Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 159)

microbes in the sky
Diseases

The sky is full of germs

Scientists found disease-causing microbes that could be traveling more than 1,200 miles through the atmosphere.

kids in school taking a test
AI

Kids who use ChatGPT as a study assistant do worse on tests

Researchers compare math progress of almost 1,000 high school students.

Best Snow Shovels for Seniors
Home

The best snow shovels for seniors

Nobody wants to shovel snow, but you do want access to your driveway so always be prepared.

NFL screenshot
AI

Amazon says its football AI can predict blitzes

The new Thursday Night Football system will tackle 'a huge hole in our football stats toolbox.'

Hardt Hyperloop used magnetic levitation to lift a pod up and propel it through a test track at 18 miles per hour.
Technology

Hyperloop’s not dead, apparently

Netherlands-based Hardt Hyperloop sent a pod through 90 meters of a test tube. It didn't crack 20 miles per hour.

an illustration of a small bird with light brown, black, and white plummage. it has a long beak with sharp teeth
Birds

‘Weird’ prehistoric bird had a weaponized beak with teeth

Longipteryx surprisingly used its beak on fruit, not fish.

People taking photos of the new iPhone 16 Pro with their iPhones
Earbuds

Hands on: Apple introduces new iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches

The new devices all feature updated processors and fresh designs—along with plenty of AI features—without price increases.

Polaris Dawn Crew Dragon capsule detaching from SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket
Space X

Polaris Dawn is on its way to attempt first-ever commercial spacewalk

The four-person crew is traveling aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and will test new spacesuits.

child playing with fidget spinner
Ask Us Anything

Does fidgeting really help you focus?

According to science, it depends.

Germany’s North and Baltic Seas are littered with munitions from the First and Second World Wars, such as shells—as shown here—once fired from German battleships.
Military

The big Baltic bomb cleanup

The ocean became a dumping ground for weapons after Allied forces defeated the Nazis. Now a team of robots and divers are making the Baltic Sea safer.

a whale surfaces next to a large fishing trawler
Ocean

Whales need krill to survive. We want it for supplements.

Marine mammals that almost went extinct are now competing with commercial trawlers for food.

Mini mum is one of the smallest frogs in the world, described by Mark D. Scherz and his colleagues in 2019. These tiny frogs from southeastern Madagascar live in amongst the leaf litter and feed on tiny mites. They are amongst the target species of the GEMINI project, because their closest relatives are ten times larger.
Evolution

Researchers want to unlock genetics of the world’s tiniest animals

Nature has managed to miniaturize the exact same vital organs and cram them into a less than one-centimeter-long frog.

ford holograms
Vehicles

Ford files patent for a car with holographic cops and guard dogs

'Submitting patent applications is a normal part of any strong business.'

Electrostatic hydraulic robot leg
Robots

Oil-filled ‘muscles’ give this robot leg a spring in its step

The new, electrostatic mechanism mimics human and animal limb biology.

an x-ray image of an eel escaping from a fish's stomach
Fish

Watch an eel escape a fish’s stomach through its gills

Scientists in Japan used X-ray videography to capture the breakout.

Starship Titanic promo art displaying the ship's in-game bots
AI

The improbable voyage of Starship Titanic, the 1998 Douglas Adams video game filled with ‘unhinged’ chatbots

Tasked with the ‘impossible,' the designers created one of the most puzzling games ever.

the gemini logo
Tech Hacks

How to create custom AI chatbots in Google Gemini

Gemini now has Gems—and here's how to use them.

The Boeing Starliner.
Space

The Boeing Starliner has returned to Earth without its crew. Now what?

A former astronaut details what that means for NASA, Boeing, and the astronauts still up in space.

text says "VR in 1994" with photo of backpack device
Technology

Interactor: The ’90s VR backpack gamers hated

'It feels weird.'

Early warning systems save lives during disasters.
Tech Hacks

How to sign up for local emergency alerts before natural disasters strike

We know early warning systems save lives. Give yourself extra time when disasters come your way.