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A candid, full-body photograph shows a young girl swinging joyfully in a lush, green forest setting. She is barefoot and wearing a simple pink dress, with her eyes closed and a wide smile as she glides through the air. Warm sunlight filters through the dense trees in the background, illuminating the scene and a small wooden structure behind her.
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Why did childhood summers feel endless?

It’s not just nostalgia—your brain was actually experiencing time differently.

By Jennifer Byrne

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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

Google search page with 'Is AI Overview accurate?' -- the thinking emojis are placed over the two o's in Google
AI

Study: Google’s AI Overviews show millions of wrong answers every hour

With over 4 trillion Google queries every year, the inaccuracies add up.

By Andrew Paul

Two humpback whales underwater
Whales

513 humpback whales gather at massive Caribbean breeding ground

A stunning video captures one of the largest humpback whale gatherings ever recorded.

By Andrew Paul

young woman relax Comfortable with cute dog in bed,
Dogs

Do you love sleeping with your pet? Science reveals there’s a tricky trade‑off.

By Renata Roma / The Conversation

Two male frigate birds opposing with their gonflated red neck pouches
Birds

Flirty birds inflate throat pouch to attract a mate

Male frigatebirds also shake their wings and loudly trill.

By Popular Science Team

A side-by-side composite image features a portrait of naturalist Sir David Attenborough on the left and the bird named in his honor, the Inambari Gnatcatcher (Polioptila attenboroughi), on the right. Attenborough is shown smiling against a bright blue background, while the small, grey and white gnatcatcher is perched on a tree branch among green leaves in its Brazilian habitat.
Spiders

6 famous people with animals named in their honor

Ever seen a Spintharus barackobamai?

By Margherita Bassi

Macro photograph of a venomous brown recluse spider, commonly known as a fiddleback spider, crawling through a web filled pipe. There is much detail in the face and fangs of the spider. There is some grain due to the low light and high ISO that was needed to capture the image.
Spiders

How does spider venom damage human cells? 

Researchers uncover the killer mechanism of recluse spider toxin.

By Matthew Cordes / The Conversation

Two nuggets made from lab-grown chicken meat served on a bao with a dark sauce. This close up photograph shows a white person's hand holding the bao.
Nutrition

Is ‘lab-grown’ meat actually safe?

It isn’t identical to regular meat, but that might be a good thing.

By Clarissa Brincat

a black machine with a red blob of jello on top.
Physics

Giant Jell-O measures crowd volume in wobbles

This ‘jiggle tech’ is proprietary.

By Mack DeGeurin

computer
Tech Hacks

How to rescue an old laptop by installing Linux on it

Linux offers a lightweight, simple operating system for your aging hardware.

By David Nield

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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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