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two small brown bears standing above a waterfall looking for salmon
Bears

The cubs from Katmai’s ‘Brady Bunch’ blended family are all grown up

Bear #609 (Bean) and Bear #620 were raised together when one mother bear adopted her sister’s cub.

Video iPod held in a hand open to reveal the insides
Gear

Apple sealed the iPod shut, and hackers have been prying it open ever since

From a $400 tube-amp dock to a 10-minute Bluetooth mod, the iPod has always begged to be cracked open.

Vacationers ride in covered wagons across the Nebraska prairie along the route of the Oregon Trail as part of a vacation to simulate the Oregon Trail experience. Near Bayard, Nebraska. | Location: near Bayard, Nebraska, USA. (Photo by James L. Amos/Corbis via Getty Images)
Life Skills

Could you survive The Oregon Trail? An emergency medicine doctor offers tips on how to not die in the great outdoors.

You might not die of dysentery on the trail these days, but there is still plenty of danger outdoors.

Close up of hands rolling betel nut powder in leaf
Archaeology

Humans experimented with mind-altering drugs 25,000 years ago

Betel nut use among hunter-gatherers may turn back the clock.

Living building material can be 3D printed under simulated Martian conditions at –30°C and 0.01 atm (left). A microscopic view reveals the material’s porous structure with polymers and engineered yeast highlighted in yellow (right).
Mars

Mars astronauts could live in houses 3D-printed from freeze-dried yeast

A new method concocts concrete-strength material from sand and gelatin.

a coiled beige-colored snake with spider-like legs on its tail
Wildlife

Snake that hunts with fake spider on its tail shocks scientists

The scientists examining the spider-tailed horned viper’s bones were in for a surprise.

Max Brooks photo layered over three images of his book cover for World War Z
COVID-19

Max Brooks reflects on 20 years of ‘World War Z’

The author and professional threat analyst discusses the novel’s eerie COVID-19 parallels, science literacy, and more.

Man and woman eat ribs
Food Safety

You might be eating too much protein

Proteinmaxxing isn’t always healthier, especially as we age.

iPhone Duo in action
Phones

Everything Apple just announced at its fall 2026 event: The folding iPhone Duo, iPhone 18, Apple Watch Series 12, and new AirPods

The first folding iPhone is here and it comes alongside a new Pro-series iPhone, Apple Watches, AirPods, and more.

This artist’s concept shows NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory orbiting above Earth.
Private Space Flight

NASA’s Swift Observatory resumed science observations, at least for now

The satellite will be falling back to Earth within the next two months.

two elephants with their heads and trunks together
Wildlife

Smart elephants can look before they leap

In humans, inhibitory control is important for problem solving. It may be for elephants, too.

Fossilized T. rex track close-up photo
Dinosaurs

Paleontologists discover first adult ‘T. rex’ footpath

The Cretaceous dinosaur moseyed with a 13-foot-stride.

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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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