Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 49)

ceramics laying on the bottom of the mediterranean sea
Robots

Robot probes 16th century Italian shipwreck 1.5 miles below the Mediterranean

The mysterious ship sank off the coast of France full of valuable cargo.

Picture of a spaceman
Solar System

‘Mars’ is 2025’s most popular planet baby name

Thankfully, no one named their kid Uranus.

Line of Cybertrucks in parking lot
Electric Vehicles

Cybertruck recall warns that its wheels may fly off

Barely 3,500 of the EVs have sold this year so far.

a white bison calf walking next to an adult bison in tall prairie grass
Wildlife

One-in-a-million white bison calf born in Iowa

White bison calves are considered sacred for many Native American nations.

Two white children play on a roundabout in a vintage photograph.
Technology

The first playgrounds were for adults, not kids

Early playgrounds were more about fitness than fun—and children didn't enter the equation for decades.

a team of vets puts a wire frame on a turtle's shell
Wildlife

Vet constructs ingenious contraption to help a tortoise hit by a car

The African spurred tortoise’s recovery deserves a shell-ebration.

Glowing blue algae arranged in different shapes
Sustainability

Glowing algae could power the lamps of the future

The bioluminescent plants are a potential alternative to electrical light and batteries.

Gold sword scabbard from 6th century Norway
Archaeology

Hiker stumbles on 6th century gold sword scabbard under fallen tree

‘The odds of finding something like this are minimal.’

Black and white photo of Curiosity rover's robotic arm drill lifting a stone off the ground on Mars.
Mars

For 6 days, NASA’s Mars rover battled a rock

Curiosity appears unscathed. The giant stone? Not so much.

children on playground
Health

Denmark’s ‘hands‑off’ approach to parenting could offer a blueprint for raising more resilient, self‑reliant kids

Letting kids take the lead can work well, but sometimes they can’t see or anticipate certain risks.

A photo of a tornado forming above a rural road and there's a headlight.
Ask Us Anything

The real storm chasers of the Great Plains

A veteran chaser separates Hollywood magic from the real, on-the-ground excitement of tornado season.

reMarkable Paper Pure with handwriting examplel
Tablets

reMarkable Paper Pure writing tablet review: A true digital notebook replacement

If you're a hardcore handwriting enthusiast, reMarkable's new distraction-fighting tablet provides the best paper-like experience available.

a wasp's head
Insects

Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday present is… a parasitic wasp

Meet ‘Attenboroughnculus tau.’

shiny crystals found inside of a bone
Evolution

An extinct human species made surprisingly creative butchery tools

Our cousins ‘Homo juluensis’ knew how to adapt in the face of an ice age.

Close up of magic mushrooms in the palm of someone's hand
Science

Magic mushrooms make mean fish lazier and more chill

Psilocybin may selectively lower aggressive behavior in the the notoriously nasty mangrove rivulus.

Close up of oyster shells
Engineering

Want stronger concrete? Just add oysters.

The biomimetic material is based on shellfish bonds.

a warning sign in front of a building for explosions
Engineering

The world’s largest explosion lab is ready for big booms. And yes, it’s in Texas.

‘Something on this scale with this type of energy, you can’t help but be nervous.’

Woman crying while watching TV
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

Movies use this one musical trick to make you feel miserable 

Plus a roller coaster ‘thoosie’ and other weird things we learned this week.

Jaw bone exhibiting gold wire dental ligature around bottom teeth
Archaeology

A medieval Scot rocked a 20-carat gold dental bridge

It probably looked as cool as you think.

five sled dog puppies
Dogs

Denali’s adorable Sled Dog Puppy Cam is back for 2026

This year’s five freight-style Alaskan husky puppies carry on a 104-year-old tradition at Alaska's Denali National Park and Preserve.