Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 50)

Close up of electric radiator in living room
Energy

American homes need heat pumps, not space heaters

The ultraefficient appliances don't just have to supplant gas furnaces, but space heaters as well.

Grad gift guide header 2026
Gear

Graduation gift guide: Perfect presents for recent graduates of all ages

No matter what kind of graduation your gifting for, we have a collection of perfect presents to make their day.

An atmospheric photograph shows a silhouette of a person interacting with a dramatic play of light and shadow. The person’s face and hands are partially illuminated by a bright, warm light source that cuts through a hazy, purple-tinted atmosphere filled with smoke or mist. The composition is abstract and moody, emphasizing the sensory and ethereal nature of light and color.
Evolution

Color doesn’t exist—at least not how you think

That's why it's impossible to describe the color red.

a landslide over a fjord
Climate Change

A 1,578-foot tsunami struck a popular Alaskan cruise destination. Now we know why.

The Tracy Arm fjord tsunami was bigger than the Eiffel Tower.

Man sitting next to C-3PO replica head
AI

Man 3D prints a chatty C-3PO head powered by AI

It may not be a fully-fledged protocol droid yet, but Luke Skywalker would be impressed.

Photo of the Pope Leo moth with dark orange wings broken up by white bands
Land

New moth species named for Pope Leo

‘Pyralis papaleonei’ reflects his strong stance on environmental conservation.

Lockheed X-59 aircraft in flight over Mojave Desert
Aviation

NASA’s new supersonic X-59 aircraft shows off its dizzying acrobatics in new video

You may need a Dramamine for this one.

Conceptual image of a two dimensional head shape with an opening revealing a large cluster of gear wheels in place of the brain and gears flying out as well, could illustrate ideas around AI, thinking and sharing knowledge
Health

Photographic memory is a myth

Here’s what research really says about remembering.

rainbow clouds
Weather

No, these rainbow clouds over Indonesia are not AI

The stunning meteorological phenomenon is 'truly magical.'

Close up of White person's hands holding orange cough drops on a orange background
Ask Us Anything

Can you overdose on cough drops? Short answer: Yes.

It'd take a lot of them, though.

a valley and cave
Archaeology

Prehistoric child’s finger bone, bear tooth pendant, and more discovered in Spanish cave

Nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains, the high-altitude cave may have been an ancient mining camp and burial ground.

Callaway Tri-force face exploded
Fitness Gear

Callaway’s new golf driver face combines titanium, carbon fiber, and a military-grade polymer found in an unlikely way

Callaway's new Quantum drivers use the Tri-Force Face, a three-layer design bonding titanium and carbon fiber with a polymer the R&D team found in military research.

An artist's impression of two circumbinary planets orbiting a binary star system. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle.
Exoplanets

Astronomers discover 27 potential Tatooine-like planets that orbit two stars

Just in time for May the 4th, aka Star Wars Day.

Purple martin in flight
Birds

370 million birds will migrate tonight

BirdCast season is here once again.

Close up of speartooth shark
Ocean

Shark lasers could help save vulnerable species

Yes. Shark lasers.

Woman sleeping on bed beside man in bedroom at home
Health

Wondering if you’re a ‘light’ or ‘deep’ sleeper? The science isn’t that simple.

Light, stress, and genetics can also impact the quality of your sleep.

two eaglet chicks in a nest
Birds

How to tell Jackie and Shadow’s chicks, Sandy and Luna, apart

Hint: One of the bald eagle chicks is a louder pooper.

a bunk bed on an airplane and standing seats
Aviation

15 innovative, wacky airplane seat designs

Inspired by space ships, double decker buses, and old-fashioned trains, designers try to make flying feel less torturous.

a toucan with a colorful green, orange, and red beak and yellow and black feathers
Birds

14 toucans found inside a car dashboard complete rehab

The colorful tropical birds are highly prized in the illegal wildlife trade.

A wide-angle, colorized historical photograph shows the grand landscape of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In the background, the iconic Administration Building with its massive gold-ribbed dome dominates the skyline. In the foreground and middle ground, throngs of fairgoers in Victorian-era attire walk along wide gravel paths and over arched bridges spanning the fair's lagoons. On the right, a circular, white pavilion with neoclassical arches is visible, while a small electric launch boat glides across the water on the left.
Science

The 1893 Chicago World’s Fair in 9 stunning color photos

Little remains of the massive, 630-acre grounds that changed history.