Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 511)

hand-watering-plants
Life Skills

Proper drainage is the key to keeping houseplants alive. These tricks can help.

You might have a pot that you love, but your plant has to love it too.

tiny microrobot on top of a coin
Robots

A tiny crabby robot gets its scuttling orders from lasers

These 'pop-up' micro-robots move to the beat of the light. Here’s a look at how they were made.

Space stations could wage war on hitchhiking bacteria with self-cleaning tech
Space

Space stations could wage war on hitchhiking bacteria with self-cleaning tech

Even in space, astronauts can’t escape from germs—but the European Space Agency wants to develop materials that can help tidy up the International Space Station.

A recreation of Yorkicystis haefneri, a historic creature
Fish

This strange 500-million-year-old sea urchin relative lost its skeleton

Also a relative of starfish, recently discovered Yorkicystis is a scientific mystery.

2022 is shaping up to be a busy year for hurricanes, NOAA predicts.
Weather

Forecasters predict an abnormally high number of storms for this hurricane season—again

Forecasters have prepared a backup list of storm names in case we run through the alphabet.

Best soundbars Polk Sigma Solo header image
Speakers

Best soundbars under $100

You don’t have to spend a lot to make a sound investment in TV-watching enjoyment.

Images from the September 1923 issue of Popular Science Monthly.
Diabetes

From the archives: How a medical ‘outsider’ discovered insulin

In September 1923, Popular Science profiled Frederick Grant Banting, a young Canadian doctor who discovered insulin and helped millions.

jocelyn-bell-burnell
Deep Space

Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered pulsars, but someone else won the Nobel

Bell Burnell has spent her career holding her field to a higher standard of excellence and equity.

firefighter in a field
Engineering

A network of 1,000 cameras is watching for Western wildfires—and you can, too

The camera system is expanding to Oregon and has even started to employ artificial intelligence. Here's how it all works.

Smartphone-on-desk-with-youtube-logo-on-screen
Tech Hacks

How to only watch the best bits and other tricks to upgrade your YouTube experience

Let's watch some videos.

wrapped gifts in all shapes and sizes
Gift Guides

Best gifts for teenage girls

We know that teenagers can be hard to shop for; which is why we’ve created this complete guide to help you find the best gift for teenage girls; full of fun ideas, tips, and tricks to select a present she’ll actually like!

Seashore in Chile.
Ocean

Climate change is making the ocean lose its memory. Here’s what that means.

This could spell trouble for predicting future weather patterns.

new street view camera prototype mounted on a red car
Internet

Google Street View just unveiled its new camera—and it looks like an owl

The device will hit the streets in 2023 and work alongside the company’s existing cohort of cameras.

a purple and black and white stylized image of a historic foldable flying car with newspaper clippings in the background
Engineering

What it would take for cars to actually fly

Since the 1800s, inventors have struggled to design a hybrid craft that could traverse both earth and sky—but flying cars might soon get a new lift.

A jackdaw, a Eurasian bird that launches into the sky in flocks of hundreds.
Birds

Demo-crow-cy: Jackdaws leave the roost by voting

The huge groups take off in sync, but only when the majority wants to do so.

Ball of copper wire on green background
Engineering

Can this MIT metallurgist clean up copper production?

Purifying all the copper we need to funnel electricity through everything from vehicles to wind turbines is dirty business.

Person paying with phone
Tech Hacks

Forget your wallet: It’s time to start paying for everything with your phone.

Money is just a concept.

Images from the February 1989 issue of Popular Science from an article on "brain-style" computers.
AI

From the archives: A forecast on artificial intelligence, from the 1980s and beyond

In the February 1989 issue of Popular Science, we dove deep in the reemerging projects developing 'brain-style' computers and their futures in the next two decades.

a person using a phone
Tech Hacks

You should switch to a browser that has its own VPN

It's more straightforward than you'd think.

Enclave CineHome PRO Bundle on the floor
Speakers

Enclave CineHome PRO review: Wireless surround done right

The Enclave CineHome PRO hi-res wireless home theater system strikes all the right cords.