Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 319)

full venus flytrap on black background
Biology

These meat-eating plants are masters of deception

Get up close with the many ways carnivorous plants lure insects to their doom.

Histology image of the liver in a case of cirrhosis of the liver from alcoholism.
COVID-19

COVID lockdown drinking habits led to a rise in deaths from alcoholic liver disease

Alcohol sales rose during the pandemic, with especially large jumps in the consumption of spirits.

Hubble space telescope deep field view of ancient galaxies that helps answer the question: How old is the universe?
Space Telescope

How old is the universe? Our answer keeps getting more precise.

Cosmologists are getting closer to the truth.

Limousine and private jet on landing strip.
Technology

A cap on ‘luxury’ emissions could make a clean energy transition fairer

Hypothetical cutbacks would make plenty of room to lift vulnerable populations out of energy poverty, according to a new study.

Best pregnancy tests
Gear

The best pregnancy tests? Science has some advice.

Though at-home screens are all functionally the same, peer-reviewed research can separate the best pregnancy tests from ones better left at the dollar store.

Why the DeLorean DMC-12 was a star on the screen but not the road
Vehicles

Why the DeLorean DMC-12 was a star on the screen but not the road

John DeLorean may have made mistakes, but his namesake vehicle has proven to be a timeless and successful part of film history.

A green sea turtle swims in the ocean.
Ocean

Hungry green sea turtles have eaten in the same seagrass meadows for about 3,000 years

'We currently spend a lot of effort protecting the babies, but not the place where they spend most of their time: the seagrass meadows.'

Concept art of lunar solar power station in orbit
Technology

This giant solar power station could beam energy to lunar bases

The butterfly-inspired Greater Earth Lunar Power Station could be made with materials found on the moon.

In this artist’s rendering from 2020, the small white orb represents the white dwarf (a remnant of a long-dead sun-like star), while the purple foreground object is the newly discovered brown dwarf companion, confirmed by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. This faint brown dwarf was previously overlooked until being spotted by citizen scientists working with Backyard Worlds: Planet 9, a NASA-funded citizen science project.
Solar System

A Jupiter-sized dwarf star burns half as hot as a campfire

The 'ultracool' star is possibly around 44 times as dense as our solar system's largest member.

Hands typing on a laptop.
Tech Hacks

Find any file on your computer

Search and you shall find.

Med school students during a white coat ceremony at the University of Minnesota in 2022, before the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action in admissions
Health

The Supreme Court ruling to end affirmative action will make US doctors less diverse

Affirmative action affects anyone who needs healthcare in America.

A protester stands next to a digital display of an unofficial heat reading at Furnace Creek Visitor Center during a heat wave in Death Valley National Park in Death Valley, California, on July 16, 2023. The signs read “this is the climate emergency,” and “happy death day.”
Global Warming

Extreme heat warning extends to more than 100 million people in the US

A large heat dome has settled over the West and Southwest, breaking temperature records and sending people to the hospital.

Ford Bronco
Vehicles

I learned stick shift from the pros—here’s how it went

No PRNDLs here.

Bull elk in the wilderness
Birds

Like whales and bats, elk have regional dialects

Using spectrograms, a visual representation of sound frequencies, researchers can see the details of each signature bugle.

WhatsApp's new Privacy Checkup Menu allows you block calls from unknown numbers.
Tech Hacks

Blocking unknown callers and other WhatsApp privacy features you should turn on right now

You can now access the app's security and privacy tools more easily.

EPA plan to eliminate lead in buildings could help half a million young children
Health

EPA plan to eliminate lead in buildings could help half a million young children

Removing lead from homes, schools, and daycare centers could be a ‘gigantic leap forward’ for public health.

Silver radio telescopes with mountains in the background.
Space

How scientists decide if they’ve actually found signals of alien life

When searching for extraterrestrial intelligence, being certain can be tricky business.

A pair of hands holds three homemade bath bombs over a bath tub full of water.
Projects

How to make your own bath bombs

Making your own bath blasts might be just as fun as soaking in them.

Vintage robots
Robots

An electric cow, a robot mailman, and other automatons we overestimated

A look back at some robotic inventions that didn't quite get there.

Student at desk doing math homework during COVID-19 lockdown.
Mental Health

US schools aren’t ready for another pandemic

The pandemic suggested clear lessons on the value—and limitations—of online learning. Are educators listening?