Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 346)

These auditory illusions make people hear phrases as melodies
Science

These auditory illusions make people hear phrases as melodies

A linguist explains why spoken words sound melodic when repeated over and over.

Tablet on stool showing Bing's AI-powered chat mode.
Tech Hacks

How to search the web with Bing’s new AI-powered chat mode

Conversing with a Bing is way more fun than scrolling through search results.

Extreme heat to blanket Texas with ‘no end in sight’
Global Warming

Extreme heat to blanket Texas with ‘no end in sight’

Grid failure and heat wave-induced storms cause chaos across the Southern US.

back of head, ponytail
Medicine

Families flee states amid restrictions on gender-affirming health care

Missouri, Florida, and Texas are among at least 20 states that have limited components of gender-affirming health care for trans youth.

aarok drone
Air Force

AAROK is France’s bigger, newer take on the US’s Reaper drone

The drone prototype sports a wingspan of 72 feet. It is designed to carry weapons.

A lineup of the best tablets for kids on a white background
Tablets

The best tablets for kids

Part educational tool and part entertainment center, a tablet made for kids can do much more than keep kids busy on road trips.

A Northern Hawk Owl looks directly into the camera as it perches at the tip of a frost-covered tree. Dark pine cones on the bare branches stand out against a white background, mirroring the pattern of the owl’s dark breast feathers.
Birds

Owls, puffins, and even city pigeons glam it up in winning bird photos

Birds chirp, cheep, and coo, but these Audubon pics might leave you speechless.

The best electronic drum sets for beginners
Audio

The best electronic drum sets for beginners

These e-drum sets let novice drummers get good without getting too loud, going broke, or taking up an entire bedroom.

Front view Amazon Prime cardboard box delivery yellow background
Technology

Amazon tricked millions into renewing Prime subscriptions, FTC lawsuit claims

The agency continues its attempts to rein in Amazon with a new filing alleging purposefully confusing Prime options.

The 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6 has an MPGe of 140.
Electric Vehicles

What an electric vehicle’s MPGe rating really means

Here's how to think about an electric vehicle's efficiency using the MPGe metric—and how it relates to mile per gallon.

Examples of engravings discovered in the Roche-Cotard cave (Indre et Loire - France). On the left, the "circular panel" (ogive-shaped tracings) and on the right the "wavy panel" (two contiguous tracings forming sinuous lines).
Evolution

Neanderthals were likely creating art 57,000 years ago

A decorated cave in France gives scientists more insight to the lives of our early human cousins.

Monarch butterfly during migration perched on leaf with wings spread out
Insects

Monarch butterflies’ signature color patterns could inspire better drone design

Do monarchs use a color trick to gain an edge in long-distance flights?

A lineup of the best car vacuums on a white background
Home

The best car vacuums

The best way to keep your car clean is to not use it. Since that's unlikely, the second-best way is to use one of these car vacuums.

Bumblebee pollinator over red and orange flowers
Bees

Microscopic worms use electricity to ride bumblebees like EVs

Pollinators and taxis wrapped into one.

a person sleeping
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

The mysterious sickness that made a million of people fall asleep at once

Plus other fun facts from The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.

R Aquarii binary star system
Technology

NASA turns spectacular space telescope images into vibey ‘cosmic sonifications’

Listen as starlight becomes an orchestra.

A white Andalusian horse galloping in a field.
Evolution

Horses once had multiple hoofed toes

What happened to them is still a bit of a mystery.

Celestron and Gsyker make some of the best telescopes for kids.
Outdoor Gear

The best telescopes for kids

Help kids of all ages get excited about seeing the stars and planets up close.

A person holding an empty photo frame up against a seaside cliff landscape, showing how an AI image extender can add pixels beyond the edge of an original photo.
Tech Hacks

How to use AI to expand the background of any image

These AI-powered tools can help you reframe and resize your photos.

Why scientists want to banish barnacles from ship hulls
Engineering

Why scientists want to banish barnacles from ship hulls

Scientists are searching for new coatings and treatments to make ships even faster and more efficient.