Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 158)

Mattoon Daily Journal-Gazette headlines as they appeared on the front-page.
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

The ‘Mad Gasser of Mattoon’ is one of history’s most bizarre unsolved mysteries

Plus other weird things we learned this week.

An illustration, drawn and engraved, of an eastern whip-poor-will, by Richard Polydore Nodder.
Birds

What happened to this iconic bird of American horror?

The whip-poor-will has been an omen of death for centuries.

cut oranges, grapefruits, limes, and lemon together in a group
Diseases

Yes, you can still get scurvy

The cost of living is cited in two recent cases of the disease associated with sailors centuries ago.

A technician inspects a prototype LISA telescope.
Deep Space

NASA unveils model of LISA, a satellite array for studying ripples in space-time

The gravitational space observatory is on track to launch in 2035.

close up of nose
Health

People who can’t smell breathe differently

A new study reveals hidden inhalation differences in those born without olfaction.

Woman throwing disc golf disc in park
Science

How to improve your disc golf game with a little physics

New research indicates it’s often about thumb placement.

orange and yellow leaves on the ground of a forest
Weather

Why 60 degrees in fall feels different than in the spring

The meteorology and biology behind sweater weather.

Xerox
Technology

The fascinating, rocky history of the ubiquitous Xerox

On October 22, 1938, the first xerograph was born.

These are the best STEM toys for kids on a plain white background.
Gear

The best STEM toys for kids of all ages

These are the best children’s science, technology, engineering, and math toys to inspire creativity and learning.

Alone with dementia
Health

Millions of aging Americans are facing dementia by themselves

'This is a largely invisible population.'

Gila monster
Science

Gila monster spit inspired a new way to detect rare pancreatic tumors

‘We believe the new scan can replace all other scans.’

Samsung ViewFinity S5 in a tiled configuration.
Gear

This Samsung 34-Inch Ultrawide monitor is just 42% off at Amazon

This limited-time deal knocks the gigantic display down to its lowest price ever.

smallest dinosaur egg fossil
Dinosaurs

These are the smallest fossilized dinosaur eggs ever found

The 80-million-year-old eggs were laid by a newly discovered species.

The best wireless gaming mice in 2024 on a plain white background.
PC Gaming

The best wireless gaming mice, tested and reviewed

Take aim at making the best connection and achieving your best performance with the best cordless mouse, according to experts.

yellow pollen shooting out of a red flower
Biology

Plants could be manipulating sperm in completely new ways

The plant kingdom's explosive 'pollen wars' are on.

A monkey carrying dead offspring.
Animals

How animals react to death: From vigils to cannibalism

‘Grief is not just a human thing.’

Still from Armageddon (1998).
Space

What Hollywood gets wrong—and surprisingly right—about saving the world from killer asteroids

Are nukes really our best defense?

As the tide of invasive Pacific pink salmon threatens to overwhelm Norway’s rivers, the locals—above on the Vestre Jakobselv—net or trap as many possible before the fish spawn and die, potentially changing the ecology of the region.
Fish

Where the rivers run pink

Non-native pink salmon have swarmed Norway’s rivers, prompting a relentless—and potentially fruitless—fight to beat back the invaders.

two stalk-eyed flies fight on a stick. these flies have long antennae with eyeballs on the tips
Insects

Flies with shorter eye-stalks act aggressively because females are less attracted to them

Spirited fighting may compensate for physical attributes.

two rocks in foreground, milky way in background
Space

12 breathtaking images from the 2024 Astrophotography Prize Photographer of the Year awards

Space is absolutely stunning.