Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 46)

A nestling bald eagle in Arizona.
Birds

Bald eagles stun scientists with bizarre migration pattern

One adventurous young bird crossed 10 states and four Canadian provinces before settling down.

A blue paper cutout of a person’s head in profile, filled with a sky-and-cloud pattern, surrounded by pink and green paper butterflies on a bright yellow background.
Mental Health

Does ashwagandha actually help with anxiety and sleep?

The ancient Ayuvedic herb is trending—but the science is more nuanced.

two saigas spar on dirt
Endangered Species

10 award-winning images documenting wildlife’s will to survive

From a humpback whale in Norway to a camouflaged frog in India.

Spilled salt shaker on table
Mental Health

Man develops psychosis following ChatGPT’s salt-free diet

Doctors say the patient swapped out sodium chloride for sodium bromide.

A study led by the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) has captured the explosive interaction between a black hole and a nearby massive star (blue), as depicted in this artist's conception. As the separation between the star and the black hole decreased, the black hole's intense gravity pulled gas and dust off of the star into a disk. Before the star was able to swallow the black hole, gravitational stress from the black hole triggered the star's explosion. Collisions between the stellar explosion and shells of material from earlier interactions located above and below the disk powered a dramatic re-brightening event. This artist’s graphic shows the massive star and black hole before the supernova explosion, when the star’s shape is stretched by gravitational forces from the black hole. Credit: Melissa Weiss/CfA
Black Holes

A black hole ripped apart a supernova

Space gets violent when two massive cosmic objects collide.

Sailing stone in Death Valley with movement trail behind hit
Physics

Ice moves by itself on experimental metal surface

Researchers found a way to make ice travel across metal—no wind, slope, or human help required.

Ninja Creami with a hand taking the container off
Home

Ninja CREAMi is $169 at Walmart—$30 less than Amazon

If you’ve been waiting to buy the TikTok-famous ice-cream machine, this is the time to grab it—at a price that undercuts Amazon.

a river otter with brown fur sits in water with a waterfall behind it
Wildlife

Otter poop reveals they may be ecosystem engineers

Feces with a ‘fire engine red worm’ inside is actually a good thing.

A large white mushroom cloud explodes into the upper atmosphere in a vintage photograph of a hydrogen bomb.
Physics

When the U.S. almost nuked Alaska—on purpose

Project Chariot intended to detonate six bombs to build a harbor.

Osprey roll-top backpacks on sale at REI on a yellow background
Outdoor Gear

REI is blowing out our favorite Osprey backpacks, hiking bags, and luggage

Whether you're a serious hiker or just looking for a new back-to-school backpack, REI has Osprey bags on sale to fit the bill.

a robot shaped like an antelope
AI

A furry antelope robot is keeping tabs on its organic cousins

The somewhat convincing, life-sized decoy can monitor herds where humans can't.

a a small bird with brown and white feather and a long skinny beak sits on a tree
Birds

Scientists find male bird that laid an egg

Sex reversal may be more common in wild birds than we thought.

Composite of four of the best folding ebikes sliced and diced
Outdoor Gear

The best folding electric bikes for 2025

When it comes to easily transportable e-bikes, you gotta know when to hold ’em, know when to fold ’em, know when to ride away, and when the battery’s done.

a swirling orange cosmic get with yellow at the center
Black Holes

‘Eye of Sauron’ spotted in deep space

A supermassive black hole powers the cosmic jet billions of light-years from Earth.

A blue Velotric Fold 1 Plus folding ebike on its kickstand in front of a colorful mural
Outdoor Gear

Velotric Fold 1 Plus review: A folding e-bike built for more than short hops and tall people

Long range, solid hauling capacity, and commuter-friendly features help it go far beyond “last-mile” duty.

scoop of vanilla ice cream still in scooper on plain background
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

Victorians loved ice cream even though it kept killing them 

Plus breathing through your butt and other weird things we learned this week.

A smiling woman bundled in a dark puffer jacket, grey knitted hood, and fingerless gloves applies lip balm in a green tube to her lips. She has light skin, dark hair, and blue eyes, and her gaze is directed slightly off to the right. The background is blurred, showing an outdoor setting with buildings and trees, suggesting a cool or cold day.
Medicine

Lip balm’s surprising history from earwax to Lip Smackers

Behind your favorite lip balm is more than a thousand years of history.

Moultrie Cameras header
Cameras

Amazon is blowing out 2-packs of Moultrie 4G-enabled trail cameras for just $79

Get one of the most popular trail cameras on the market for 49 percent off and keep an eye on the wildlife in your backyard.

Kindle Paperwhites
Tablets

This refurbished Kindle Paperwhite is just $107 and has access to tons of free books

You can get access to tons of free books with this discounted Kindle as part of Amazon's pre-owned program.

a dolphin rides on the bow wave in front of a humpback whale
Whales

Dolphin follows a whale all the way to the seafloor

The video shows a potential form of marine mammal play.