Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 272)

an illustration of two mouse-like animals in a forest, with a stegosaurus walking by and a mosquito flying over them
Animals

Baby teeth reveal surprisingly long lifespans of small Jurassic mammals

These mouse-like critters likely lived longer than their modern relatives.

The best OLED TVs composited
Televisions

The best OLED TVs

Picking from the top of the television heap.

Mercury colorful
Solar System

What ‘Mercury in retrograde’ actually means

According to science, it's not a harbinger of chaos, but an optical illusion.

a digital illustration of AI
AI

Everyone is judging AI by these tests, but experts say they’re close to meaningless

Benchmarks used to rank AI models are several years old, often sourced from amateur websites, and, experts worry, lending automated systems a dubious sense of authority.

various bird bones out on a table
Archaeology

Neanderthals ate birds. But how?

Scientists set out to replicate ancient cooking methods.

a peacock butterfly on a pink plant. its wings are primarily red, with black, yellow, and blue circles
Animals

Butterflies and moths suck up pollen with static electricity

These insects generate a hair-raising amount of charge.

best shower speakers sliced header
Speakers

The best shower speakers

Scrub through our picks for the best shower speakers and take bathroom karaoke to a whole new level.

Best Bluetooth speakers sliced and diced header
Speakers

The best Bluetooth speakers, chosen by experts

A Bluetooth speaker is a great way to stay connected to your favorite audio without being tethered to any one place.

Ram 1500 Revolution Battery-electric Vehicle (BEV) Concept front three-quarters
Concept Cars

Ram’s vision for a three-row pickup truck could be closer to reality than you think

The automaker filed a patent for removable third-row seats this month. 

Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) breaching ocean in an attack.
Ocean

Sharks are testing positive for cocaine

Researchers detected trace amounts in every Brazilian sharpnosed shark they examined.

25 images of space
Space Telescope

NASA drops 25 dazzling images to celebrate Chandra X-ray space telescope

Chandra marks 25 years of space observations on July 23, 2024.

Close up of pills in blister packs
Deep Space

How will astronauts handle expired drugs on Mars?

A new study indicates over half the medications aboard the ISS wouldn’t last a trip into deep space.

sky blue car parked in front of dirt and grass hill
Electric Vehicles

The 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is the EV that driving enthusiasts have been waiting for

Hyundai’s hot-rodded Ioniq 5 variant delivers genuine personality, thrilling capability, and–most importantly–a fun drive. 

Conceptual illustration of a drone delivering medical supplies
Drones

Rescue from above: How drones may narrow emergency response times

The technology is promising, but health outcome research is inconclusive.

The best monitors for dual-screen setups in 2024 on a plain white background.
Peripherals

The best monitors for dual-screen setups

Double your productivity when you transform your workspace with a multi-display system.

VERO four legged robot vacuuming cigarette butts
Robots

This plodding robot sucks up cigarette butts

VERO features a vacuum hump and nozzles for feet.

a circle and pi = 3.14 written on a chalkboard
Science

Math teacher argues Pi Day should be July 22

Celebrating Pi Day on March 14 is mathematically incorrect.

Plane cabin lighting simulating sunset
Aviation

Simulated sunrises and sunsets in planes may reduce jet lag

Researchers are experimenting with cabin lighting to support circadian rhythms on long flights.

five chimpanzeess sitting in tall, green grass
Animals

Chimp conversations can take on human-like chaos

Quick responses, interruptions, and regional differences could just be part of being a primate.

Polymetallic nodules scattered across bottom of the ocean floor
Biology

‘Dark oxygen’ on ocean floor may rewrite Earth’s origins of life

Deep sea nodules could be making their own oxygen without sunlight.