Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 224)

a cicada in a tree
Insects

Cicadas pee in jet streams like bigger animals

Other insects flick urine away in droplets, but that can waste energy for hungry cicadas.

CCTV security camera operating in home.
Internet

Airbnb finally bans all indoor security cameras

Even when restricted to ‘common spaces,’ the cameras made many renters uncomfortable.

Concept art of cyborg jellyfish with forebody attachments
Robots

Hat-wearing cyborg jellyfish could one day explore the ocean depths

A cheap pair of accessories may transform some of the Earth’s oldest creatures into high-tech, deep sea researchers.

A potentially new squid species found off the coast of the South Island of New Zealand.
Biology

New squid alert! 100+ species discovered off the coast of New Zealand

Dozens of new mollusks, three fish, and a mystery species were found during a three-week long expedition.

Can this robot help solve a guide dog shortage?
Robots

Can this robot help solve a guide dog shortage?

Millions of partially sighted and blind persons don't have guide dogs. Autonomous machines may one day close the accessibility gap.

The long battle over fluoride comes to a head
Health

The long battle over fluoride comes to a head

A court battle brings to the forefront a federal report on fluoride safety, which some say has been stymied by politics.

How robber flies spear their prey with long sucking mouthparts
Insects

How robber flies spear their prey with long sucking mouthparts

First, robber flies track beetles using tiny microbursts of movement.

a green and red aurora with a space craft in the foreground
Space

15 captivating photos of auroras seen from space

Greens, purples, reds, and yellows splash across the sky.

Bowmouth guitarfish on the bottom of sea
Animals

How social media helps wildlife trafficking thrive in plain sight

There is little enforcement or legal culpability.

screenshot of imessage conversation talking about bagels
Tech Hacks

iPhone’s autocorrect is a nightmare. Here’s how to fix it.

You're not the only one annoyed by the iOS 17's aggressive autocorrect.

Google Earth Image of seismic center and truck road
Solar System

‘Alien’ signal was likely a very big truck

Researchers took a deeper look at seismic data taken during the 2014 fireball landing near Papua New Guinea.

two termites trapped in an oval shaped bit of amber
Evolution

These extinct termites have been stuck in a mating position for 38 million years

The fossilized insects were found preserved in amber.

fish swimming by a healthy coral reef
Ocean

Sandy ‘Reef Stars’ help bring life back to coral reefs hurt by dynamite fishing

Transplanting coral and using these stakes helped restore degraded coral reefs in Indonesia in only four years.

Child getting medicine from parent
Health

Your child’s medicine probably wasn’t fully vetted. Here’s why.

Most pharmaceuticals are developed and approved for use only in adults. Researchers are working to create change.

screenshot of instagram messaging
Tech Hacks

How to edit messages and turn off read receipts on Instagram

The photo-sharing app just got a big messaging upgrade.

Concept of human intelligence with human brain on blue background
Mental Health

VR and electric brain stimulation show promise for treating PTSD

A new study involving military veterans reported ‘meaningful’ improvements after only a couple weeks.

Siphonops annulatus. Mother with babies starting skin pigmentation.
Science

These legless, egg-laying amphibians secrete ‘milk’ from their butts

Caecilians, the wormlike creatures you’ve never heard of, produce a viscous clear liquid to feed their young.

rocky cliffs with pockmarks where the fossils were found
Biology

World’s oldest known fossilized forest discovered in England

The debris from these 390 million year old trees changed the course of some ancient rivers.

Passenger staying at self-scan TSA station
AI

TSA is testing a self-screening security checkpoint in Vegas

The new prototype station is largely automated, and transfers much of the work onto passengers.

a large telescope sits in a green field next to a white barn in a rural setting
Electric Vehicles

Can EVs drive in National Radio Quiet Zone?

The only vehicles allowed near the Green Bank Telescope are diesel-powered.