Popular Science. Demystifying the worlds of science and technology since 1872.
In the 1890s, the U.S. hired a team of globe-trotting plant hunters
Thank these plant explorers for your avocado toast, mango smoothies, and pistachios.
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Why is Venus hotter than Mercury, when Mercury is closer to the Sun?
At one point, Venus would’ve looked a lot like Earth—until the Sun got even brighter.
Ice Age bird figurines discovered in German cave
The roughly 40,000-year-old figures show that humans were already watching bird behavior
Jackie the bald eagle’s blood values drop again, still in critical condition
‘Every decision we make is guided first and foremost by her medical condition, her welfare, and what is truly in her best interest.’
NASA successfully gives Voyager 2 another year of life
Engineers employed a ‘Big Bang’ maneuver to keep the power flowing on the 49-year-old spacecraft.
In ancient Rome, tax fraud was punishable by death
Stone tablets recount a corruption case so widespread that it became a capital offense in 480 CE.
19th century real estate agents used ‘peepshow’ technology to sell glitzy mansion
Cosmoramas were an 1840s version of Zillow—but with paintings.
Piping plover beats the odds after losing feet in fishing line
Phoenix the Footless scurries around the beaches of Florida and Maine like any other bird.
Why do mother bears kill cubs? The answer is complicated.
Two bears at Brooks River in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve recently killed cubs that weren’t their own.
Rare blue lobster gets another shot at life in the ocean
The colorful crustacean will only be at New Hampshire’s Explore the Ocean World museum until Labor Day.
Hard-to-recycle PVC turned into sustainable lubricant
40 million tons of this polluting plastic are produced every 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.
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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