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A portrait-style photograph shows a life-like reconstruction of an early human ancestor, Australopithecus afarensis, against a dark, blurred background. The figure is shown from the chest up, with its head turned to look over its shoulder toward the camera. It has prominent brow ridges, a flat nose, and large, dark, expressive eyes. Its skin is a dark tan, and its head and body are covered in short, reddish-brown hair.
Evolution

Why humans don’t have tails

The answer goes back at least 20 million years.

By Sara Kiley Watson

Featured

Gear and Reviews

Videos

The Experiment That Tried to Weigh the Human Soul

The Experiment That Tried to Weigh the Human Soul

The Radioactive "Miracle Water" That Killed Its Believers

The Radioactive "Miracle Water" That Killed Its Believers

What's Really Underneath This Massive, Noisy Siberian Crater?

What's Really Underneath This Massive, Noisy Siberian Crater?

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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

Rachel Feltman

Host

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

Sage-Grouse robot installed in ground at Grand Teton National Park
Endangered Species

Robot birds deployed in Grand Teton National Park for sexy time

The bid to boost sage-grouse populations continues.

By Andrew Paul

Half way progress of a piggy bank being 3D-printed
Technology

How sulfur could fix 3D printing’s waste problem

Scientists are printing recyclable robots from industrial byproducts.

By Yook JiHun

construction on large building
AI

Data centers are straining the grid. Can they be forced to pay for it?

As backlash grows, a nationwide search is underway for solutions to the AI energy crunch.

By Naveena Sadasivam / Grist

Lystrosaurus embryo within its partially preserved shell , reconstruction of the animal. Credit: Professor Julien Benoit and Sophie Vrard
Evolution

Proto-mammals laid eggs, paleontologists finally confirm

Lystrosaurus fills in a major evolutionary gap.

By Andrew Paul

Your bro cracking a cold one with the bottle opener on the bottle of the iconic REEF Fanning + flip-flop
Outdoor Gear

REEF celebrates 21 years of the iconic Fanning flip-flop with updated Spring/Summer styles

Step up, and on, your summer game with REEF’s 21st-anniversary Fanning flip-flops—now with fresh styles, still with the classic built-in bottle opener.

By Tony Ware

Multiple Sriracha bottles photoshopped floating above the lunar landscape during earthrise
Moons

The 5 hot sauces aboard Artemis II are kinda weak

Don’t expect any ‘Hot Ones’ entries on the menu.

By Andrew Paul

man holding android phone
Tech Hacks

Samsung Galaxy phones now support Apple AirDrop. Here’s how it works.

It’s now easier to move files from Android to Apple devices.

By David Nield

Healthy senior woman exercising with aqua dumbbells at water aerobic session in swimming pool. Healthy seniors workout in a swimming pool with aqua dumbbells.
Fitness & Exercise

What exercises will keep my aging joints healthy?

Walking deserves a special mention.

By Gordon Waddington / The Conversation

Title: Burned Land Credit: © Brais Lorenzo, EFE, Revista 5W, El País Caption: A man fights a wildfire with a branch in Cualedro. When resources are stretched, residents use whatever is available to extinguish flames, including branches, farming tools, and water hoses. Ourense, Galicia, Spain, 15 August 2025. Story: 2025 was a record year for wildfires in Europe. More than 200,000 hectares burned across Galicia during Spain’s worst fire season in about three decades. The increasingly severe fires in this region are attributed to drought and heat intensified by climate change, rural depopulation, and shortsighted forest management policies, including the widespread planting of highly flammable non-native species. Born in Ourense, the photographer grew up with the smell of smoke every summer and has documented Galician wildfires since 2011.
Environment

17 poignant images from the 2026 World Press Photo Contest

From wildfires in Spain to a polar bear feast in Norway to a wedding amongst floods in the Philippines.

By Popular Science Team

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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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