Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 49)

An octopus camouflages itself with the seafloor.
Biology

What octopus camouflage has to do with sunscreen

The cephalopod's disappearing act could help your next sunscreen blend in.

Comet 3I/ATLAS streaks across a dense star field in this image captured by the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South at Cerro Pachón in Chile, one half of the International Gemini Observatory, partly funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and operated by NSF NOIRLab. This image is composed of exposures taken through four filters — red, green, blue and ultraviolet. As exposures are taken, the comet remains fixed in the center of the telescope’s field of view. However, the positions of the background stars change relative to the comet, causing them to appear as colorful streaks in the final image. See a version of the image where the stars have been “frozen” here. These observations of Comet 3I/ATLAS were conducted during a Shadow the Scientists program hosted by NSF NOIRLab. A full recording of the session can be found here.
Deep Space

3I/Atlas isn’t deep space aliens and didn’t ‘change color’

Don't believe the comet conspiracy theories.

A bright, close-up photograph of a poison dart frog with a glossy black body and vibrant yellow and light green stripes along its back and legs. It is perched on a mossy, dark-brown log in a natural environment.
Science

Animals that eat poisons and don’t die

Critters consuming species that contain deadly toxins have evolved a suite of clever strategies to keep out of harm’s way.

a sunrise over a desert landscape
Conservation

13 perfect panoramic images from the 2025 Epson International Pano awards

The overall category winners of the 16th annual panoramic photo competition hail from Italy, Germany, and the United States.

screenshot of google photos
Tech Hacks

How to back up all your photos and videos to Google Photos

Keep your photos and videos safe and available across all your devices.

an orange car parked in a black room
Vehicles

For sale: Batmobile, John Wick’s Mustang, and more Hollywood cars

Own a piece of the 'Fast and the Furious' for $500,000.

A medium close-up of an elderly bald man, James D. Watson, wearing a dark sweater over a white shirt and tie. He is looking directly at the camera with a slight smile. The background is dimly lit with a blue hue, and a blurred image of a DNA helix structure is visible over his left shoulder.
Science

James Watson exemplified the best and worst of science–from monumental discoveries to sexism and cutthroat competition

The biologist is primarily remembered for discovering DNA's double helix structure.

AI created video of bunnies on a trampoline
AI

AI videos of animals could be dangerous. Here’s how to spot them.

Researchers warn that they can distort our connection to wildlife.

A historical color photograph of the large Great Lakes freighter, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, sailing on the water. The ship has a prominent white superstructure at the bow with a dark red hull and a tan smokestack near the stern emitting a plume of black smoke. The weather appears overcast.
Science

How the Witch of November doomed the ‘Edmund Fitzgerald’

Fifty years after the Great Lakes freighter sank, scientists can explain the weather that still haunts Lake Superior.

Black Bose Ultra Open earbuds in my palm holding their open case
Earbuds

Unlock sound and savings with limited-time Bose deals on earbuds, headphones, and speakers

Balance punchy and portable at approachable prices with these early Black Friday deals from Bose.

man sleeping with mouth open
Health

4 common sleep myths, debunked

Don't worry, you probably aren't swallowing spiders.

R2-D2 is seen with Star Wars BDX Droids backstage during Star Wars Celebration Japan on April 19, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.
Birds

Bird or droid? Starlings nail R2-D2 beeps and boops.

The songbirds are even better at mimicking the 'Star Wars' robot than parrots.

Dark lines of discolored dust on slopes of Martian mountain
Mars

On Mars, meteorites can cause miles-long dust slides

They're rare events, but the results are dramatic.

Neural implant sensor resting on grain of salt
Medicine

This brain implant is smaller than a grain of rice

The wireless neural transmitter safely delivers brain signals like a microchip.

Outdoor Research, The North Face, Smartwool gloves on a snowy background on sale at REI
Outdoor Gear

REI is blowing out winter gloves from The North Face, OR, Smartwool, Fox and more for clearance prices

Whether you want a pair of hardcore mountain climbing gloves or just something to keep your hands warm when walking the dog, REI has them all on clearance.

Various angles of fragmented human skull
Archaeology

Medieval duke’s remains recount his grisly murder

In 1272, Hungary's Béla of Macsó received over 23 sword gashes–and more.

A close-up side profile of a gray squirrel with its bushy tail curled up, sitting on a mossy branch and holding a small nut in its paws, with soft green foliage blurred in the background.
Ask Us Anything

How squirrels actually find all their buried nuts

Every fall, squirrels hide thousands of acorns—and use smell, memory, and even theft to get them back.

a winter outlook map of the united states for 2025-2026
Agriculture

The ‘Farmer’s Almanac’ says goodbye after 208 years

The 2026 edition will be its last.

a woodpecker with black white and a little bit of red plumage on a tree
Birds

Woodpeckers grunt like tennis players

‘They take the pecking that we see all birds doing and take it to the extreme.’

Close up of tree toad
Endangered Species

These toads don’t start as tadpoles

They're born as tiny 'toadlets.'