Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 699)

infected human cell
Vaccines

How the COVID-19 pandemic might end

All major outbreaks eventually run their course. But history and science suggest many possible pathways.

Pile of fabric masks.
COVID-19

Masks protect the wearer from COVID-19, too

Wear one, if not for your neighbors, then for your own health.

A bigfin squid floating in the water
Animals

The strange and ethereal bigfin squid just showed up off the coast of Australia

There have only been a dozen sightings of Magnapinna squid over the past 30 years.

A person stands behind a white gauzy curtain in a spooky fashion
Science

13 spooky science stories to celebrate Friday the 13th

Facts can be way scarier than fiction.

Knitting coding project
Projects

Spies once used knitting to send coded messages—and so can you

You see an old lady hobby. We see a rad secret agent.

Jezero Crater, the destination of the Perseverance rover, is one of many sites on Mars where ancient water flowed, suggesting that the planet once had a thicker atmosphere.
Mars

Mars died billions of years ago, and its guts are still spilling into space

The planet is still drying out today. And faster than expected.

A new paper from the National Institute of Standards and Technology helps demonstrate why one group of masks similar to those pictured here—valved masks—is almost as ineffective in controlling the spread of mouth particles as wearing no masks at all.
COVID-19

Why you should think twice before opting for a valved N95 mask

Research reveals they don’t filter droplets nearly as well as other masks.

agricultural field with wind farm in background at sunset
Global Warming

What President-elect Biden could do for the environment in his first 100 days

A lot, actually.

a person sitting at a Dell laptop in a well-lit room by some windows and a plant
Tech Hacks

Become a Windows whiz by creating your own keyboard shortcuts

May we present: the keys to productivity.

tropical storm eta
Climate Change

Tropical Storm Eta hit Florida this morning

Eta devastated Nicaragua and Honduras, and just made landfall in the US.

A cluster of bats on the ceiling of a cave
Animals

How animals can help us demystify viruses

From infections to mutations, these experts are turning to wildlife to better understand deadly outbreaks.

Europa glowing
Moons

Europa’s icy surface may glow in the dark

Understanding the chemical composition of ice on Jupiter’s intriguing moon could reveal hints about its habitability.

a blonde woman sitting in a chair by a window in a white sweater and jeans
Life Skills

Keep your home warm without blasting the heat

Temperature up, heating bill down.

In this microscopic image, Sphingomonas desiccabilis is growing on basalt.
International Space Station

These rock-eating microbes could help us settle the Moon and Mars

They could extract elements needed for farming and engineering.

virgin hyperloop
Technology

The first hyperloop passengers just took a short but important ride

In a test on Sunday in Nevada, two people hit a speed of 107 mph.

CT scan of Albanerpetontid skull
Animals

This weird Cretaceous amphibian has the oldest-recorded ballistic tongue

It looks like a chameleon, but it’s definitely not.

National guard members salute a veteran who died from COVID-19 at the Javits Center field hospital in New York City
Mental Health

Eight reasons COVID-19 has hit veterans particularly hard

From a backlog in benefits to overcrowded retirement homes, the pandemic has laid bare many problems with veterans' care.

a woman holding an umbrella
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

What really happened during the ‘Kentucky meat shower’?

And other bizarre facts from The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.

National guard members assist with point-of-care testing in Tempe, Arizona wearing face shields and plastic suits
COVID-19

Across the US, COVID-19 slams rural towns, suburbs, and cities alike

Hospital beds are filling up quickly in some regions.

MIT Press Reader illustration
Psychology

How the objects we hold become extensions of our bodies

Use a smart phone enough and your brain will imagine it as part of you.