Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 150)

An AI-generated rendition of the "Daisy" AI bores a scammer with descriptions of her fictional cat.
AI

This AI-generated grandma thwarts scammers with long stories about her cat

'I've got all the time in the world.'

a female mountain lion walks at night with some kittens behind her
Land

Mountain lions in Los Angeles become night owls to avoid humans

These predators must coexist with over 18 million people.

screenshot of a waterfall photo open in preview
Tech Hacks

The hidden Mac tool for converting annoying HEIC images

Switch your photos to JPEG, PNG, or HEIF with a few clicks.

Severe irritability in children is a chief symptom of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), a condition that can affect children’s friendships, family relationships and school performance.
Mental Health

Severe irritability in children and teens: A new understanding

Kids with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder have explosive outbursts well past toddler age. Scientists are trying to work out the causes and what treatments help.

a hand throws X logo in the trash
Tech Hacks

How to leave Twitter for Bluesky

If you're ready to make the switch, here's how. Bye bye, Elon.

a small bird with black, gray, and white, plumage solves a puzzle in a lab
Birds

Immigrating great tits learn from their new neighbors

A puzzle box experiment shows that the birds learn new tricks when changing environments.

Ripe tomatoes on green garden.
Science

They CRISPR’ed tomatoes to make them sweet and large

Blocking just two genes resulted in tastier 'mutant' tomatoes.

Lafayette-Meteorite
Mars

Meteorite found in a drawer in 1929 contains ancient evidence of liquid water on Mars

The 742-million-year-old rock was ejected into space by an asteroid impact.

A diver from National Geographic Pristine Seas measures the world’s largest coral colony in the Solomon Islands.
Ocean

World’s largest coral discovered and it’s longer than a blue whale

This colossal Pavona clavus coral is at least 300 years old and can be seen from space.

a fire burns in the woods
Internet

Navigation app uses government data to help off-roaders avoid wildfire areas

Active wildfire layer alerts outdoor enthusiasts of hotspots in real time on onX.

older woman alone
Mental Health

Older Americans living alone often rely on neighbors or others willing to help

Often, they simply go without, leaving them vulnerable to isolation, depression, and deteriorating health.

a colorful coral reef with fish swimming above it
Ocean

Chlorine and cocoa butter may help disease-ridden corals

This experimental paste could treat a widespread and lethal coral illness.

knob in car
Vehicles

Goodbye, annoying touchscreens. Welcome back, buttons?

Why some carmakers are bringing back your beloved knobs.

Best gifts for home gift guide header
Home

The 15 best home gifts to upgrade any living space

Skip the gift cards this year and give your giftee something that will upgrade their living space in ways they didn't know they needed but can appreciate year-round.

The Jackery 1000 solar generator in a pattern on a plain background.
Home

This Jackery portable generator is 43% off before Black Friday—and that’s before the extra bonus coupon at Amazon

The Explorer 1000 v2 is a great entry point to solar generators and is under $500 before Black Friday.

a large lump of fat, oil, grease, and other refuse dug up from a sewer on display in a musuem
Engineering

The battle against fatbergs has a new weapon

An experimental zinc coating may reduce the build-up of fat, oil, and grease clumps in sewer pipes.

The best cloud storage for photos in 2024 on a plain white background.
Computers

The best cloud storage for photos in 2025

Whether you're looking to back up your photos or need a way to share your work, the best cloud storage for photos will help you ensure your files are safe and accessible.

Professor Jade Morton (co-author) posing with a phone and a monitoring station at the University of Colorado, Boulder. A monitoring station has a large and expensive antenna. Phones have smaller antennas, which leads to noisier measurements, but phones are present in more parts of the world.
Technology

Google used millions of Android phones to map the worst enemy of GPS

'We can flip this on its head.'

x-ray scans of early human skulls. the teeth are colored red, green, orange, blue, and purple to show the differences among them
Evolution

These 1.77-million-year-old teeth could help demystify human childhoods

The fossil 'jackpot’ is from the Caucasus Mountains of Georgia.

Beluga Whale or White Whale, delphinapterus leucas, Adult
Science

Russian ‘spy whale’ was actually an aquatic guard turned ‘hooligan’

Hvaldimir the beluga whale first made headlines after arriving in Norway in 2019.