Popular Science. Demystifying the worlds of science and technology since 1872.

two large brown bears
Bears

Fat Bear Week Round 1, Part 2: Battle of the big boys and the up-and-comers

Chunk, Bucky Dent, Walker, and Gully all compete.

bear with cubs
Bears

Record-setting Fat Bear Week turnout overloads voting site

Explore.org has extended Day 1 voting to tomorrow.

large male bear on a waterfall
Bears

Walker and his big booty fight for Fat Bear Week glory

Bear #151 was a playful, chill bear. This year, things changed at the Brooks River.

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Close up of sea spider with red eyes
Wildlife

Sea spider with hairy feet, three lips, and red eyes found in Canada

The team also found a new species covered in parasites.

illustration of TRAPPIST-1D a small exoplanet orbiting a cooling Red Dwarf Star.
Exoplanets

Earth’s closest alien life probably isn’t very advanced, says new study

Potential plant life may be a key indicator for exoplanet evolutionary timelines.

A steel mill belonging to the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company, Pittsburgh, Pennysylvania, USA, circa 1960. (Photo by Harvey Meston/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
Pollution

At an old steel site in Pittsburgh, bacteria evolved to survive (and eat) industrial pollution

Billions of microbes inhabit these soils.

Artificial human skeleton model on light blue background, space for text
The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

This man died more than 700 years ago—so why does he look like he got hit by a car?

Plus Big Bird in space and other weird things we learned this week.

Art rendering of plesiosaur swimming underwater in an ocean
Evolution

Plesiosaurs vomited indigestible pellets like owls

The Jurassic marine predator’s tummy likely couldn’t handle invertebrate shells.

two-headed turtle held by gloved hand
Wildlife

Tiny two-headed turtle found in Cape Cod

Both heads appear reactive and eager to eat.

A crow eats the inside of dead squirrels mouth on road.
Wildlife

Why scientists want your photos of wildlife eating lunch

With a new platform called Who Eats Whom, citizen scientists reveal the fascinating, sometimes shocking interactions between species.

Woman asleep with her head on her arms at table in coffee shop next to cup of coffee
Mental Health

Even morning coffee can mess with your sleep

Caffeine can interfere with the deep, restorative rest your brain needs.

Viking silver cache discovered in Denmark that includes jewelry, bars, and coins
Archaeology

Gardener finds 40 pounds of Viking silver in his backyard

The 10th century cache is the largest discovery of its kind in Denmark.

composite image of a painting of Louis XIV of France and 18th century European high heels.
Fitness & Exercise

High heels were once the height of men’s fashion

They were also never intended for walking.

penguins in front of structures
Birds

20 soaring images from the Bird Photographer of the Year 2026 awards

From urban seagulls to snorkeling penguins.

NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic jet flies over the Mojave Desert during its third flight on Thursday, March 26, 2026, from NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The aircraft departed and landed at Edwards Air Force Base, completing its approximate one-hour flight and providing the team with significant data for future flights.
Engineering

China’s new supersonic plane could travel twice as fast as sound

The TMS-10 is on track to complete a test flight by the end of the year.

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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.
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