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Some pieces of chocolate with white splotches on a wooden cutting board.

Ask Us Anything

Why does chocolate turn white? It’s not mold.

By Clarissa Brincat

January 4, 2022 Deerton, MI Mature woman working on laptop in her home.

How to really spot AI-generated images, with Google’s help

A Bengal cat licks the forehead of a young white boy in a striped shirt. The boy has dirty blonde hair and smiles. The cat sits on a table and there's a grey drape pulled to one side of a window behind them.

Why do cats lick you? An expert explains.

A vibrant, conceptual digital illustration of a translucent, bright red gelatin mold (Jell-O) against a gradient yellow background. Visible inside the gelatin is a small, dark silhouette of an airplane, suspended as if frozen in place, visually representing the metaphor of turbulence feeling like being stuck in Jello.

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Is turbulence really like Jello-O? Pilots weigh in.

By Cat Rainsford

A top-down photograph of a pile of fresh, green okra pods resting on a rustic, beige linen napkin with a red striped border. The pods are scattered across the fabric and a weathered wooden tabletop, with the wooden handle of a kitchen knife visible in the upper right corner.

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Why is okra so slimy? Blame the mucilage.

By Andrew Coletti

A colorful, detailed line illustration depicting a medieval courtroom scene where a pig is standing trial. The pig stands on its hind legs at a wooden witness stand or dock, facing a panel of judges and clerics seated behind a long table. In the foreground, a man in a light blue robe points a finger accusatorially at the pig, while other onlookers in traditional medieval tunics and headwear watch the proceedings with expressions of concern and curiosity. The setting features gothic arched windows and draped backdrops typical of the period.

In medieval France, murderous pigs faced trial and execution

Commercial airplane flying in stormy weather. A lightning strike illuminates the right side of the image as a plane flies to the left.

Ask Us Anything

How pilots avoid thunderstorms—and what happens when they can’t

By Cat Rainsford

An atmospheric, long-exposure photograph of the New York City skyline as seen from across a river. In the foreground, dozens of weathered wooden pilings from an old pier protrude from the smooth, glass-like water, leading the eye toward the dense cluster of skyscrapers in Lower Manhattan. The sky is filled with heavy, dark, brooding clouds, and the image has a desaturated, somber color palette with hints of autumn foliage on the right bank.

Ask Us Anything

Nature could take over an abandoned NYC surprisingly quickly

By Popular Science Team

an iphone with notes app

17 clever Apple Notes tips you might not know

A vintage photograph of an explosion happening on a baech.

BOOM! That time Oregon blew up a whale with dynamite.

By Shoshi Parks

A stylized digital collage featuring chess pieces, including a red king, set against a target-like background of concentric circles and a red-and-white checkered pattern.

Ask Us Anything

Chess or video games—which actually makes you smarter? The answer may surprise you.

By Clarissa Brincat

A white woman cracks her fingers. She has muted purple nail polish on and a muted purple blouse on, too.

Is cracking your knuckles really bad for them?

By Sarah Lindenfeld Hall

DJ Steve Aoki pumping his fist onstage for Panasonic against a pink LED screen at CES 2025

CES 2026: The audio gear we want to chase, carry, and crank

A fluffy beavers sits in front of a fallen tree branch with yellow leaves.

Idaho once dropped 76 beavers from airplanes—on purpose

By Jennifer Byrne

A crowded presentation at CS 2025, with keynote speakers shown on stage

CES 2026: The tech that excites us enough to fly thousands of miles and walk hundreds more

A fluffy, grey British Shorthair cat wearing small, gold-rimmed round glasses sits behind an open book on a soft blue textured surface. The cat is looking down at the blank pages as if intently reading.

Ask Us Anything

Can animals read? Not in the human way.

By Clarissa Brincat

A group of three African elephants walking through tall, dry yellow grass in a savanna. The central elephant is facing forward with its large ears fully fanned out, flanked by two others with visible tusks.

Ask Us Anything

Why do elephants have such big ears? There’s not one answer.

By Sarah Philip

A peaceful landscape photograph of a cemetery at sunset, with numerous simple stone headstones scattered across a lush green lawn. Tall pine trees are silhouetted against a bright, warm sun that is filtering through the forest.

Cremation or casket? Here’s the most eco-friendly burial option.

By Jennifer Byrne

A close-up, angled shot of a silver waiter's corkscrew in the process of opening a wine bottle. The metal lever of the corkscrew is braced against the lip of the dark glass bottle, while the black spiral "worm" is drilled deep into the center of the natural wood cork. The background is a soft, out-of-focus gradient of green and grey.

The corkscrew began as a tool for muskets, not merlot

By Andrew Coletti

A Jack Russell terrier looks out beneath the bed covers alongside their owner's feet, which peek out from beneath the covers. The dog has an alert, inquisitive expression. The bed covers are a tan color.

Ask Us Anything

Would my dog or cat really eat me if I died alone?

By Nidhi Sharma