Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 723)

President Donald Trump (left) and former Vice President Joe Biden at the first 2020 presidential debate
COVID-19

Five key science takeaways from the first presidential debate

When in a pandemic, talk about it.

roadless rule
Conservation

Loggers could soon slice through one of the most important forests in the US

The decision to retract the Roadless Rule in Alaska is expected to be finalized by end of October.

a black pig is smiling
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

Pig sex and celery have a surprising connection

And it comes down to the smell of ‘boar taint.’

Merrimack Valley destroyed house
Fossil Fuels

Gas explosions keep killing people, and the US government won’t step in

A decade ago, Congress set out to make pipelines safer. But regulators are still seeing dozens of accidents in homes each year, with little recourse for utility companies.

Astrocytes in the brain expressing a fluorescent calcium indicator captured with a two-photon microscope.
Health

Why do brains need sleep? These ‘twinkling’ star-shaped cells may help us find out

The cells, called astrocytes, act differently when we snooze.

blue whale
Ocean

Whale ‘roadkill’ is on the rise off California. A new detection system could help.

If an AI-powered project can get giant cargo ships to slow down, fewer whales may perish.

a person walking in the woods
Life Skills

The 10-step guide to survival in an emergency

Should you build a fire or shelter first?

a person with their hands in the water
Health

Brain-eating amoebae are very rare, but warming waters may change that

Naegleria fowleri is a rare microbe that thrives in warm surface waters.

child getting bandage after a vaccine
Health

One-third of US parents say they won’t get their kids the flu vaccine

Here’s everything you need to know this week.

A male Northern cardinal feeding a female Northern cardinal
Wildlife

Few people knew female birds had unique songs—until women started studying them

A rise in studies on female bird behavior shows how gender equity can spark change in research.

Celera 500L
Aviation

This weird-looking plane could someday be a fast, clean option for air travel

The Celera will slice through the air efficiently and be as affordable as flying commercial—hopefully.

A row of Barbie dolls with fake blood
Psychology

Playing bad can shape behavior, but not in the way you think

It’s good in the long run for the human psyche.

Fan
Projects

Breathe easier during wildfires with a DIY air purifier

All you need is the air that you breathe.

Amazon Always Home Camera
Drones

Amazon’s home security drone may actually be less creepy than a regular camera

The Always Home Camera has five minutes of flight time and no built-in microphone.

This latest image of Jupiter, taken by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope on Aug. 25, 2020, was captured when the planet was 406 million miles from Earth. A unique and exciting detail of Hubble’s snapshot appears at mid-northern latitudes as a bright, white, stretched-out storm traveling around the planet at 350 mph. Hubble shows that the Great Red Spot, rolling counterclockwise in the planet’s southern hemisphere, is plowing into the clouds ahead of it, forming a cascade of white and beige ribbons. Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, thought to hold potential ingredients for life, is visible to the left of the gas giant.
Solar System

Crisp Hubble snapshot shows powerful new Jupiter storms

They charge forth at 350 miles per hour.

A Rubik's Cube displayed on a stand
Science

The inventor of the Rubik’s cube doesn’t get why it’s so popular

It took Ernő Rubik a full month to solve his own puzzle. Now nearly 50 years later, he’s sitting back and reflecting.

Myobatrachus gouldii live, in situ, Kalbarri National Park, WA.
Evolution

These buff frogs never skip arm day

Forget husky haunches, these critters flip the script by getting their power from up top.

Dauntless Fireboss
Aviation

West Coast states are calling in all their best planes and helicopters to fight fires

Air Attack provides crucial services against dozens of burning blazes.

Ryugu, as imaged by instruments on Hayabusa2.
Space

Bright rocks on Ryugu reveal the asteroid’s violent past

The finding helps uncover how these space rocks form.

Turn a cheap chicken dinner into a Turkish street-food getaway
Projects

Turn a cheap chicken dinner into a Turkish street-food getaway

Hey, street food lovers: Here’s how to use shawarma’s iconic flavorings in a weeknight-friendly dinner.