Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 162)

Human head covered by smoke from factory chimneys. Air pollution, emmisions, climate change concept. Vector illustration.
Pollution

What warped the minds of serial killers? Lead pollution, a new book argues.

Ted Bundy, the Green River Killer, and others terrorized the Pacific Northwest. "Murderland" asks what role polluters played.

Model of human brain floating over bed in dark room
Ask Us Anything

What’s the purpose of dreaming? 

Dream experts have plenty of possible answers.

Fragment with portion of inscription that says Odysseus
Archaeology

Ancient Greek inscriptions point to the ‘Sanctuary of Odysseus’

Archeologists continue to shed light on the historical origins behind Homer’s ‘Odyssey.’

Cedar Creek in Congaree National Park, South Carolina, showing old growth bottomland hardwood forest.
Insects

This National Park uses a ‘Skeeter Meter’ to inform visitors about mosquitoes

At least 20 species of mosquitoes are found in South Carolina's Congaree National Park.

an anaconda coiled sitting on straw
Wildlife

Q&A: How anacondas, chickens, and locals may be able to coexist in the Amazon

‘Chicken is her favorite dish. If one clucks, she comes.’

a grizzled sailer at sea
Tech Hacks

Google’s AI video creator gets major upgrade. How to use it.

It's getting much harder to tell reality from AI.

2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1; Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas; May 20, 2025 (Richard Prince Photo)
Engineering

The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is a stunning piece of engineering

We took a drive in the $174,995 sports car in the blistering Texas heat.

Elevated view of four yellow batteries on a blue colored background
Tech Hacks

4 battery myths (and why they’re not true)

Don't put your batteries next to your ice cream.

a leopad seal with its mouth wide open
Ocean

15 riveting images from the 2025 UN World Oceans Day Photo Competition

'The ocean is the source of all life and that everything in nature is deeply connected.'

person using computer
Tech Hacks

Free alternatives to Photoshop, Office, Premiere, and Netflix

Get the same features without spending anything.

an illustration showing a person with targets over several body parts, next to a microscope, several pills, and a timeline
Diseases

HIV medications: Did fears about side effects come to pass?

The emergence of antiretroviral drugs saved millions of lives — but some worried about long-term health problems. Here’s how that turned out.

text in the background, a man sitting at the first tv in foreground
Engineering

100 years ago, the battle for television raged

How fire and rivalry shaped broadcasting’s debut.

People wearing Darn Tough socks and hiking boots on sale at REI
Fitness Gear

Treat your feet this summer with deeply discounted Merino wool socks from REI

You won't believe how much a good pair of socks will improve your running, walking, hiking, and just about anything else that involves wearing shoes.

EGO battery-powered yard tools
Gear

Amazon has EGO battery-powered yard tools for their cheapest prices of the season

We're fully into yardwork season and these powerful battery-powered tools are lighter, quieter, and more efficient than gas counterparts.

Cursor pointing at Spam inbox
Social Media

That ‘unsubscribe’ button may be a scam

Here's how to protect your email inbox.

Alarm clock on a blue and beige background
Physics

Scientists are redefining time itself, starting with the second

Switching to optical clocks would have cascading ripple effects from meteorology to basic physics.

Shipwreck anchor and jugs underwater
Archaeology

Shipwreck over a mile deep has centuries’ old artifacts—and modern garbage

The wreckage is likely the deepest ever found in French waters.

a weedy seadragon swimming. they have long snouts and raised backs
Fish

Weedy seadragons in the running for nature’s best dads

At least 20 hatchlings, or frys, were born in an Ohio aquarium in time for Father's Day.

Starving bacteria (cyan) use a microscopic harpoon—called the Type VI secretion system—to stab and kill neighboring cells (magenta).
Biology

Bacteria will turn to murder if they get hungry enough

‘When things get tough, you eat your neighbors.’

a baby skunk is held by a person wearing blue latex gloves
Wildlife

Rescued baby skunks enjoy a good song

June is peak baby skunk season. Here's what to do if you see one alone