Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 706)

Instant hot cocoa is a starchy disaster. Here’s how to make your own.
Projects

Instant hot cocoa is a starchy disaster. Here’s how to make your own.

Swiss Miss is just a miss.

Flooding in Oklahoma
Pollution

Oklahoma floods are poisoning tribal lands

A decades-old Superfund site poses new threats to displaced communities.

NASA space shuttle Challenger blasts off.
Space

Ralphie from ‘A Christmas Story’ could have been the first child in space. Then disaster struck.

The actor from the beloved holiday film has a sad connection with one of NASA’s worst tragedies.

prescription pills
Health

The pandemic has had a dramatic effect on drug overdoses

New data from the CDC shows overdoses over this past year were highest in the early months of the pandemic.

a woman holds a book and a mug of liquid on her lap
Mental Health

Stuck at home? Trick your brain into treating a staycation like the real thing.

Here are some tips for breaking out of your routine.

A hand in a santa suit reaches to put an ornament on a decorated christmas tree
Environment

How bad are Christmas trees for the environment?

Artificial trees can actually be a smarter choice in certain scenarios.

woman sitting on a suitcase in an airport wearing a face mask
Vaccines

With two COVID-19 vaccines available, the CDC updates its guidance on who gets them first

Here’s everything you need to know this week.

A pack of llamas on top of a canyon in Peru
Wildlife

Llamas are hotter than ever. Here’s why.

The long-lashed mammals represent a cultural cornerstone and a booming industry.

a photo of wrapping paper and a Christmas gift shaped like a cylinder
Life Skills

Tips for wrapping gifts of any shape

All you need is paper, scissors, and tape.

wickiup survival shelter
Life Skills

Winter survival shelters you should know how to build

Makeshift habitats can help you survive a crisis during the coldest months of the year.

The best books about the moon
Moons

The best books about the moon

Everything you need to know about our nearest neighbor.

collage image showing people hugging and planting trees, with a 100 dollar bill surrounding them
Psychology

How to spend your money for maximum happiness

Years of behavioral and psychological research have given us insight into how to splurge optimally.

Bare hand holding heart-shaped snow ball.
Life Skills

Five tips for taking care of your over-washed hands

Keep those mitts clean—but also hydrated.

Fossilized lizard
Biology

How fossil preservation and public health are intertwined

To solve future problems, we must protect specimen from the past.

person getting vaccinated
Vaccines

Rural America may miss out on early COVID-19 vaccines

No rural counties in Texas received Pfizer’s vaccine this week.

Apple app store privacy labels
Security

Check these new privacy labels before you download another iPhone app

Apple’s new Privacy Labels show users how developers plan to track their personal information.

a photo of Dasht-e Kavir, the Great Salt Desert, in Iran
Tech Hacks

Use Google Earth and Street View to explore the planet from your couch

You don’t need to spend a ton of money to travel to remote locations.

person preparing a vaccine
Vaccines

What you should know about allergic reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine

Allergic reactions to vaccines are rare but not unheard of.

Person with their feet up watching Netflix in a big screen TV.
Tech Hacks

How to get a true 4K experience on Netflix

Ultra HD resolution is not a privilege—it’s an effort.

birds flying under the moon
Birds

Before we knew how bird migration worked, scientists had some truly wild theories

One idea is that birds did winter vacation on the moon.