Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 215)

(Original Caption) 1938-Close-up of the very front end of a 1938 Cadillac La Salle. This smaller counterpart to the Cadillac features a smaller radiator grille, and four headlights, as well as the hood ornament and bumper.
Ask Us Anything

Why don’t cars have hood ornaments anymore? 

Safety, aerodynamics, and style all played a factor.

Lamborghini Miura junkyard auction car
Archaeology

10 of the year’s most interesting auctions: Dinosaurs, coins, and Einstein’s love letters

Read why some paleontologists balked at a $45 million stegosaurus skeleton price tag.

To prepare for a renewable-powered world, engineers around the world are working on technologies that store energy when it’s abundant for use during dark or windless periods.
Renewables

Solving renewable energy’s sticky storage problem

When the Sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow, humanity still needs power. Researchers are designing new technologies, from reinvented batteries to compressed air and spinning wheels, to keep energy in reserve for the lean times.

headset, smartphone, camera, chip, drone
Best of What's New

The 5 greatest gadget innovations of 2024

From a sub-$200 drone that isn’t a toy to a boring (in a good way) phone.

SLIM landed upside down.
Space

10 chaotic space-related mishaps of 2024

An upside-down lander, space junk, and some very stuck astronauts.

A love of fungi called false morels could have had tragic consequences in the French village of Montchavin.
Health

A devastating nerve disease stalks a mountain village

Neurologists have grappled with a cluster of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases in France, where a fondness for a toxic wild mushroom may hold the answer.

two foxes walking
Wildlife

15 marvelous Nature Photographer of the Year 2024 images

A giant octopus, a bobbing puffin, and a sea turtle in the claws of a crab.

ring, hair dryers, water flosser, bed
Best of What's New

5 personal care innovations that lived up to the hype in 2024

From a true alternative to flossing to the ultimate bed topper.

Aerial view of house foundations being constructed.
Technology

Home foundations are crumbling. This mineral is to blame.

Pyrrhotite causes cracks in concrete. But research on how widespread the issue might be has only scratched the surface.

Flat lay of woman hands printing in laptop standing on yellow background
Tech Hacks

How to use Google Docs templates to boost your productivity

Templates can give you an almost-instant productivity boost.

A Waymo robotaxi Jaguar I-PACEs driverless car makes a stop in downtown Los Angeles Monday, March 11, 2024.
Self Driving

2024 was the year robotaxis proved they are here to stay

They’re far from finished.

iphones, stationary bike, shirt with mosquito, jacket, fishing reel
Best of What's New

5 awesome innovations in sports and outdoors gear in 2024

From mosquito protection clothing to a jacket made with battery membranes.

coffee pods
Environment

Why it’s so hard to create a truly recyclable Keurig coffee pod

A company is betting on aluminum to solve K-cups’ sustainability problem. But experts say it’s complicated.

Aged Apple computer and hand insert floppy inside
Tech Hacks

How to factory reset a Mac

Clear off your computer before it finds a new home.

A smiling robot's skin in action.
Robots

The 11 weirdest things humans did to robots in 2024

From skin-wearing mechanical faces to poop-collecting quadcopters.

tv, keyboard, drum kit, headphones
Best of What's New

5 impressive entertainment technology innovations of 2024

From brain-tracking headphones to a transparent TV.

a dumpster filled with social media logos
Life Skills

How to quit social media for good

Find a habit that doesn't include doom scrolling.

Voyager Golden Record cover on black background
Ask Us Anything

What is on the Voyager Golden Record? Shockingly, not The Beatles.

Carl Sagan defended sending rock 'n' roll into space.

cherry on tree
Agriculture

Climate takes its toll on the ‘cherry capital of the world’

The erratic weather adding to the troubles of Michigan's cherry growers is impacting farmers everywhere.

five different engineering products
Best of What's New

5 coolest engineering innovations of 2024

From firebricks to vegan cheese.