Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 747)

a person washing their hands
COVID-19

Why COVID-19 can’t beat a good hand-washing

And pretty much any other contagious disease.

A mock self-driving car deploys its sensors on the road.
Self Driving

Self-driving cars still have major perception problems

Autonomous vehicles can be tricked into sensing fake obstacles, a deadly vulnerability.

a doctor crossing his arms
COVID-19

The American healthcare system is only making COVID-19 worse

“We don’t really have a system.”

A ruby-throated hummingbird dips into a nectar feeder.
Wildlife

Expert-approved ways to feed all your favorite birds

The cardinals and hummingbirds will appreciate it, as will the hawks and the crows.

cuskeel fish
Climate Change

Even fish at the bottom of the ocean can’t escape climate change

Warm, oxygen-starved waters are a recipe for trouble.

a bowl of chocolate chip cookies on a bed of whole coffee beans and ground coffee
Tech Hacks

What are cookies, and why are Google, Mozilla, and others going to war against them?

Not all cookies are bad. Unrelated: is anyone else hungry?

national parks
Fossil Fuels

Trump tweets his support for permanently funding a beloved conservation program

Nearly a billion dollars a year are on the line with the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

koenigsegg four-seater
Electric Vehicles

The coolest cars and concepts from the canceled Geneva International Motor show

A transforming SUV, a four-seater supercar, and Bentley’s convertible with a 5,000 year-old wooden dashboard.

An image from the new Cosmos series, premiering March 9 on National Geographic.
Black Holes

How the writers of Cosmos bring science to life

An interview with Ann Druyan and Brannon Braga.

Gates of the Arctic National Park
COVID-19

The melting Arctic gives scientists valuable access to long-dead viruses

Climate change is unlocking a vault of biological mysteries that may help us keep some of the deadliest diseases at bay.

A Chinese doctor standing over a patient
COVID-19

What the official COVID-19 mortality rate actually means

The new coronavirus is a moving target for the WHO.

Kea parrot with black token.
Psychology

Kea parrots use statistics to get what they want

Polly wants a black token — and knows how to get it.

Jaguar
Self Driving

Waymo’s new self-driving cars are electric Jaguars loaded with sensors and cameras

A perception system on wheels.

Person lathering hands under a running faucet
COVID-19

Hand washing trumps sanitizer when it comes to beating viruses

But the latter still works if you’re in a pinch.

A brown-eyed individual holding a mug
Ask Us Anything

How do we get our eye color?

There’s a lot more to it than our parents’ DNA.

Desktop computer with wallpaper
Tech Hacks

Where to find great wallpapers to spice up your devices

It’s like redecorating, but for your phone.

flight school
Aviation

How to learn to fly

The right flight school can make or break your training as a newbie.

A methane and ethane lake on Titan's surface.
Moons

If life exists on Titan, it’s even weirder than we thought

Any microbes may have to forego membranes, or live underground.

looking through telescopes skyward from a rooftop of one of the buildings of al-Aqsa University in Gaza City
Space

A Palestinian brings stargazing to his homeland, and finds wonder alongside heartbreak

Scientists and amateurs are taking to the Gaza roofs for lessons in astronomy.

a mug next to a pile of tissues
COVID-19

Thirteen science questions about COVID-19 from teens

How to stay safe and where it all began.