Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 5)

two sperm whales sleeping vertically
Whales

Sperm whales blow bubbles to help them nap

The large toothed whales are known for their signature vertical sleeping skills.

Homemade X-ray machine box with radioactive signage on workshop desk
Engineering

Man builds homemade X-ray machine

Only three CRT television vacuum tubes exploded in the process

a sea turtle crawls towards the ocean while a crowd watches
Ocean

Pancake the rescued sea turtle released on Coney Island beach

The endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle weighs about 11 pounds and is two to five years old.

insect larvae under a microscope. they are long cylinders with small white blobs next to them. the blobs are air sacs
Insects

Insects survive 1,213 feet of pressure under water, defying physics

Lake flies challenge the explanation of why there are no insects in the open ocean.

Close up of WW2 airplane wreckage piece held by man who is out of focus in the background
Archaeology

Berry picker finds mystery WWII plane wreckage in Poland

All evidence points to an Allied aircraft shot down near the German border.

The ruins of the ancient city of Apamea are seen in the Hama countryside, Syria, on July 8, 2026. Apamea, founded in the Hellenistic period under the Seleucid Empire and later developed under Roman rule, was once one of the region’s major urban and military centers. The archaeological site is best known for its long Roman colonnaded street, theatre remains, mosaics, and other ruins that reflect the city’s importance in ancient Syria. (Photo by Omar Albam / Middle East Images via AFP)
Archaeology

Roman emperors once banned men from having long hair

The reasoning was ‘barbaric.’

Close-up of assorted red and orange gummy vitamins spilled from a transparent bottle on white background.
Ask Us Anything

What happens if you eat too many gummy vitamins?

Don't overdose on iron or vitamin D.

2026 Home of the Future header
Home

2026 Home of the Future awards: 39 products that will improve your everyday life

Upgrade your space with a smart toilet, new tools, a robotic lawn mower, and several dozen more clever devices and technologies that make home a better place.

three eagles standing on a nest
Birds

Luna the eagle chases off nest intruder, as mom Jackie recovers

New video also shows the fight that injured the internet-famous bald eagle mom.

a pod of orcas swimming
Whales

Orcas smash dead sunfish into bite-sized pieces

Scientists in the Gulf of California caught this explosive never-before-seen feeding method on camera.

Sun in the sky covered by orange hue denoting extreme heat
Global Warming

Is today the hottest day of the summer? The ‘Old Farmer’s Almanac’ has 30 years of data for an answer.

The worst of summer's heat depends on where you live.

people sitting in crowded airplane.
Ask Us Anything

Airplane seats really are getting smaller

And why we should all be grateful for airplane mode.

This illustration shows the system around the star CD-35 2722, with the newly found moon-like object at the centre. The star –– the point source to the left –– has about half the mass of our Sun, and it is orbited by a brown dwarf, the reddish-brown object seen here in the foreground (right). The brown dwarf has about 37 times the mass of Jupiter: too massive to be a planet, but not massive enough to have sustained nuclear fusion like stars. This brown dwarf is, in turn, orbited by a newly discovered object at least as massive as Jupiter, seen at the centre of this image. This new object, found with ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), is difficult to label. It behaves like a moon in the sense that it orbits an object that orbits a star. But this ‘moon’ is massive enough to be a planet, and the object it orbits, a brown dwarf, is neither a planet nor a star.
Moons

‘Super weird’ object may be space’s first confirmed exomoon

The object about 72 light-years away from Earth could be the first satellite discovered outside our solar system.

The projection room at a Sony Theater showing the 3D IMax Movie "Wings Of Courage" (Photo by James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images)
Engineering

Why 1960s technology makes seeing ‘The Odyssey’ in 70mm IMAX so difficult

Christopher Nolan’s new movie uses cutting-edge special effects, but the film tech is practically ancient.

avocados growing on a tree
Archaeology

Humans packed avocados before migrating across the Americas 5,000 years ago

Those same ancient avocado lineages could help protect the popular fruit today.

a sperm whale swimming in clear blue waters with its mouth open
Ocean

Sperm whales change how they communicate when ships are nearby

Sailing by a sperm whale? They may be talking about you.

GunaiKurnai Elder Uncle Russell Mullett at the cave entrance of Cloggs Cave
Archaeology

Australian cave home to 25,000 years of healing—and curses

Ancient burnt grass reveals millennia of spiritual rituals inside Cloggs Cave.

Baby raccoon with short spine walks across lawn.
Ask Us Anything

Jimothy the raccoon has a rare spinal condition. Here’s what that means.

The internet's favorite raccoon has become a symbol of resilience in Seattle. Here's what his condition might mean for his future in the wild.

Demon cavefish photo from scientific study
Endangered Species

New eyeless ‘demon cavefish’ discovered in Alabama named after mythological Demogorgon

The tiny and translucent fish is one of the rarest species in the United States.

an adult bald eagle stands on a perch in front of a green wall
Birds

Bald eagle believed to be Jackie healing in Ojai

Adult Bald Eagle 26-519 is perching and eating with assistance.