Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 474)

a large sunflower-shaped shade that unfurled from a satellite in space
Exoplanets

Exoplanet hunters want to block starlight with a giant orbiting shade

Some stars make it too bright for telescopes to spot far-away Earth-like planets. A "starshade" could help.

Farmers and scientists unite to save the home of an endangered salamander
Wildlife

Farmers and scientists unite to save the home of an endangered salamander

Once mutually wary, Mexico's farmers and scientists are working jointly to save a key ecosystem—and the axolotl.

McLaren’s newest supercar will have your hair blowing in the wind in 11 seconds
Vehicles

McLaren’s newest supercar will have your hair blowing in the wind in 11 seconds

The electronically operated top on the 765LT Spider isn't the machine's most important feature, but it sure is neat. Here's what it's like to drive.

With 18 rotors, the Hexa aircraft has room for just one passenger
Air Force

With 18 rotors, the Hexa aircraft has room for just one passenger

Here's why the Air Force is interested in this little electric aircraft—and others like it.

hand holding dice with board game on background
Tech Hacks

10 useful tools built into Google Search you should know about

Who has a coin these days?

Small European panda from 6 million years ago in a painting
Evolution

Pandas weren’t always bamboo fiends

Bamboo bears had a different plant-based diet before they moved from Europe to China.

watermelon-quartered
Science

This is how much watermelon it’d take to kill you

From staples like avocado to indulgences like chocolate, too much of our favorite foods can turn lethal.

Power lines against sunset.
Climate Change

In Texas, a strained grid braces for more crypto mining

Extreme weather and energy-hungry businesses make for a dicey combination.

Pharmacist in white jacket with brown beard and thick glasses denying a prescription for contraceptives after abortion ban
Medicine

Abortion bans are impeding access to ulcer, arthritis, and cancer medications

Methotrexate was introduced in the 1940s as a chemotherapy agent. Misoprostol was developed in the 1970s to treat stomach ulcers.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility Target Chamber.
Weapons

Inside France’s super-cooled, laser-powered nuclear test lab

The country is working with Lawrence Livermore National Lab to create a system for simulating fission reactions.

Sable Island’s famous wild horses are at the heart of a conservation controversy
Wildlife

Sable Island’s famous wild horses are at the heart of a conservation controversy

They’ve roamed free for hundreds of years, but is that freedom harming the ecosystem they call home?

A small child standing at a large glass window in an airport, looking out at the planes on the tarmac.
Life Skills

A parent-tested plan for flying with a toddler

Flying with children can be stressful, but these tips can help.

Hands holding a box of pills, pills in the foreground and the background is out of focus.
Mental Health

Combining certain opioids and commonly prescribed antidepressants may increase the risk of overdose

Patients taking paroxetine or fluoxetine had a 23% higher risk of overdosing on oxycodone than those using other SSRIs.

A surfer with black skin and long brown dreads and a surfer with white skin and long brown hair both in red rash guard UPF shirts high fiving in the waves
Cancer

Everything you need to know about UPF sun protection

Instead of comparing UPF to SPF, think of them as two necessary defenses for your skin.

jar of mustard with pitcher of beer in the background
Life Skills

When the mustard shortage hits, make your own

Delicious, spicy yellow gold.

This Mercedes EV is a moonshot machine that can travel 621 miles on a single charge
Concept Cars

This Mercedes EV is a moonshot machine that can travel 621 miles on a single charge

We drove the astonishing EQXX concept vehicle. Here's what it's like, and how it works.

How to take cool photos of cars
DIY

How to take cool photos of cars

Here are some tips for shooting better photos of cars.

Starry valley of Carina Nebula against dust and light on a bluish universe in a James Webb Space Telescope image
Tech Hacks

Get alerts every time the James Webb Space Telescope drops a heavenly new look

Click a few buttons and let those sweet, sweet space pics roll in.

Long March 5B rocket launching to the China Tiangong Space State and producing space debris
Space

The chance of being hit by China’s falling rocket booster is very low

It's a 0.4 percent risk, up from the general 0.01 percent of being crushed by space junk here on Earth.

animal crossing video game on switch
Technology

Major study finds video games don’t hurt or help your mental health

The study tracked around 40,000 gamers who played Animal Crossing, Apex Legends, Eve Online, Forza Horizon 4, Gran Turismo Sport, Outriders, and The Crew 2.