Popular Science. Demystifying the worlds of science and technology since 1872.
Why did childhood summers feel endless?
It’s not just nostalgia—your brain was actually experiencing time differently.
Phosphorescent paint inspired Victorian-era Australians to dress up as ghosts and pull pranks
Plus, Louis Pasteur’s secrets 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
How does spider venom damage human cells?
Researchers uncover the killer mechanism of recluse spider toxin.
Is ‘lab-grown’ meat actually safe?
It isn’t identical to regular meat, but that might be a good thing.
How to rescue an old laptop by installing Linux on it
Linux offers a lightweight, simple operating system for your aging hardware.
Mathematicians figured out the perfect espresso
Coffee requires physics and flawless calculations.
Rome unleashed an ancient ‘machine gun’ on Pompeii
The polybolos was centuries, if not millennia, before its time.
Xtracycle Swoop ASM review: The family cargo electric bike that adapts to your day
It handles school runs, grocery hauls, and last-minute errands while still feeling surprisingly manageable to ride.
Your ‘widely recyclable’ Starbucks cup is still trash
A new label promises single-use cups are recyclable. But that doesn’t mean they actually get recycled.
Beware, bees! This wildflower will trap you in a floral escape room.
Pink lady’s slippers are to bees what Venus fly traps are to flies.
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