Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 644)

A person sitting at a coffee shop, using a phone while wearing headphones and a cap.
Tech Hacks

Easily convert a PDF to an image on your phone

Don't download an app you're going to use once. Save yourself the trouble.

A tangle of macaque monkeys.
Animals

Laughter is a key part of play for many animals

Laughing says, "I'm only play-biting you, not real-biting you."

Person with long black hair and in silver sequin hat at microphone
Psychology

Why your voice sounds weird on recordings

That recording might sound funny to you, but others tuning in might not think so unkindly.

Can industrial farming be a force for good?
Agriculture

Can industrial farming be a force for good?

Big Ag is ruining our air, water, and land. Where do we go from here?

mother masked holding her baby
Vaccines

How should parents with unvaccinated kids handle the CDC’s new mask guidelines?

Vaccinated parents and guardians are no longer required to wear masks everywhere they go. But should they?

Megaport
Technology

Megaport

The robot-staffed, windmill-powered Dutch port poised to become the most efficient cargo handler ever.

MQ1-predator UAV drone in flight
Drones

Fact Check: Ex-Cop Fugitive Christopher Dorner Is Not Being Hunted By Drones

A tale of drones hunting Dorner may have made headlines, but it isn't true. What is true is that police have used drones to hunt suspects before.

pendulum power
Technology

A brief, 20,000-year history of timekeeping

As clocks got more accurate, we had to redefine the second.

How You’ll Die On Mars
Mars

How You’ll Die On Mars

Many hopefuls have signed up for a one-way ticket to the red planet. But if they aren't prepared, the trip may be a short one.

Why Thousands Of People Are Willing To Die On Mars
Mars

Why Thousands Of People Are Willing To Die On Mars

More than 200,000 aspiring space explorers volunteered for a one-way trip to Mars. Are they insane?

The Man Who Fixed Hubble
Space Telescope

The Man Who Fixed Hubble

Spaceman documents Mike Massimino's unlikely journey from fire inspector's son to elite astronaut

Two divers collect coral samples from reef.
Ocean

How divers found 4 new coral species, hidden in plain sight

There may be much more coral diversity out there than previously thought.

"Mars spiders," formations caused by underground carbon dioxide fizzing to the surface in springtine.
Mars

Scientists brought ‘Mars spiders’ to Earth—here’s how

Researchers used Halloween SFX to simulate the Martian south pole in springtime.

street in new orleans louisana with power lines
Fossil Fuels

Louisiana is making bold climate goals, but still wants its fossil fuels

The state aims to cut a quarter of its carbon emissions by 2025.

3D printed drone
Drones

The Marine Corps wants to 3D print cheaper drones

A new prototype scout drone can be printed for less than the cost of the latest iPhone

silent hawk
Motorcycles

Special forces are getting a stealth motorcycle that’s silent and deadly

Here comes the dirt bike, beware of the dirt bike.

Robot ship
Drones

Robot ships from Rolls-Royce (not that one) could run crew-less

New autonomous vessels possible within a decade.

The Space Surveillance Telescope Complex
Air Force

DARPA Just Gave The Air Force A Telescope To Watch For Satellite Sabotage

In a small desert ceremony, the military prepared to defend the heavens

plane
Drones

Stop Calling It The Drone Memo

The United States uses a whole arsenal of tools to carry out the targeted killing policy detailed in a recent DOJ memo. Why is everyone focusing on drones?

crowd in swimming pool
Ask Us Anything

Peeing in the pool is actually really bad for you

And everyone else.