Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 265)

Hand holding smartphone with Venmo app download in front of Venmo website on computer
Internet

Amazon cuts Venmo payment option barely a year after enabling it

Although Venmo debit and credit cards are still supported, direct purchasing through the service only lasted 14 months.

The best double DIN head units of 2023
Gear

The best double DIN head units

Level up your driving experience with the latest wireless audio and entertainment equipment in your dashboard.

Three smartphone screens displaying new E2EE feature for Meta
Social Media

Default end-to-end encryption is finally coming to Messenger and Facebook

It’s been a long time coming, but E2EE privacy protection is now rolling out across some of Meta’s most popular services.

Finely ground bits of coffee come out of a red coffee grinder.
Nutrition

Chemists and volcanologists want you to make a better espresso

A bit of moisture can keep static electricity out of your coffee.

Two Eris Pro 8 studio monitors flanking a Mac desktop computer with a digital audio workspace open.
Peripherals

PreSonus Eris Pro studio speakers review: Folding mighty sound into compact enclosures

The PreSonus Eris Pro 8 studio monitors and Eris Pro Sub 10 subwoofer prove you don't have to choose between robust response and desk real estate.

A circular grey fossil with long linear grooves on it.
Wildlife

Fossil first identified as plant is actually a baby turtle

The re-examined fossil specimen is nicknamed Turtwig after a Pokémon that is half-turtle and half-plant.

DALL E Generative AI text abstract photo
AI

Generative AI could face its biggest legal tests in 2024

Lawsuits arrived almost as soon as generative AI programs debuted. The consequences could catch up to them next year.

When time slows down while you're looking at a clock
Science

Why do clock hands seem to slow down?

The mechanism behind the 'stopped clock illusion' may surprise you.

LHS 3154b, a newly discovered massive planet that should be too big to exist.
Exoplanets

The planet that should not exist

Massive planet too big for its own sun pushes astronomers to rethink exoplanet formation.

Waves on the ocean.
Ocean

Warming oceans could thaw trapped ‘fire-ice’

Past warming periods may have released trapped methane—a potent greenhouse gas.

A lineup of the best binoculars on a plain background
Outdoor Gear

The best binoculars

Take a peek at objects far, far away with binoculars that let you see (and go) the distance and beyond.

Screenshot from Gemini-powered Bard demonstration video
AI

Google announces Gemini, its ‘multimodal’ answer to ChatGPT

In an edited demo video, Gemini appears able to describe sketches, identify movie homages, and crack jokes.

NeRmo mouse robot standing against blue background
Robots

Meet NeRmo, the mouse robot with backbone

Most quadruped robots ditch spine-derived designs for simplicity’s sake. NeRmo embraces the complex system.

A sample of baboon skulls dating back 2,500 to 2,800 years in southern Egypt.
Animals

Ancient Egyptians likely kept baboons in captivity—and mummified them

'The baboons were revered as representations of Thoth, the god of the moon and wisdom, and adviser to the sun god Ra.'

Researchers working with laser array in lab
AI

Swapping surgical bone saws for laser beams

More lasers may allow for safer and more precise medical procedures.

Person checking their phone and reading about 7 tips to help you become an Apple Reminders expert
Tech Hacks

7 tips for Apple Reminders to help you get your life together

There's more to this app than you might have realized.

In the 1600s, one town in the Netherlands literally ate the rich
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

In the 1600s, one town in the Netherlands literally ate the rich

Plus other weird things we learned this week.

Multiple cows standing in an industrial barn.
Agriculture

What would happen if everyone stopped eating meat tomorrow?

Answering that question shows just how tricky it would be to drop meat altogether.

A dark-furred mouse looks into a mirror.
Biology

Mice may be able to recognize their own reflections

'The mice required significant external sensory cues to pass the mirror test.'

A lineup of the best 3D printers on a plain background.
Peripherals

The best 3D printers

3D printing has come a long way from its clumsy infancy. Today, 3D printers are great for hobbyists, professionals, and everyone in between.