Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 160)

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.

jars filled with different types of fruits and vegetables in liquid
Life Skills

How to start pickling food

Extend the shelf life of your favorite fruits or vegetables.

two images: an astronaut on a spacewalk and a scuba diver
Space

Astronauts and aquanauts: What does the sea have to do with space?

Turns out, the best place to train to leave Earth is the big blue.

Nose closeup
Science

What’s that smell—and how’d you know?

It’s clear that genes, receptors and neurons all play a role in detecting odors. But much of how we make sense of what we sniff remains mysterious. A neuroscientist explains.

the google tasks interface on a cell phone
Tech Hacks

Google Tasks is the best Google tool you’re not using

One of Google's simplest and most useful apps.

an illustration of a striped tasmanian tiger with sharp teeth eating the body of a wombat-like creature
Wildlife

New bone-crushing Tasmanian tiger species dug up by paleontologists

Badjcinus timfaulkneri is among three new species of the extinct marsupial discovered in Australia.

A black and white image shows a silvery sheet of material toward the bottom
Sun

NASA releases first photo of 860-square-foot solar sail in orbit

The Advanced Composite Solar Sail System could pave the way for new, ultrafast forms of space travel.

Turns out, micro and nano plastics degrade differently.
Science

Scientists finally get a 3D view of degrading microplastics

Researchers can now see all sides of micro and nano plastic particles.

a sedan sitting in front of concrete structures
Electric Vehicles

Lucid reinvents the electric motor by thinking small. Really small.

The carmaker is blazing a fresh trail on the EV path forward. 

Human ear closeup
Ask Us Anything

Why do we have earlobes? They make no evolutionary sense.

Our ears are complex wonders. Our earlobes? They're extra.

Samsung OLED TV with Blade Runner on the screen in a room.
Televisions

The best Samsung TVs, as chosen by experts

Samsung makes a TV for just about any space and viewing habit.

seaplane
Technology

How do you keep pilots and passengers of sea planes safe?

Floatplanes are ubiquitous on the coast and indispensable for remote communities, but they don’t need to follow the same regulations and reporting as commercial airlines.

a pterosaur speices flaps its wings to fly, while another uses them to soar
Evolution

‘Remarkable’ fossils offer clues to perplexing pterosaur question

Did these winged giants soar or flap across prehistoric skies?

Spotify mobile icon app on screen smartphone iPhone closeup
AI

Man with AI song catalog ‘defrauds’ streaming services of $10 million

The DOJ indicted the alleged scammer after his bot army amassed billions of plays over seven years.

This squishy robot uses electrical signals processed from King Oyster mushroom mycelia to scoot back and forth.
Robots

This robot is being controlled by a King oyster mushroom

Researchers created a biohybrid robot that uses electrical signals in mycelium to move around.

A container of Yellow #5 dye.
Science

The dye in Doritos can make mice transparent

'It’s not magic, but it’s still very powerful.'

Meteorite impacts and volcanic eruption producing glass beads on the Moon.
Moons

Volcanoes may have existed on the moon far more recently than we thought

Beads of volcanic glass collected by Chang’e-5 are only 120 million years old.

A powerful laser shines into a jet of gas, creating a bright plasma and generating ultraviolet light. The light leaves a visible white line as it interacts with leftover gas in the vacuum chamber. This process helps scientists precisely measure the energy needed to excite the thorium-229 nucleus, which is the core of a future nuclear clock.
Technology

Move over, atomic clocks: Nuclear clocks are on the way

Physicists demonstrated the underlying principles. Next up is the prototype.

The best mobile game controller of 2024 on a plain white background.
Gaming

The best mobile game controllers, tested and reviewed

Upgrade your smartphone into a dedicated handheld console with this essential accessory.