Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 705)

glaciers in alaska
Climate Change

Glacier-dwelling bacteria thrive on chemical energy derived from rocks and water

Who needs sunlight? Not these microbes.

Hand holding a fire work in the dark
Life Skills

2020 stunk. Here’s how to start 2021 with a fresh mindset

Let go of the bad, and embrace the good that’s yet to come.

Fireworks scare us—that’s why we love them
Science

Fireworks scare us—that’s why we love them

Our brains enjoy fear, but only in small, controlled doses.

people getting rapid covid testing outside
Vaccines

The new, more-contagious UK COVID-19 strain is officially in the US

Though there’s no reason to panic.

A young girl fishes in a lake.
Fish

The happiness and heartbreak of a daughter’s first fishing trip

Would you take your kid fishing at your favorite spot, knowing the memory could end in agony?

Marryam Moma collage
Global Warming

6 memorable environmental stories from 2020

We’re glad to see this year go, but here are a few articles that we’ll remember fondly.

alcohol wine
Health

6 tricks for avoiding a hangover

Maybe.

Changing security settings on an iPhone.
Security

Start 2021 by fixing your online privacy

Preventing a hack is a lot simpler than most other New Year’s resolutions.

a pile of $20 bills
Global Warming

Switching your bank might help slow the climate crisis

It can prevent your money from being used to finance fossil fuels.

a woman standing up and smiling in group therapy
Mental Health

Forgiving people is good for your health. Here’s how to do it.

Even if they’ve hurt you—and even if you’ll never see them again.

a syringe with a needle attached
Vaccines

Ending the pandemic means vaccinating the whole world—but the US is focusing on itself

Getting rid of COVID-19 in the United States won’t solve the pandemic.

An F-15C Eagle fighter jet takes off.
Aviation

These fascinating flying stories soared above a turbulent year

Looking back at our aviation coverage from a time like no other.

a wooden three-legged stool on a brick patio
Projects

13 tips, tricks, and projects to start 2021 off right

From pizza to skincare, we covered it all this year.

Mask and thermometer
Vaccines

The ‘darkest days’ of COVID-19 are still to come

Here’s what you need to know this week.

A gloved hand holding a magnifying glass and looking at fingerprints
Technology

Our best missing persons database could disappear in a few months

Officials point fingers over the fate of the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, a crucial resource in solving dead-end forensics cases.

two women wearing masks outside
Vaccines

Can you spread COVID-19 after vaccination? Here’s what we know.

Even if you’ve been vaccinated, it’s important to keep masking up.

A Uzbekistani doctor holds up a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in front of the company's logo.
Vaccines

Why two doses of the new COVID-19 vaccines are better than one

One dose can be effective, but for how long?

gingerbread house
Projects

How to build a gingerbread house that won’t fall apart

The cookie doesn’t have to crumble that way.

A reconstruction of the sunspot  captured by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on January 28th, 2020. The original image was taken in the wavelength of 530 nanometers - in the greenish-yellow part of the visible spectrum–. Researchers modified it to show up red and orange to the naked eye
Space

The best space stories of 2020

In the midst of a pandemic, we still sent astronauts back into space, broke off pieces of two asteroids, stared hard at the sun, and so much more.

The moon’s surface is a chaotic mess of craters of all sizes. Now algorithms are smart enough and kind enough to sort through that mess for us.
AI

Astronomers made a poor bot count 100,000 moon craters

Thank you, patient algorithm, for the most extensive crater catalog yet.