Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 874)

A new painkiller promises relief without addiction, but there’s still lots to do
Health

A new painkiller promises relief without addiction, but there’s still lots to do

AT-121 looks good on paper, but don’t expect it to solve the opioid crisis any time soon.

satellite image of a storm
Weather

Hurricane season has been quiet so far, but the Atlantic is finally waking up

It's still too soon to know if anything will threaten the United States.

University supercomputers are science’s unsung heroes, and Texas will get the fastest yet
Health

University supercomputers are science’s unsung heroes, and Texas will get the fastest yet

The machine is called Frontera.

Meet STEVE, and 7 other mysterious glowing things you’ll find in the night sky
Space

Meet STEVE, and 7 other mysterious glowing things you’ll find in the night sky

From northern lights to lightning bolts

Could you qualify to be an astronaut?
NASA

Could you qualify to be an astronaut?

It's not all glamour and spacewalks, but it is rewarding.

a domesticated squirrel
Pets

How a pair of wildlife rescuers ended up with a chubby pet squirrel named Thumbelina

And why you should probably leave most baby squirrels alone.

How to use your smartphone without ruining your health
Tech Hacks

How to use your smartphone without ruining your health

Your phone is wearing down your body in ways you don't even realize.

plant in the rain
Weather

Why you can smell rain—even though it’s odorless

Here's how we catch a whiff of petrichor.

burned and unburned trees
Environment

Yellowstone thrived after its 1988 fires, but dry summers threaten all progress

Extremely hot, dry weather is no longer as rare as it used to be.

The weirdest things we learned this week: baby skeleton art, zombie presidents, and solar-powered telegraphs
Space

The weirdest things we learned this week: baby skeleton art, zombie presidents, and solar-powered telegraphs

Our editors scrounged up some truly bizarre facts.

Another AI winter could usher in a dark period for artificial intelligence
AI

Another AI winter could usher in a dark period for artificial intelligence

It's happened before.

Sexually transmitted diseases are at an all time high (again). But why?
Health

Sexually transmitted diseases are at an all time high (again). But why?

Here's what you should know about the CDC's new data.

We trained crows to pick up garbage, but can we teach ourselves?
Birds

We trained crows to pick up garbage, but can we teach ourselves?

A game for birds became an educational one for humans.

Guess which two countries account for a third of all gun deaths
Weapons

Guess which two countries account for a third of all gun deaths

These maps show where the burden of gun violence falls.

A new type of neuron lurks in the human brain, and we have no idea what it does
Science

A new type of neuron lurks in the human brain, and we have no idea what it does

Break out your botanical dictionary. You’re going to need it.

Google says its search can’t be biased—that’s not how search works
AI

Google says its search can’t be biased—that’s not how search works

It's not politics. It's the internet.

This beautiful map of Earth’s atmosphere shows a world on fire
NASA

This beautiful map of Earth’s atmosphere shows a world on fire

Salt, smoke, and dust.

Before Jupiter got huge, it had a pretty messed up childhood
Solar System

Before Jupiter got huge, it had a pretty messed up childhood

Pebbles and planetesimals pummeled the planet's early surface

As summers get hotter, death tolls will rise
Climate Change

As summers get hotter, death tolls will rise

Unless we do something, as heatwaves become more common, death rates will skyrocket.

Why do we think tiny things are cute?
Evolution

Why do we think tiny things are cute?

There are a few reasons, but we're hard-wired to find small things adorable.