planets are visible to the naked eye in the evening sky. Saturn and Venus are moving along the solar system's disc, as seen from Sparta, North Carolina on January 25, 2025.
Solar System

February stargazing: ‘Planet parade’ continues and Venus shines

Six planets will remain aligned–with four visible to the naked eye–until February 9.

Illustration of the Didymos binary asteroid system (which is not a threat to Earth) and NASA’s DART spacecraft. In a 2022 test, the uncrewed spacecraft impacted the smaller asteroid, successfully deflecting it.
Space

It’s not sci-fi: Americans support asteroid defense spending

Funding for planetary defense has long had strong bipartisan support both inside and outside of Congress.

a close up of a human ear
Evolution

Most humans haven’t moved these muscles in 25 million years

But the auricular muscles might not be so useless after all.

Samsung QLED TVs arranged in a pattern
Televisions

Samsung just dropped the prices on its most popular TVs before the big football game we’re not allowed to name

Get a big new TV before the big game with these deep discounts on Samsung TVs, including Neo QLEDs and The Frame.

Artist illustration of asteroid in space
Solar System

Agencies plan for near-Earth asteroid’s close encounter in 2032

But it’s not time to build a bunker.

a woman reaches to scratch a red rash on her upper back
Health

Why scratching a rash really does make it worse

Scratching is 'pleasurable,' but not necessarily helpful.

bouquet of lego flowers on a table in greenhouse
Home

Flowers die. LEGO flowers do not (and they’re 20% off).

These discounted LEGO sets will leave enough money in your date night budget for some romantic takeout food.

Thermogalvanic fridge prototype device held in blue gloved hand
Engineering

The electrochemical cells that could power fridges of the future

Commercial refrigeration and A/C systems need an upgrade.

rat looking at you
AI

Rats beat AI at recognizing obscured objects

A powerful convolutional neural network still has a lot to learn from 'rat vision.'

a spider with a large white fungus covering its head
Spiders

Fungus-infected zombie spiders discovered in Northern Ireland

Gibellula attenboroughii was found in an abandoned gunpowder storeroom.

medical professional in a mask
Health

The most dangerous misconceptions about public health

Success is invisible. False assumptions can be deadly.

'There’s been an uptick in that imbalance and that has led to an uptick in the rate of ocean warming.'
Science

Finally, an answer to why Earth’s oceans have been on a record-hot streak

A new study finds that the rate of ocean warming has more than quadrupled over the past 40 years—and pinpoints why.

old man looking at sea
Science

What’s the maximum human life expectancy?

'Everything has to have a limit.'

Pulmonary tuberculosis,spreading through the lungs.
Diseases

Clinical trial finds three new ways to treat drug-resistant tuberculosis

Strains like these sicken 410,000 people each year.

Researchers say taking steps to prevent battery fires may be more effective than relying on possibly dangerous flame retardants.
Electric Vehicles

Flame retardants in some batteries might be making fires worse

'It's a futile effort against an overwhelming force.'

A polar bear still hunting on the sea ice of Hudson Bay, Manitoba, Canada.
Bears

How do polar bears keep ice off their fur? Grease.

Understanding how this fatty mixture works could help replace dangerous PFAS materials.