Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 262)

Knightscope’s K3 autonomous robot
Robots

This egg-shaped security robot is now roaming hospitals

The autonomous surveillance bot takes advantage of its scary sci-fi associations.

a computer on a yellow background
Tech Hacks

How to use the new Gemini AI tools built into Chromebooks

ChromeOS now has extra artificial intelligence.

hybrid train
Fossil Fuels

The greening of planes, trains, and automobiles

We need new fuels to transport people and goods around the globe as society moves away from coal, natural gas, and oil. Here’s how things are shaping up.

person driving car with screen showing thermal vision on dashboard
Vehicles

Three-quarters of pedestrian deaths happen after dark. This technology can help change that.

Magna’s thermal sensing system 'sees' the road four times farther than typical headlights.

A sampling of haplochromine cichlid fish.
Fish

One fish, two fish, 3,000 fish …

Groups of cichlid fishes in East Africa radiated into thousands of species within dazzlingly short periods of time. How did they do it?

Carhartt Detroit Re-Engineered jacket laying on some grass
Gear

How Carhartt re-engineered a 1950s work jacket that became an unlikely fashion icon

The Detroit jacket debuted in 1954. Now Carhartt has reissued it with some welcome upgrades as part of its Icons Re-Engineered program.

Vase with flowers on table near color wall
Life Skills

Science tricks to keep your flower bouquets looking fresh

Yes, you can revive blooms that start to wilt.

Large hailstones
Weather

How does hail grow to the size of golf balls and even grapefruit?

The science behind this destructive weather phenomenon.

Jackery solar generators in a row on a plain background
Home

Get a Jackery solar generator for its cheapest price ever during Amazon’s flash sale

a robot using a computer
Tech Hacks

How to spot an AI-generated video

They're not always easy to identify, but here's what to look for.

Shark vacuums in a pattern
Home

This Shark voice-controlled robotic vacuum is half-off right now during Amazon’s July 4th holiday sale

Barred owls have expanded their range across North America, from east to west.
Animals

These owls spread from east to west. Not everyone is pleased.

Over the past 80 years, one of the most resilient and hearty owls has practically engulfed a continent.

lanternfly
Insects

What’s going on with spotted lanternflies?

Researchers haven’t given up on managing the invasive species–they adapted.

Octopus in water
Animals

The ‘smart’ animal club keeps getting bigger

Scientists are re-examining what signs of intelligence mean for animals.

Pain doesn’t belong on a scale of zero to 10
Medicine

Pain doesn’t belong on a scale of zero to 10

A simple number might feel definitive. But it’s not helping anyone make the pain go away.

floppy disks
Technology

Japan’s government is (finally) done with floppy disks

Over a thousand pieces of legislation needed to be amended.

a nearly complete skeleton of a salamander-like creature that lived 300 million years ago. it's head is round and shaped like a toilet seat
Animals

This giant tetrapod sucked in prey with its ‘toilet seat-shaped’ head

The salamander-like Gaiasia jennyae stalked the swamps 300 million years ago.

cone shaped skull
Archaeology

These viking ladies tried to start a trend for pointy heads, but it didn’t take off

Plus other weird things we learned this week.

Brain and brain waves in epilepsy, computer illustration. This EEG (electroencephalogram) illustration shows generalized epilepsy, affecting the whole brain cortex: all the EEG traces show chaotic brain waves. Epilepsy can take many forms, and have different effects. This could illustrate both benign epilepsy (inherited childhood form that normally improves with age), and myoclonic epilepsy (form that causes muscle contractions). An EEG measures electrical activity in the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp.
Technology

100 years of EEG: How this technology transformed neuroscience

Electroencephalography has allowed scientists to record and read brain activity.

a striped cat scratching a grey armchair
Animals

Why some cats scratch more than others

A small study looks into what makes certain domestic cats scratch so much--and how to stop it.