Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 81)

An artist’s impression of the “Cosmic Grapes” galaxy, composed of at least 15 massive star forming clumps—far more than current theoretical models predict could exist within a single rotating disk at this early time. Credit: NSF/AUI/NSF NRAO/B. Saxton
Space Telescope

Early galaxy looked like lumpy ‘cosmic grapes’

The swirling, chunky mass challenges theoretical models about cosmic evolution.

Sharpie S-Gel pens and natural color markers with their packaging
Gear

The Sharpie S-Gels are our favorite pens and they’re less than $9 for a 12-pack at Amazon

The Sharpie S-Gel pens write with a smooth flow and bold lines. Right now, they're cheaper than they have been all year, just in time for school shopping.

Close-up of a dead mosquito lying on its back on a flat surface, its legs curled upward and abdomen visibly red with ingested blood, with wings partially extended and fine hairs on its limbs catching the light.
Diseases

This drug can turn your blood into mosquito poison

Nitisinone kills even insecticide-resistant mosquitoes.

Wild pig walking in grass
Land

Wild pigs’ guts are turning blue in California

PSA: Don't eat blue meat.

sheep bones in a dig site
Diseases

Ancient animal bones unlock clues about Bronze Age plague

Sheep may have played a major role in a prehistoric plague outbreak.

a long, cylindrical blue-green mollusck sits on a rock under the ocean
Biology

Unsuspecting sea creature has Earth’s hardest teeth

Stronger than stainless steel, understanding chiton teeth could led to a new generation of bio-inspired materials.

Wreck of a rusty old pickup truck out in the field
Science

What is rust?

What is rust? A materials scientist explains metal’s crusty enemy.

hand holding a tv remote
Tech Hacks

7 tips for watching YouTube on your TV

Sometimes YouTube is best on the big screen.

rocket parts
Space

3D printing tackles titanium to create rocket parts

The technology offers a flexible alternative to traditional forging for the 'New Space' industry.

a close up of a groundhog on the grass
Wildlife

Three orphaned groundhogs released back into the wild

The rodents might not be the best meteorologists, but they are excellent diggers.

Anker MagSafe charger and laptop charger
Gear

I carry this Anker MagSafe charger everywhere and it’s cheaper than ever at Amazon

Consider these chargers and charging stations essential gear for your back-to-school shopping list. Never let your phone or laptop die again.

Ironic Satirical Illustration of a Retro Classic Comics Woman With a Modern Smartphone
Technology

3 common smartphone myths you probably thought were true

Good news: Your smartphone can't blow up a gas station.

Circa 1940, An assortment of fake plastic eyeballs with rayon veins for realism. (Photo by FPG/Getty Images)
Health

The ancient art and intimate craft of artificial eyes

Eye makers for millennia have been trying to re-create the expressionist power of the human body’s most complex and emotionally meaningful visible organ.

Billy Joel in the 1970s wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap, aviator sunglasses, a leather jacket, jeans, and worn-out tennis shoes. He’s napping casually on an airplane with retro orange seats and warm-toned walls ranging from orange to yellow. The seat in front of him has been folded over so he can stretch up with his legs up on the folded seat. Behind him, a passenger with glasses is reading, while another passenger in front is smoking a cigarette.
Aviation

15 fascinating photos of flying through the decades

From free-standing wicker chairs to supersonic lobster dinners.

Image of comet taken by Hubble Space Telescope
Sun

Fastest comet ever recorded comes from beyond our solar system

Astronomers clocked the ancient ice rock at 130,000 mph.

Segway Xyber ebike
Outdoor Gear

Segway Xyber review: The e-bike that forgot it’s an e-bike

Is it a motorcycle? A dirt bike? A Furiosa-worthy escape vehicle? Technically, it’s an e-bike—but the Segway Xyber blows through all the normal expectations.

Wooden shipwreck timber on river shore
Archaeology

A pirate ship that exploded in 1748 may have finally been found

Grad students accidentally discovered the wreckage in North Carolina.

an injured owl with wide eyes
Birds

Throwing food out of your car can kill owls

Wildlife rescuers saved a concussed baby owl after he was likely hit by an automobile.

Grosse Steckmuschel, Pinna nobilis, Les Ferranelles, Medes Inseln, Costa Brava, Mittelmeer, Spanien | Noble Pen Shell, Pinna nobilis, Les Ferranelles, Medes Islands, Costa Brava, Mediterranean Sea, Spain
Environment

From waste to wonder: Revival of ancient Roman ‘golden fiber’ with pen shells

Researchers successfully extracted golden 'Sea Silk' from a common seafood byproduct.

a stream of lightning touches the ground with sunlight in the background
Weather

Lightning can kill you even if it’s sunny

'Bolts from the blue’ can strike long after a storm has passed.