Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 573)

A SanDisk USB drive on top of an e-reader.
Tech Hacks

4 smart reasons to keep an old USB drive around

Old dongle, new tricks.

This new AI algorithm could help flying cars survive windy days
Drones

This new AI algorithm could help flying cars survive windy days

Neural-Fly steers a drone through all kinds of wind, thanks to artificial intelligence and just 12 minutes of training.

Lightbulbs hanging in restaurant.
Climate Change

How bad are incandescent light bulbs for the environment?

It's time to flip the switch.

First of a kind study finds that after five years, trans children stand firm in their identities.
Science

First-of-a-kind study shows encouraging data for trans kids who socially transition

Trans youth almost never 'detransition' in the first several years after a social transition.

A turtle crossing a road.
Life Skills

What to do if you find a turtle in the road

Slow and steady is the right approach.

A photo of a person taking a pill
Medicine

Mail-order abortion medication would increase healthcare access, not risk

Research shows that screening for patients' eligibility based on their medical history instead of in-person pelvic exams or ultrasounds is just as safe.

A hill made of oyster shell
Animals

We have a lot to learn from Indigenous people’s oyster-shucking practices

Communities sustainably harvested oyster reefs for thousands of years. Then colonization came along.

A helicopter caught and released a rocket this week
Aviation

A helicopter caught and released a rocket this week

Here's why Rocket Lab attempted the tricky move with a falling rocket stage, and how the maneuver works.

The University of Cambridge chef robot.
Robots

This robot chef can taste salt with its arm

Robot chefs are becoming more common, but their ability to taste is undercooked.

A woman wearing a brown hat and a striped shirt, standing on a rooftop during the day and holding a coffee and her phone.
Tech Hacks

You can trick your brain into using your phone less

Trick your brain into putting down the device.

Extreme heat in Southeast Asia has brought summer early.
Global Warming

Southeast Asia’s months-long heat wave is untenable for human health

India has logged the hottest spring on record in a century.

Looking through the windshield of a car driving down a flat road between open fields under blue skies, with one person in the driver's seat and a toddler in a carseat in the passenger seat.
Psychology

A road-tested guide to long drives with young kids

Remember: The journey is the destination.

An excerpt from the famous germ theory of disease lecture
Science

From the archives: The germ theory of disease breaks through

Imperfect but important, the seminal lecture on the origins of disease appeared in the 1883 issue of Popular Science Monthly.

lots of books laid flat
AI

Meta wants to improve its AI by studying human brains

Machines don't always understand what we want from them. Can new language models teach them to read between the lines?

a colorful full coral reef
Ocean

These Hawaiian corals could hold the secret to surviving warming waters

A 2019 marine heat wave in Hawaii triggered a mass bleaching event, but scientists identified coral havens that had fewer casualties.

The pros and cons of finally getting an edit button on Twitter
Social Media

The pros and cons of finally getting an edit button on Twitter

The feature could be on its way, but its effect on the platform might be complex—and how it's executed will matter.

Atlanta skyline at sunset
Climate Change

Urban sprawl defines unsustainable cities, but it can be undone

Our car-dependent cities are at the center of the climate dilemma.

close up of a woman holding a positive pregnancy test
Medicine

What science tells us about abortion bans

Abortion has been part of American health care for centuries.

Man wearing headphones at coffee shop
Earbuds

The ABCs of ANC: What is active noise-cancelling and why do I want it?

Being able to work from anywhere is convenient but not always optimal. Enter active noise-cancelling and exit distractions.

A child playing with a bear.
Diseases

We still don’t know what’s behind the global hepatitis outbreak in kids

Pathogens called adenoviruses may be responsible, but experts are uncertain.