Read the latest articles from Popular Science (Page 925)

Something called ‘squeezed light’ is about to give us a closer look at cosmic goldmines
Physics

Something called ‘squeezed light’ is about to give us a closer look at cosmic goldmines

Gravitational wave detection is going through an even tighter squeeze.

By Matthew R. Francis

last week in tech
Technology

Last week in tech: A huge pile of new gadgets to close out the summer

Who will sit in the giant Acer gaming throne once winter comes?

By Stan Horaczek

When you should eat breakfast—and when you can probably skip it
Nutrition

When you should eat breakfast—and when you can probably skip it

Your first meal of the day isn’t as simple as you might think.

By Julissa Treviño

Probiotics are drugs, so we should test them like drugs
Health

Probiotics are drugs, so we should test them like drugs

Only a few probiotic pills have actually been proven to work, despite all the health claims supplement companies make about them.

By Claire Maldarelli

Cheese played a surprisingly important role in human evolution
Archaeology

Cheese played a surprisingly important role in human evolution

Ancient Egyptian cheese helps us understand when and how dairy came into our lives.

By Penny Bickle/The Conversation

Don’t like what Google says about you? You might be able to change it
Tech Hacks

Don’t like what Google says about you? You might be able to change it

Control what people see.

By Whitson Gordon

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.

By Neel V. Patel

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.

By Dennis Mersereau

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.

By Rob Verger

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

By Aparna Nathan

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.

By Sara Chodosh

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.

By Anna Brooks

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.

By David Nield

plant in the rain
Weather

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

Here's how we catch a whiff of petrichor.

By Tim Logan/The Conversation

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.

By Monica G. Turner/The Conversation

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.

By Eleanor Cummins

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.

By Rachel Feltman

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.

By Anna Brooks

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.

By Sara Chodosh

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.

By Neel V. Patel