Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 321)

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.

Machinery at the center of the National Ignition Facility.
Physics

How a US lab created energy with fusion—again

A barrage of X-rays hit a tiny pellet at temperatures and pressures greater than our sun's.

A wooden DIY dead-blow mallet
Projects

Don’t buy a dead-blow mallet—build your own

Force and finesse all wrapped up in a wooden package.

Wildfire smoke in New York City
Global Warming

Combining AI and traditional methods can help us predict air quality

Predicting air quality in the days ahead won't be simple.

An iPhone on a wooden surface with the sign-in page for Mastodon on the screen.
Tech Hacks

How to see what’s happening on Mastodon without creating an account

This one's for everyone who would rather not create yet another online account.

airplane flying in clouds
Engineering

Inside Delta’s in-house meteorology wing

A “surface desk” and an “upper air desk” help inform routes in tricky weather conditions.

Empty hospital bed.
Medicine

Maternal deaths are expected to rise under abortion bans, but the increase may be hard to measure

It’s clear that abortion bans can make pregnancy more dangerous, but experts say it may take years for maternal mortality data to reveal the toll.

Adobe Lightroom Classic with a picture of a car lot in the edit window
Cameras

The best photo-editing software

Choose the right photo-editing software to get the most out of your images whether you shoot with a pro camera or smartphone.

Waymo's autonomously driven Jaguar I-PACE electric SUV
Self Driving

Self-driving taxis get the green light on 24/7 service in San Francisco

Companies like Waymo and Cruise can now offer autonomous rides to anyone in San Francisco—but some city officials have concerns.