Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 461)

A jaybird snacks
Birds

Eurasian jays show masterful intelligence in human psychology test

An especially bright bird waited five-and-a-half minutes for the superior snack.

The epic flights of two speedy ducks reveals secrets of global bird migration
Birds

The epic flights of two speedy ducks reveals secrets of global bird migration

The two pintail hens made a voyage of 10,000 miles over 10 months.

What it’s like to fire Raytheon’s powerful anti-drone laser
Weapons

What it’s like to fire Raytheon’s powerful anti-drone laser

PopSci exclusively tested out a laser weapon in the high desert of New Mexico. Here's how it works, and what it does.

Tiny conifer plants growing out of the Sheenjek River in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Fossil Fuels

The 2022 midterm elections could shake the course of environmental action in the US

Oil and gas leases, public lands, carbon emissions, and wildfire management are all on the ballot (figuratively).

The CDC has surveyed teens on their health and behavior since the ’90s—but now some states are opting out
Mental Health

The CDC has surveyed teens on their health and behavior since the ’90s—but now some states are opting out

Recent surveys captured important intel on young people's mental health during the pandemic.

A hellbender peers out with its blue eye from a rock
Biology

Hellbender salamanders may look scary, but the real fright is extinction

These giant amphibians have more to fear from us than we do them.

A person using a stylus to cross out the Facebook logo on an iPhone screen.
Tech Hacks

How to banish toxic posts from your social feeds

The internet may be a really bad place right now. But it’s salvageable.

Unraveling the mystery of eel sex
Endangered Species

Unraveling the mystery of eel sex

To save endangered eels, researchers have been working for decades to figure out where they reproduce.

A phone with the Twitter icon on the screen, on top of a closed cardboard box that says "Handle with care."
Tech Hacks

How to download your data from Twitter and other sites

Haven't you always wanted a record of everything you've done online?

hydrogel swimming robot
Robots

Watch this penny-sized soft robot paddle with hydrogel fins

Researchers believe that this robot design can be one day repurposed for applications like biomedical devices.

Mountain lions in Los Angeles face the heat of worsening wildfires
Endangered Species

Mountain lions in Los Angeles face the heat of worsening wildfires

The city’s elusive cougars will do a lot to avoid people, including getting risky with wildfire.

European Union sets goal to block sales of gas-powered cars by 2035
Electric Vehicles

European Union sets goal to block sales of gas-powered cars by 2035

The major step will cut new vehicle emissions by 100 percent by that time.

A young girl stands outside in a winter coat, pink earmuffs, and a blue face mask pulled down over her chin as she sneezes into her hands.
COVID-19

What’s the difference between COVID, flu, and cold symptoms?

You should stay home either way.

French bulldog in orange striped Halloween costume with black cat on its back against purple background
Cats

Should pets wear Halloween costumes? Your furry friend can help you decide.

Joan of Bark and George Washington Catver might not feel as festive on the haunted holiday.

Newborn baby
Science

Highway and traffic pollution could be connected to low birthweight

More than 11 million Americans live within 150 meters of highways, which generate high levels of air and noise pollution.

A man watching YouTube on a tablet while sitting in front of a desktop computer.
Tech Hacks

3 ways to avoid falling down a YouTube rabbit hole

Thou shalt not let Google's video app consume your life.

Earth's magnetic field in a black, red, and white illustration
Physics

Here’s what the Earth’s magnetic field would sound like if we could hear it

Listen to magnetic signals battle with a solar storm.

a star wars action figure
Engineering

How I turned myself into a Star Wars action figure

Hasbro is 3D-printing customized versions of characters like Princess Leia, the Mandalorian, and Iron Man.

Elon Musk completes purchase of Twitter, fires CEO
Social Media

Elon Musk completes purchase of Twitter, fires CEO

His new Twitter bio reads 'Chief Twit,' for what it's worth.

Bellairsia gracilis
Evolution

A Scottish fossil is helping scientists fill the gaps in the lizard family tree

The tiny critter lived in the middle Jurassic period and has a mix of ancestral and modern lizard parts.