Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 550)

A restaurant reservation made by Google Assistant.
Tech Hacks

7 apps that will let you hire people to do almost anything

Outsource work without leaving your bed.

a laser demonstration
Weapons

Israel could supplement its Iron Dome with a ‘laser wall’

The system actually would consist of lasers, deployed on aircraft, focused on defending against enemy drones.

Crops grown in NASA's Advanced Plant Habitat.
NASA

NASA has big plans for space farms

To be a good astronaut, you have to be a great gardener.

University of Wollongong physicist Xiaolin Wang looks over liquid metal in petri dish
Technology

Scientists can manipulate this liquid metal, hands-free

The research was inspired by 'Terminator 2: Judgment Day' and its T-1000 villain.

Old nokia phones
Life Skills

How to set the right price when selling your old tech

Before you cash in, know how much cash you're likely to get

a small crab raises its large claw in the air
Animals

These crustaceans take cheap shots at rivals by growing enormous claws

It pays to be extra crusty.

There's less water in mountain glaciers than thought.
Climate Change

Many glaciers aren’t as thick as we thought

Satellite images reveal previous estimates for the contents of mountain glaciers weren't accurate.

A man wearing a surgical mask is vaccinated by a healthcare worker wearing gloves.
Vaccines

Just had COVID? Here’s when you should get a booster.

The exact timing often won't make a big difference, but consider these questions.

Why young orphans were once used as human refrigerators
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

Why young orphans were once used as human refrigerators

Plus other fun facts from The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.

an airplane and the sun
Aviation

All your burning questions about sustainable aviation fuel, answered

They promise to help the aviation sector move away from extracted petroleum products, but it's a complex topic.

Pile of model white molar teeth
Engineering

This new synthetic tooth enamel is even harder than the real thing

Enamel is so complex, it's nearly impossible to replicate. A team of engineers pulled it off anyway.

a helicopter with no one on board
Army

A Black Hawk helicopter flew for the first time without pilots

The empty UH-60 was part of a DARPA program and featured autonomous flight technology from Sikorsky.

An LED grow light illuminating a plant's leaf and turning it a shade of purple.
Projects

Yes, you can overuse grow lights on indoor plants

Plants can't gorge on artificial sunlight forever.

Patrick Wilson in an astronaut suit looking panicked in a Moonfall movie screenshot
International Space Station

What happens if you get diarrhea in space?

Astronauts (both real and fictional) have to deal with a whole range of poop problems.

Person putting cloth face mask on a small child
COVID-19

Why several states say they’ll lift COVID mask mandates soon

School mask mandates will be removed in four states in the coming weeks.

Marble countertop samples.
Sustainability

Marble is luxurious—but is it sustainable?

Think twice before shipping Italian stone to your American home.

A laptop with a bunch of Google Chrome browser tabs open.
Tech Hacks

This hidden Chrome trick lets you organize your tabs exactly as you want

Just drag and drop.

People wear COVID masks in on public transportation
COVID-19

The 5 phases of COVID’s endgame

Anthony Fauci and other public health experts give us their roadmap for the rest of the pandemic.

broken paper heart in clothline
Tech Hacks

7 apps to get you through a nasty breakup

Glue those shattered feelings back together.

A white polar bear standing on snow in a zoo with blue bars in the background.
Bears

Secrets from zoo polar bears could help conservation efforts in the wild

Bears in captivity provide researchers with more accessibility and data than those in the wild.