Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 703)

Hand holding iPhone indoors against modern paintings.
Tech Hacks

Your phone’s home screen can hold more than just apps. Here’s what else you should add.

Break free from the grid.

Outdoor cafe
COVID-19

When it comes to COVID-19 risk, what counts as ‘outdoor’ dining?

Ranking risk from inflatable igloos to chilly patios.

People dancing at house party at night
Tech Hacks

These apps bring the magic of a house party online

Meeting someone in the bathroom line can be a thing again.

Charging an electric vehicle.
Electric Vehicles

What to know before you buy an electric vehicle

This guide will help you understand the trickiest aspects of EV ownership: charging and range.

Replika AI chatbots
Social Media

Old text messages are letting people chat with the dead

In giving voice to the digital ghosts of the deceased, chatbots are trying to succeed where memories and mementos fail.

Man screaming
Psychology

Stressed? Try screaming. Yes, really.

A primal scream won’t solve all your problems, but it’s a good first step.

Stock image of a crowd from an unspecified event.
Technology

Facial recognition still can’t prove someone’s identity

AI can provide clues, but facial recognition is still nowhere near reliable enough to count as legal evidence.

This image was taken by Voyager 2, and features its Great Dark Spot and a bright moving spot colloquially called Scooter.
Solar System

Neptune’s bumpy childhood could reveal our solar system’s missing planets

The peace of the modern solar system hides a violent youth.

A helicopter with a person on the hoist below it.
Psychology

Stay calm under pressure with lessons learned in the world’s most stressful careers

You may not be a trauma surgeon, but you can use some of the same coping mechanisms.

A bookshelf made out of a reclaimed wood pallet, full of books, with a chalkboard panel.
Projects

Turn an old pallet into a handy—and free—bookshelf

This project is an easy way to add some personal flair to your home.

A US sailor at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, California, prepares Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for rollout
Vaccines

Vaccines conquered smallpox and polio, but COVID-19 looks like a tougher battle

For starters, the US has barely reached 25 percent of its vaccination target.

An Apple macOS laptop, desktop computer, tablet, and iOS iPhone on a wooden desk.
Tech Hacks

How to keep people from stealing your Wi-Fi

Give digital trespassers the boot.

aid workers in Africa go door-to-door to deliver accurate information about Covid-19
COVID-19

COVID-19 could make malaria surge, but African aid workers are fighting back

Community efforts are stepping up as experts warn about an increase in malaria cases as the pandemic wears on.

An artist's impression of the James Webb Space Telescope, finally set to launch this year.
Space

Mars missions, a super-powered telescope, and more exciting 2021 space events

Watch this space.

large forest tree
Environment

Behold the world’s tallest trees

A photographer-and-ecologist team are on a mission to document the mightiest members of forests.

Person sleeping peacefully in bed
Tech Hacks

Skip the wearables and track your sleep with these 5 apps

Cuddle up with your phone.

pre-portioned healthy meals in tupperware containers
Nutrition

In 2021, as ever, the best diets are simple

Weight loss isn’t about crash dieting.

Fidget spinner spinning on a hand
Psychology

Fidgeting can relax your body and brain—if you do it right

The relationship between fidgeting and attention is complicated, but you can make the most of it with some strategies.

People wearing masks looking out the window of a diner during the COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19

Is indoor dining safe? Five health experts weigh in.

The social isolation and economic fallout is real. But so is the risk of transmission.

The Trump border wall made of concrete and steel on the edge of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona
Endangered Species

How the Trump border wall sapped a desert oasis dry

Ancient springs might not survive unchecked construction during the pandemic.