Popular Science. Demystifying the worlds of science and technology since 1872.
The archivist preserving decaying floppy disks
It’s a race against time (and magnetic decay) to preserve decades of cultural history stored on obsolete hardware.
Americans planted entire forests of exploding Australian trees
Plus beaver skulls and other weird things we learned this week.
Rachel Feltman
At Popular Science, we report and write dozens of stories every week. And while a lot of the fun facts we stumble across make it into our articles, there are lots of other weird facts that we just keep around the office. So we figured, why not share those with you? Welcome to The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week.
Latest Articles
Earliest known writing dates back over 40,000 years
Stone Age artifacts in Germany are editing writing’s timeline.
KGB cigarette pack spy camera still works (sort of)
A Norwegian camera historian took the modified Vega 2 out for a photoshoot.
Stone Age burial ground reveals deep family trees
The bones inside of a 5,000-year-old gravesite in Sweden surprised archeologists.
14 remarkable images of New York City’s 1888 blizzard
More than 400 people died in the storm, making it the deadliest blizzard in U.S. history.
Stop staring at screens so much. Here’s how.
Why looking at a phone or computer hurts your eyes.
How do people know their interests?
The shortest player in the NBA shows how self-belief matters more than biology.
Great white sharks don’t always flee after orca attacks
The ocean’s apex predators continue to tussle.
How to switch from iPhone to Android (or vice versa)
It’s not all that difficult—but there are things to consider.
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Popular Science has been demystifying the worlds of science and technology since 1872. We explain the inner workings of the phone in your pocket, explore world-changing innovations, and examine everything from the marvels of deep space to the secret lives of staples like bread. We deliver an engaging, approachable, and inclusive look at emerging technologies and scientific advances.
Daily, Popular Science unpacks the science behind the top current new stories, dissects the latest technology and digital trends, and helps readers live smarter, safer, and happier through clever DIY projects.
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