Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 306)

person holds hand to ear, old magazine illustration
Life Skills

This gadget from 1930 let people ‘talk’ to the dead—with a magic trick

How a Popular Science tutorial for building a ‘spiritphone’ tuned into the hype of the Golden Age of Magic.

A person using Apple Maps in a park.
Tech Hacks

Switch from Google Maps to Apple Maps without losing your favorite pinned places

One less hurdle to clear if you're thinking of moving to Apple Maps.

best smoke detectors sliced header
Appliances

The best smoke detectors, according to experts

A smoke detector can be the difference between life and death.

Best audio interfaces sliced header
Peripherals

The best audio interfaces

You're never boxed in working in-the-box when you have an interface that delivers the best audio conversion for the cost.

A burnt out car lies in the driveway of charred apartment complex in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on August 12, 2023.
Pollution

The health hazards from wildfires will linger in Maui for years

Cleanup and recovery from a disaster of this magnitude is an arduous process.

The Best Smart Ovens
Appliances

The best smart ovens, tested and reviewed

Make cooking a breeze with these fast and easy ovens.

The GMC truck towing a trailer
Vehicles

GMC’s new heavy-duty Sierra truck can tow up to twice its own weight

It's been put through several "extreme tests," including a climatic wind tunnel.

The best dog cameras
Smart Home

The best dog cameras

Keeping an eye on, and even rewarding, your dog just got easier with the dog cameras packed with special features.

Copy of Margaret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale' behind glass case
AI

School district uses ChatGPT to help remove library books

Faced with new legislation, Iowa's Mason City Community School District asked ChatGPT if certain books 'contain a description or depiction of a sex act.'

10 cosmically beautiful photos of the Perseid meteor shower from around the world
Space

10 cosmically beautiful photos of the Perseid meteor shower from around the world

Check out some recent photos from the peak of the shower's season.

Keep your dog healthy and happy with the best dog toys.
Gear

The best dog toys

When is it *not* an appropriate time to reward your furry friend for being, well, the best? Now’s the time to go fetch one of the best dog toys!

usb audio interfaces composited
Peripherals

The best USB audio interfaces

Record like a pro with these top USB audio interfaces.

A gray wolf howling in the woods. The wolves come in many colors including white, tan, black, and brown.
Endangered Species

A new pack of endangered gray wolves is roaming Northern California

The squad of fluffy canines is the fourth known pack in the region.

Closeup photo of water pipe segments fitted together in situ at Pingliangtai.
Archaeology

Ceramic pipes kept this town from flooding during monsoons 4,000 years ago

The people of Pingliangtai built and operated the system without any help from a central state government.

3D printed fake calamari ring on tin foil
Technology

3D-printed vegan calamari rings could be next on the menu

Researchers cooked up a promising appetizer alternative using microalgae and mung bean waste.

A woman lounging on a couch with a silver Macbook on her lap, possibly considering how she can create shortcuts for macOS.
Tech Hacks

Master your Mac by creating custom keyboard shortcuts

When Apple's default shortcuts don't work for you, create your own.

Talpa hakkariensis, found in the Hakkari region of southeastern Turkey, was identified as a new species of mole, highly distinctive in terms of both its morphology and DNA. The mole is peeking out of an underground burrow.
Wildlife

These moles may have been hiding for 3 million years

A new species and new subspecies of the fuzzy subterranean mammals call the mountains of Turkey home.

Lockheed Martin plans to make its most powerful military laser yet
Army

Lockheed Martin plans to make its most powerful military laser yet

It will be a very energetic 500 kilowatts.

An illustration of an ancient whale against a sea-blue background.
Biology

This tiny, 8-foot long whale swam off Egypt’s coast 41 million years ago

The miniature species, Tutcetus rayanensis, is named after King Tut.

Our galaxy, the Milky Way.
Solar System

How might life migrate through the universe?

Notes on interstellar hitchhikers and the origins of life.