Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 16)

a litter of naked mole rats
Wildlife

4 wild ways animals breed

There's more than one way to pass down those genes.

Patagonia winter sale bag deals header
Outdoor Gear

Patagonia is blowing out its popular backpacks, hiking bags, and duffles during its massive winter clearance sale

Grab an iconic Black Hole duffel, a new everyday bag, or a burly hiking backpack for your next outing. These deals drop prices by up to 40% on popular models and colors.

Example of paired images used during free-view eyetracking study. These image pairs focused on participant reactions to spider versus other arthropods – (A) spider versus butterfly, (B) spider versus insect, (C) spider eyes versus insect eyes, (D) spider versus non-spider arachnid, and (E) spider versus myriapod. We also included a paired image of (F) scorpion versus non-scorpion arachnid to gain insight into whether participants respond differently to spiders versus scorpions (e.g., d vs. f).
Spiders

Psychologists made people look at spiders. They didn’t like it.

Humans will try to focus on almost anything else.

the sun hits a waterfall so it looks like fire
Environment

Yosemite’s glowing, golden waterfall is flowing again

The annual natural phenomenon event is expected to last until February 26.

A portrait of two brothers, Nico and Matteo Mucchetti, posing with their homemade, full-sized replica of a purple ride vehicle from Disney's "Big Hero 6" attraction. The younger brother sits inside the purple wooden structure, which is detailed with orange accents and a string of LED lights along the edge, while the older brother leans over the back. They are positioned in a dimly lit room, creating a dramatic spotlight effect on them and their project.
Engineering

Teen brothers build a Disney-inspired ride in family basement

'Big Hero 6' inspired Nico and Matteo Mucchetti's ambitious project.

Apple and Asus laptops are the best 15-inch laptops
PC Gaming

The best 15-inch laptops

These large-screen laptops make it easy to run multiple apps at once on-the-go.

Close up of man's hand on chin while he's thinking
Evolution

Humans really don’t need chins

Homo sapiens are the only primates that have them, but they don't make us special.

Platinum Silver Sony WF-1000XM6 true wireless ANC earbuds sitting in a bowl of crystals
Earbuds

Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 ANC earbuds disappeared in my ears so the outside world and inner demons vanished from my mind

Sony's flagship refresh offers bigger brains in a streamlined silhouette. Here are our first impressions.

a zookeper places a piece of apple inside of an elephant's trunk
Wildlife

Elephants are smart. So are their whiskers.

Their 1,000 whiskers make them dextrous enough to pick up a tortilla chip.

EF EcoFlow portable power stations
Outdoor Gear

Grab these EF EcoFlow portable power stations and solar generators for blowout prices during this flash sale

Just about everything in the EF EcoFlow lineup is on sale from simple portable chargers to full-on solar generators that can kick in when the grid goes down.

a whale swimming
Whales

The oldest-known humpback whale recording was hiding in an archive

The audio, etched onto a plastic disc in 1949, predates the era when researchers could even recognize whale calls.

These observations by NASA’s SPHEREx show the infrared light emitted by the dust, water, organic molecules, and carbon dioxide contained within comet 3I/ATLAS’s coma during the mission’s December 2025 campaign.
Space Telescope

Comet 3I/ATLAS is leaving the solar system with a dramatic light show

The interstellar space rock shows off the illuminating effects of its brush with the sun.

a bobsledder backlit
Vehicles

The U.S. Olympic bobsled team borrowed Honda’s wind tunnel for test runs

In West Liberty, Ohio, Team USA athletes boarded their bobsleds to gather data on aerodynamics.

A vintage, colorful movie poster for the 1931 film Frankenstein. In the center, a large, dramatic close-up of Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's monster looms over the other characters. He has a pale, squared-off head, visible scarring on his forehead, and heavy-lidded eyes looking downward with a somber expression. The poster is divided into segments: Bottom left: A well-dressed man in a suit and a woman in a pink dress look off-camera with concerned expressions. Bottom right: Two men are engaged in a tense conversation; one appears to be Dr. Frankenstein, gesturing animatedly with his hands toward an older man. The overall aesthetic is dark and atmospheric, using a "vignette" style with deep blacks and pops of green and blue in the background.
Science

Human head transplants’ gory, Frankenstein-esque history

From two-headed Soviet dogs to modern 'brotech.'

Stirling, Scotland - August 1, 2020, old medieval cemetery around Port of Menteith Parish Church
Archaeology

Medieval elite still received fancy burials despite disease stigma

939 skeletons reveal complex social politics during the Middle Ages.

Castle Geyser erupts with hot water and steam with pools of thermophilic bacteria and it's a cone geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States.
Environment

Yellowstone’s supervolcano is creating a 19-mile bulge

But scientists aren't that worried.

Wolfbox 4-in-1 Jump Starter with Air Compressor | Wolfbox MegaVolt 24Air
Gear

I tested the Wolfbox 4-in-1 Jump Starter with Air Compressor during a real-world emergency

This multi-function device earns its spot in any car emergency kit with multiple functions, most of which come in handy during a crisis.

white bird poop on a black car
Archaeology

Bird poop powered this pre-Hispanic kingdom

The Chincha Kingdom likely used seabird guano to fertilize their corn.

An illustration symbolizes new battery technology: Proteins (red) hold tiny clusters of metal (silver). Each yellow ball in the structures at center represents a single atom of nickel or iron. Credit: Maher El-Kady / UCLA
Engineering

Thomas Edison’s failed rechargeable battery may get a second life

The famed inventor's nickel-iron idea isn't suited for EVs, but it could help solar farms and data centers.

A broadcast drone hovers as Britain's Makayla Gerken Schofield competes in the freestyle skiing women's moguls qualification 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park, in Livigno (Valtellina), on February 10, 2026. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)
Drones

The tech behind the Olympics: High-speed cameras, sensors, and annoying drones

Sports pushes the science of keeping time forward.