Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 385)

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.

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.

Laptop on a wooden desk near a window with a person's hands on the keyboard.
Tech Hacks

4 ways to run Android apps and games on your computer

Bring Android to Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS.

Archaeologists dig in the dirt with a brush and scraper.
Evolution

Mysterious skull points to a possible new branch on human family tree

A roughly 300,000 year-old specimen mixes traits of Homo erectus and Denisovans.

Close-up of hand typing computer coding on laptop screen
AI

AI programs often exclude African languages. These researchers have a plan to fix that.

Over 2,000 languages originate in Africa, but natural language processing programs support very few of them.

food wrapped in aluminum foil
Engineering

Scientists shake crumpled tinfoil to create electricity

It could help power small devices (and you can squeeze a quick workout in).

The Grand Prismatic Spring at Yellowstone National Park, with steam rising and mountains in the distance. Temperatures at Yellowstone’s famous hot springs can reach 198 degrees Fahrenheit.
Land

Don’t lick the toads and other things to avoid at national parks

That bear doesn't want to be in your selfie anyway.

Aftermath Of Tanker Fire At I-95 In Bensalem
Cancer

Federal study links testicular cancer to ‘Forever Chemicals’ for the first time

Military and civilian firefighters are diagnosed with testicular cancer at higher rates than most people.

pen and quill
AI

Google’s latest AI trick is to make you a custom poem inspired by famous art

All you have to do is pick a style, an inspiration, and a key phrase.

Japanese bullet train leaving station at dawn
Engineering

Texas could get a 205-mph bullet train zipping between Houston and Dallas

The proposed electric railway line could travel 240 miles in under 90 minutes for over 6 million passengers per year.

Keep your pooch warm and safe in one of the best dog houses.
Home

The best dog houses

You can make a sizable difference in your pet’s comfort and security when you pick one of the best houses for man's best friend.

The white Boeing Starliner capsule above a blue Earth.
NASA

Boeing’s struggling Starliner craft won’t fly astronauts until at least 2024

After billions of dollars spent and multiple problems identified, the crew capsule still isn’t ready for people.

Green high density laser array
Technology

Colorado is getting a state-of-the-art laser fusion facility

The $150 million project aims to help advance nuclear fusion energy research alongside other physics goals.

A male peacock displaying his signature blue and green plumage.
Birds

Miami suburb turns to vasectomies to solve its peacock problem

Most residents are hoping for peaceful coexistence with their colorful feathered neighbors.

Virgin Galactic VSS Unity spacecraft orbiting Earth
Technology

Virgin Galactic’s second commercial flight sent three tourists to space’s edge

The 'VSS Unity' carried the first mother-daughter astronaut duo and first former Olympian to suborbital space.

An artist’s impression of the planet Beta Pictoris b orbiting its star.
Exoplanets

Watch 17 years of an exoplanet’s journey in only 10 seconds

Beta Pictoris b is about 12 times the size of gas giant Jupiter.

Maxar satellite imagery on August 9, 2023 showing total destruction of the Lahaina square and outlets after the Lahaina Wildfire, with one building still actively burning.
Climate Change

Hurricane-powered wildfires sweep across Maui

Drought conditions and 85 mph winds fan the flames that have killed at least 36 people.