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Artist impression of the stem pinniped Potamotherium valletoni swimming in his natural, freshwater environment. Grasses and plants grow below the animal, that has whiskers, legs, and flippers.
Wildlife

Hungry seals may have begun following their whiskers 23 million years ago

Ancient seals evolved their now signature whiskers to forage for food, but figuring out when has been tricky.

Wildfire smoke drifts over western Canada, as seen from a satellite. On August 8, 2023, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image of dense plumes of smoke streaming from dozens of large fires in the Northwest Territories. Several of these fires raged around Yellowknife, the province’s capital and largest city. These fires follow major outbreaks of fire in Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Quebec, in May, June, and July.
Climate Change

Canadian territory capital ordered to evacuate due to approaching wildfire

More than 200 wildfires have already burned large regions of the Northwest Territories this summer.

White dog inhaling colorful waves that represent smells. Illustrated.
Dogs

Why your dog needs to smell the world

Let that powerful nose run free.

A person sits with their laptop on their legs and Amazon open in their browser to figure out how to cancel Amazon Prime.
Life Skills

How to cancel Amazon Prime in 5 easy steps

Ending your subscription is fast and easy.

woman smelling flowers in field.
Medicine

Allergy drops could be an at-home alternative to shots

An under-the-tongue treatment is popular in Europe, Canada, and Latin America. Why don’t U.S. allergists offer it?

new york times building
AI

The New York Times is the latest to go to battle against AI scrapers

The development adds to the mess of lawsuits and pushbacks that AI makers are facing from copyright owners.

EcoFlow Delta 2 generator sitting on the ground near a truck tire
Outdoor Gear

EcoFlow Delta 2 solar generator review: A mobile power unicorn

EcoFlow's 27-pound battery-powered generator has enough juice to keep your whole life going when the grid isn't an option.

A new snake species named Tachymenoides harrisonfordi was discovered during an expedition in Peru in May 2022. The copper scaled snake is seen here coiled on some brown grass.
Wildlife

Harrison Ford’s latest namesake is an Andean snake species

'Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?'

Three human skulls sitting on a shelf. Cranial modification has been used for millennia to reshape the human skull.
Archaeology

Japan’s Hirota people intentionally reshaped their skulls more than 1,000 years ago

Evidence of cranial modification has been found in societies from Mexico to France and may even date back to the Neanderthals.

The best power banks for camping
Outdoor Gear

The best power bank for camping, tested and reviewed

A fully charged (or solar-compatible) power bank for camping will keep all of your devices juiced without adding extra weight to your kit.

Blurry photo of Pink Floyd playing a concert
Technology

Scientists made a Pink Floyd cover from brain scans

By analyzing patients' neural activity, researchers reconstructed audio from 'Another Brick in the Wall (Part 1).'

a crocodile poking its head out of the water
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

Ancient Egyptians used crocodile dung for birth control—and it kind of worked

Plus other weird things we learned this week.

Elemental chromium
Engineering

The same metal found on hot rods and Harleys could revolutionize solar panels

Chromium is showing immense promise as a cheap, plentiful alternative to metals used in smartphone screens and solar cells.

Men pose outside of Michigan State University’s first observatory, circa 1888. The observatory is located behind where Willis House now stands on MSU’s campus, just south of Grand River and north of West Circle Drive in North Neighborhood.
Archaeology

Michigan State students help unearth a 19th-century space observatory on campus

'The original campus observatory was built and used at a time when Michigan Agricultural College—what would become MSU—was a radically different institution.'

A person signing a PDF document on their phone
Tech Hacks

All the ways to digitally sign a PDF

You don't need a pen to put down your signature on a PDF file.

pregnancy test in hands
Medicine

Extreme heat could be a threat to contraception

Many states with abortion bans are experiencing broiling summers—and the heat could damage supplies such as emergency contraception and pregnancy tests.

The best sewing machines for quilting
Home

The best sewing machines for quilting

With sewing machines that provide quilter-friendly features, innovative sewists can produce stunning quilts that serve both utilitarian and artistic purposes.

The best Soundbars under $200
Speakers

The best soundbars under $200

An affordable soundbar is the biggest small upgrade you can make for your viewing pleasure.

a member of the air force staff demonstrates a virtual reality training system.
AI

US military’s special task force will explore generative AI

Can AI models make military predictions? The DoD wants to find out.

Soft robot gripper turning a book page
Robots

Origami-inspired robot can gently turn pages and carry objects 16,000 times its weight

The gripper design finds a balance between 'strength, precision and gentleness.'