Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 566)

Jupiter's surface and red spot with moons in the background. the four moons in the background are yellow, pink and white, gray, and mottled yellow
Moons

Jupiter’s moons are about to get JUICE’d for signs of life

Scheduled to launch in 2023, the explorer craft will probe Jupiter and three of its ā€˜ocean world’ satellites for habitable environments.

a rocket launching at night
DARPA

DARPA wants Space-BACN so satellite communication sizzles

The program is pronounced "space bacon" and is focused on building resiliency in case satellites ever get fried.

NASA orion callisto
NASA

Alexa will tag along on an uncrewed mission to the moon

Ground control to… Alexa?

a bushel of lychee, a red, prickly skinned spherical fruit with white, glossy edible flesh surrounding a dark oval shaped seed. two of the lychees' skin is peeled to reveal the white flesh
Agriculture

Good news for lychee lovers: There may be a way to grow the fruits year-round

Lychee has a short peak season in the summer. But a missing chunk of DNA could help shift growing periods to different times of the year.

amazon stellantis car cockput
Electric Vehicles

Amazon’s teaming up with a major automaker to create car ‘cockpits’

Here’s what to expect from the new Amazon and Stellantis agreements.

Here’s exactly how wildfires are polluting our air
Pollution

Here’s exactly how wildfires are polluting our air

Western states face a double whammy of extreme ozone and fine particulate matter levels.

Artist conception of the James Webb Space Telescope.
Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope has fully unfurled its complex, massive sunshield

A delicate ballet of cables, membranes, and other moving parts is complete, 600,000 miles from Earth.

A concept vehicle from Waymo
Electric Vehicles

Check out Waymo’s new electric, self-driving taxi design

The autonomy company is developing a vehicle with Geely that may someday have no steering wheel or pedals.

Earth viewed from space.
Science

A seismic mystery deep within Earth hints at the moon’s origins

In subterranean regions called ultra-low velocity zones, seismic waves mysteriously slow down.

telecom 5G expansion clash with airlines
Aviation

Aviation concerns have grounded a planned 5G expansion—again

Telecom companies have agreed to leave their 5G plans on pause due to continued FAA safety worries.

A woman gives a COVID-19 vaccine shot to a young person while both wear masks
Vaccines

The FDA just announced new booster guidelines for kids ages 12 to 15

It also changed the wait for a Pfizer booster to five months, not six.

Gabtoli, Bangladesh after a storm.
Climate Change

Climate change disasters cost the world over $100 billion this year

The people affected by expensive climate disasters are often among the most vulnerable.

Lucid dreaming may help treat PTSD. VR can make that happen.
Health

Lucid dreaming may help treat PTSD. VR can make that happen.

Scientists are introducing virtual reality as one more tool to help people gain control of their dream worlds.

a frosty pint glass full of amber beer with a foamy top
Health

Is Dry January the best way to cut back on drinking?

Your results may vary.

A man sitting on a bench outside a brick building looking intensely at his phone.
Tech Hacks

Get quick access to important conversations in your iPhone’s Messages app

Don't let the good stuff get buried.

A nurse in a mask and gown writes in a medical chart in front of a patient in a hospital bed.
Vaccines

Here’s more evidence that vaccines help against Omicron

What we learned about the new variant over the last few weeks.

How does BMI change your COVID-19 risk? The answer reveals how little we know about body fat and health.
COVID-19

How does BMI change your COVID-19 risk? The answer reveals how little we know about body fat and health.

A body of literature challenges the notion that being fat is directly correlated with being unhealthy.

a hyperbaric chamber
Health

Are hyperbaric chambers really a fountain of youth?

Hyperbaric spas say their treatments are based on science—but the evidence is thin.

Mental wellness apps are basically the Wild West of therapy
Mental Health

Mental wellness apps are basically the Wild West of therapy

Therapy apps are booming, but mental health experts have vetted precious few.

Probiotics are more hype than science
Health

Probiotics are more hype than science

Experts say that the marketing for these supplements has outpaced the actual science.