Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 611)

View from inside a catio with white cat on a swing
Projects

Tips to build the safest, most purr-fect catio for your feline overlord

Yes, it's called a catio—it's a patio but for your cat.

Empty cups, both plastic and paper, take out containers, straws, and other trash sit in a multi-colored pile. Starbucks, Nathans, Dunkin Donuts, and Canada Dry logos are visible on some of the items.
Environment

Your compostable cups and containers aren’t reversing the plastic problem

Our waste systems just aren't ready for compostable plastic.

fire trucks lines up on a road
Self Driving

Teslas keep hitting emergency vehicles, and now the government is investigating

The cars in 11 crashes were all in Autopilot or adaptive cruise control mode.

Screenshot of the home screen of an iPhone showing the messages app with one unread message.
Tech Hacks

How to save your text messages from disappearing when you get a new phone

These apps will help you bring your text message history wherever you go.

Is ‘vegan’ leather really better for the planet?
Pollution

Is ‘vegan’ leather really better for the planet?

Step away from the pleather.

haitian coast
Weather

Why the aftershocks from Haiti’s earthquake could be incredibly destructive

It’s hard to overstate the severity of the unfolding crisis.

COVID hospitalizations for kids and younger adults are at record highs
Vaccines

COVID hospitalizations for kids and younger adults are at record highs

Here's everything you need to know.

A laptop on a college-dorm desk
Mental Health

8 tips for boosting mental health at college in the age of COVID-19

As campuses reopen, students stuck at home or in dorm rooms should take close care of themselves.

Young mice learn to parent by babysitting
Psychology

Young mice learn to parent by babysitting

Practice makes perfect for future rodent caretakers.

Apple iPhone with CSAM
Security

Apple has a new plan to curb child pornography. Here’s why it’s controversial.

The tech giant unveiled new tools to fight CSAM, or child sexual abuse material. This is what to know about them—and why some privacy experts are pushing back.

Scientists genetically engineered prehistoric proteins to detect diseases
Biology

Scientists genetically engineered prehistoric proteins to detect diseases

How a curious ancient protein could be the next frontier of imaging.

an illustration of a melting planet earth covered in lush trees and leaves
Animals

An ancient era of global warming could hint at our scorching future

Looking back at the strange and sweaty days of the PETM.

A gas station at night
Vehicles

Forget miles per gallon—here’s the best metric for measuring a car’s efficiency

It's been right there on the vehicle's sticker all along.

A man snoring in a white bed, while a woman angrily holds a pillow over her ears next to him.
Life Skills

How to stop snoring and spread the gift of better sleep

Finally sleep soundly (and silently).

a parking garage
Electric Vehicles

We’re getting closer to a world filled with self-parking cars

In Detroit, a new smart lab from Ford is working on the tech that will allow your vehicle to find a spot all on its own, no driver needed.

A person speaking to a group of people who are sitting at a wooden table with laptops in front of them.
Life Skills

Exude power and confidence with better body language

Command the room with these expert tips.

Green snake on a log
Animals

A guide to all the places with no snakes

This brief hissstory is for the ophidiophobes.

person wearing mask
Vaccines

The COVID-19 delta variant is almost as contagious as chickenpox

The delta variant is changing the equation when it comes to transmissibility.

Girl sitting in front of computer is frustrated.
Psychology

Social media really is making us more morally outraged

Platforms like Twitter may amplify engrained human behaviors, but a future filled with healthy discourse and productive conversations isn't impossible.

Tuna Robot With Internal Overlay
Robots

A tuna robot reveals the art of gliding gracefully through water

It looks like a fish and swims like a fish, but it’s also a model that could inspire future underwater vehicles.