Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 63)

A dramatic, close-up photo of a black cat's face emerging from deep shadows. Only its large, luminous yellow-green eyes are brightly lit, staring directly forward with wide pupils that reflect a faint glimmer of light.
Cats

Why do cats’ eyes glow in the dark?

That eerie glow is actually a pair of built-in night-vision goggles.

live black scorpion (Emperor Scorpion)
Wildlife

Deadly scorpions are picky about their soil

Dirt may help map where scorpions live—and potentially save lives.

a pigeon. the bird as light grey feathers with green and purple feathers around the neck
Birds

550 pigeons rescued in North Carolina

The birds can make good pets, but only if taken care of properly.

Old coins from Spain, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Federal Republic of Germany and Austria. These coins are dating from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
Projects

How to start a coin collection 

There are a few simple (and inexpensive) ways to get going. 

A close-up oil painting of a young woman with dark hair and a pensive expression, wearing an intricate white lace collar. She holds a pair of scissors to a lock of her hair, suggesting a moment of mourning or sacrifice.
Archaeology

Forget flowers: lovers in 18th- and 19th-century Ireland exchanged hair

Who needs boxes of chocolate?

a white driverless car drives in front of a large state capitol building
Self Driving

Radio waves could help driverless cars see around corners

HoloRadar helps give the vehicles a more complete picture of their surroundings.

glute stretch knee across belly
Fitness & Exercise

7 glute stretches for better mobility and less pain

Learn why your hips feel stiff and how to fix it with these expert-recommended movements for maximum mobility.

19th century Japanese coin in metal detectorist's hand
Archaeology

Metal detectorist finds 19th century Japanese coin in Australia

The discovery likely dates back to the continent's gold rushes.

VAL D'ISERE FRANCE. 19-12-2010. Lindsey Vonn (USA) during the Super Giant Slalom section of the women's Super Combined race at the FIS Alpine skiing World Cup Val D'Isere France.
Physics

Downhill skiing’s biggest hurdle? Friction.

How skis meet snow be the difference between winning gold or silver.

a litter of naked mole rats
Wildlife

4 wild ways animals breed

There's more than one way to pass down those genes.

Patagonia winter sale bag deals header
Outdoor Gear

Patagonia is blowing out its popular backpacks, hiking bags, and duffles during its massive winter clearance sale

Grab an iconic Black Hole duffel, a new everyday bag, or a burly hiking backpack for your next outing. These deals drop prices by up to 40% on popular models and colors.

Example of paired images used during free-view eyetracking study. These image pairs focused on participant reactions to spider versus other arthropods – (A) spider versus butterfly, (B) spider versus insect, (C) spider eyes versus insect eyes, (D) spider versus non-spider arachnid, and (E) spider versus myriapod. We also included a paired image of (F) scorpion versus non-scorpion arachnid to gain insight into whether participants respond differently to spiders versus scorpions (e.g., d vs. f).
Spiders

Psychologists made people look at spiders. They didn’t like it.

Humans will try to focus on almost anything else.

the sun hits a waterfall so it looks like fire
Environment

Yosemite’s glowing, golden waterfall is flowing again

The annual natural phenomenon event is expected to last until February 26.

A portrait of two brothers, Nico and Matteo Mucchetti, posing with their homemade, full-sized replica of a purple ride vehicle from Disney's "Big Hero 6" attraction. The younger brother sits inside the purple wooden structure, which is detailed with orange accents and a string of LED lights along the edge, while the older brother leans over the back. They are positioned in a dimly lit room, creating a dramatic spotlight effect on them and their project.
Engineering

Teen brothers build a Disney-inspired ride in family basement

'Big Hero 6' inspired Nico and Matteo Mucchetti's ambitious project.

Apple and Asus laptops are the best 15-inch laptops
PC Gaming

The best 15-inch laptops

These large-screen laptops make it easy to run multiple apps at once on-the-go.

Close up of man's hand on chin while he's thinking
Evolution

Humans really don’t need chins

Homo sapiens are the only primates that have them, but they don't make us special.

Platinum Silver Sony WF-1000XM6 true wireless ANC earbuds sitting in a bowl of crystals
Earbuds

Sony’s new WF-1000XM6 ANC earbuds disappeared in my ears so the outside world and inner demons vanished from my mind

Sony's flagship refresh offers bigger brains in a streamlined silhouette. Here are our first impressions.

a zookeper places a piece of apple inside of an elephant's trunk
Wildlife

Elephants are smart. So are their whiskers.

Their 1,000 whiskers make them dextrous enough to pick up a tortilla chip.

EF EcoFlow portable power stations
Outdoor Gear

Grab these EF EcoFlow portable power stations and solar generators for blowout prices during this flash sale

Just about everything in the EF EcoFlow lineup is on sale from simple portable chargers to full-on solar generators that can kick in when the grid goes down.

a whale swimming
Whales

The oldest-known humpback whale recording was hiding in an archive

The audio, etched onto a plastic disc in 1949, predates the era when researchers could even recognize whale calls.