Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 841)

asteroid hitting earth
Space

Yes, a killer asteroid could hit Earth

Though the odds do seem to be in our favor.

earth is visible from the window of a rocket in space
Private Space Flight

Virgin Galactic finally made it to space. Here’s what that means.

It's not just a big deal for future space tourists, either.

New data shows that Fentanyl kills more people than heroin
Health

New data shows that Fentanyl kills more people than heroin

These four charts show how the opioid epidemic is evolving.

rover robot
Self Driving

Self-driving, burrito-carrying rovers are going to talk to us with their eyes

This cute new robot is a bundle of sensors and smarts. Here’s how it works.

Library books collective memory
Psychology

How long can an event hold humanity’s attention? There’s an equation for that.

Societies forget, and this physicist wants to know why.

Why do people need to sleep?
Health

Why do people need to sleep?

To keep your mind and body healthy, get some shut eye.

Agave parryi huachucensis plant scan
Environment

These beautiful images preserve plant species that might otherwise disappear forever

Plant scans are beautiful images—and important scientific documents.

A person looks up at the Milky Way
Space

Why is the night sky dark?

Looking at the stars takes you back through time. All the way to the beginning.

Laptop desk
Tech Hacks

How to disguise your personal web-surfing at work

Take a break but keep your job.

Closeup of blow-fly or carrion fly Calliphoridae
Insects

Blow flies helped exonerate a woman of murder 17 years after the fact

Or rather, a lack thereof.

the moon crossing in front of the earth
Moons

Chinese robots are on a mission to beat NASA to the far side of the moon

It could be the first of many firsts.

a girl reads a textbook with a magnifying glass, and butterflies come out of the pages
Insects

Insects are disappearing from science textbooks—and that should bug you

They make up the biggest bunch of the animal kingdom by far.

dracula ant
Insects

The Dracula ant snaps its jaw shut 5,000 times faster than you can blink

It’s a snap, quite literally.

neti pot
Life Skills

Neti pots are actually very safe—if you use them properly

Don’t rely on tap water.

swim breathe exercise
Health

Why don’t I have to think about breathing?

You inhale so automatically that you might not even realize how you know to do it in the first place.

Cloudy solar panels smog energy
Renewables

Air pollution is choking solar energy around the world

To capitalize on the sun's rays, countries like China need to part the smog.

Hurricane Florence in the Atlantic
Weather

The 2018 hurricane season was full of extremes. Here’s what we expect in 2019.

Both the Atlantic and Pacific areas saw a record number and intensity of storms.

christmas holiday family
Health

The holiday season can be deadly for hospital patients

A study says you're more likely to die if you're discharged during festive times.

Gribble me this: What eats wood and poops clean energy?
Climate Change

Gribble me this: What eats wood and poops clean energy?

This crustacean could help produce biofuels at lower cost and with less energy.

an astronaut stands on the gray surface of the moon in a spacesuit
Moons

7 easy ways you can tell for yourself that the moon landing really happened

The proof is out there.