Popular Science
22 Magazines | 714.6k Followers | @PopularScience | Science and technology news from the future with intrigue, insight, and entertainment (via PopSci.com)
Why your brain loves mac and cheese more than macaroni or cheese alone
The culinary sum of fat and carbs is greater than its parts<p>Who doesn’t love macaroni and cheese? Or ice cream, or french fries for that matter. A big reason for that? All of them have one important thing in common: They contain a mixture of carbohydrates and fats. Food and brain scientists have …
NutritionThe World Health Organization now recognizes video game addiction
Is your gaming habit a mental health problem?<p>Most of us understand how diseases like alcoholism and drug addiction can cause pain and suffering. Craving a cigarette or a stiff drink on occasion is one thing, but addiction forces an individual to behave in unusual—and often destructive—ways in the …
Mental HealthHow to improve your posture
Start by tossing out the idea that you need to sit perfectly straight.<p>There’s no such thing as perfect posture.<p>That’s according to Eric Robertson, a physical therapist and spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association. He says that posture is a popular boogeyman—the presumed culprit …
Massage TherapyHow the new World Cup ball was designed to not influence the games
The quest for the perfect soccer ball continues.<p>Every four years there’s a new ball for the World Cup—and every four years players are unhappy with it. Maybe it’s too light and has too much lift, like the 2002 Fevernova. Or maybe it wobbles unexpectedly in the air, making it harder for goalies to …
Cristiano RonaldoThese beautiful, terrifying maps show how hot we'll get in 2090
It’s easy to be apathetic about rising global temperatures, but difficult when you imagine your own future backyard.<p>There are lots of terrible things about climate change. Birds will go extinct. Bits of Florida will be swallowed up by the sea. Coffee will taste worse. But let’s be honest: we are a …
Climate ChangeActivated charcoal is showing up everywhere—here are four reasons to avoid it
Food trends are rarely based in scientific fact.<p>On her Goop website, Gwyneth Paltrow claimed that charcoal lemonade was one of the “best juice cleansers”. That was in 2014. Today, charcoal products—from croissants to capsules—are everywhere. Even high street coffee chains have taken to selling …
WellnessWhere to find the best free stuff online
Why pay?<p>The internet is brimming with freebies—you just need to know where to look for them. There are a lot of sites that offer free items—but there are also a lot of scams. We've handpicked the most trustworthy sites and apps for you to turn to, whether you're hunting for a sofa or a smartphone …
Freebies10 easy ways you can tell for yourself that the Earth is not flat
The evidence is right in front of you.<p><i>This story was originally published on Smarter Than That in 2008. We are republishing a lightly edited version on</i> Popular Science <i>in light of recent interest in the subject.</i><p>Humanity has known Earth is round for a few millenia, and I’ve been meaning to show more …
Flat Earth Society24 hidden iPhone settings you should know about
Dig deeper into iOS.<p>Part of the appeal of the iPhone is its simplicity—you can grab it right out of the box and starting setting it up without reading any instructions. However, behind that simple, intuitive interface, you'll find dozens of lesser-known settings and options. Here are 24 you can use …
AppsAlmost every country in the world can power itself with renewable energy
The planet is pretty much ready to go 100 percent renewable by 2050.<p>The country’s energy mix is under scrutiny. A report commissioned by Energy Secretary Rick Perry acknowledges that low natural gas prices—not renewables—are behind the recent closure of coal energy plants, and that the grid has …
Renewable EnergyHow to stream way too many FIFA World Cup 2018 matches
It only comes around every four years, so make the most of it.<p>Soccer fans who have already cut the cord on their cable package and worker bees hoping to stealthily stream midday games needn't worry: The 2018 FIFA World Cup, which kicked off June 14 when Russia beat Saudi Arabia 5-0, is still just a …
Virtual RealityYou have questions about sunscreen. We have answers.
Choosing the right brand can be intimidating if you aren’t quite sure what you’re looking for.<p><i>This post has been updated.</i><p>Choosing a sunscreen used to be simple. You picked the cheapest or the nicest looking or just whatever happened to be at eye level (probably the most expensive one). But in the …
DrugstoreSleeping in on the weekend might be good for you, but it's not going to fix all your problems
Scientists still aren't sure exactly how to deal with our chronic sleep deficit.<p>There’s nothing quite like crawling under the covers on Friday night with the intention of snoozing well into Saturday. But sleep can be stressful, too: the questions of when and how long to sleep have been the sources …
SleepThe EPA might change the way it weighs human health against industry profit
Now's your chance to submit an official comment.<p>The public has until July 13 to comment on how the Environmental Protection Agency balances its checkbooks to decide how regulations that protect public health stack up against industry costs, a process known as cost-benefit analysis.<p>Industry groups …
EPAThese snakes slurp snails, and that's great for farmers
Not all snakes are scary.<p>Snakes slurping slimy snails—try saying that five times fast. Scientists are celebrating the discovery of five new species of snakes in Ecuador with rather strange eating habits: a modified jaw allows these serpents to scoop snails right out of the shell.<p>“They looked …
ZoologyOctopuses are not aliens, but boy are they a bunch of beautiful weirdos
A new paper raises an old, contentious idea.<p>We have to stop taking away Mother Nature’s achievements. Every time a creature is quirky or bizarre people say that it <i>must</i> be an alien, when the reality is that evolution is capable of creating some of the strangest, creepiest organisms you could ever …
BiologyApple and Pixar created a new file format for augmented reality on your phone
The new USDZ file format will make it easier than ever to look at AR objects in iOS.<p>Sharing photos and videos on a computer or a smartphone is, for the most part, pretty easy. File formats like JPG and PNG for still photos, and MOV for videos, display just as intended on pretty much any device. Now …
Augmented RealityRussia floats new nuclear power station—and new risks
As world-first platform makes its way east, international watchdogs raise concerns.<p>The world’s first commercial floating nuclear power station—a 21,500-metric-ton Russian vessel called the <i>Akademik Lomonosov</i>—is slowly making its way across the Arctic Ocean, on a multi-stage trip to its final …
EnergyWatch scientists train bees to play with tiny soccer balls
The study shows that bees can adapt to really weird circumstances<p>Here's the buzz: bees are brilliant. And not just because they are a vital part of our ecosystem. Bees are also very clever—and apparently capable of learning one of the basic fundamentals of football.<p>In a new study published Thursday …
InsectsAn Ultimate Ears Bluetooth speaker for 63 percent off? I'd buy it.
Save $125.<p>Limited edition BOOM 2 Bluetooth speaker<p>There are a lot of options for Bluetooth speakers, but some of the best are from Ultimate Ears. Three weeks ago I bought the Wonderboom speaker for my shower and can't imagine a life sudsing up without it.<p>So when I signed on this morning to see that …
Tech TrendsHow to create a perfectly imperfect lawn
Make your yard beautiful—and environmentally-friendly, too.<p>Have you ever walked past one of those lawns that looks like a movie set? At your feet lies a Stepford-esque sea of emerald, not a bug or weed in sight, and a friendly neighbor is always standing on guard, hose in hand. (Pro tip: That …
GardeningWith Operation Popeye, the U.S. government made weather an instrument of war
As geo-engineering projects soar, the declassified project is newly relevant.<p>It was a seasonably chilly afternoon in 1974 when Senators Claiborne Pell, a Democrat from Rhode Island, and Clifford Case, a Republican from New Jersey, strode into the chambers of the Senate Committee on Foreign …
General ElectricFive things you might not know about the plague (not including the fact that it still exists)
Because yes, you can still catch the Black Death.<p>The plague—yes, that plague—is alive and well in the modern world. If this comes as a shock, you probably don’t live in one of the few areas that still harbors the bacteria that causes it. There are only a handful of countries left with it, including …
Environmental HealthCan we actually stop using fossil fuels?
Tim McDonagh<p>Is it smart—or crazy stupid—to rely solely on wind, solar, and hydro?<p>This past July, as Dawn Lippert surfed the swells at her home beach in Honolulu, a rogue board sprang up and slammed her between the eyes. It could have been a knockout blow. But Lippert, a former high school soccer …
Natural GasTropical frogs were alive 99 million years ago, and we have the amber to prove it
Han Solo prefers carbonite, tropical frogs prefer amber.<p>When it comes to fossilization, amber is the miracle material you’re dying to get submerged in. The sticky sap that dries up and lasts for millennia has gifted us the discovery of a new species of flower, a carnivorous plant, dinosaur …
ZoologyThis AI can see people through walls. Here's how.
Besides artificial intelligence, you also need radio waves.<p>Radio signals coupled with artificial intelligence have allowed researchers to do something fascinating: see skeleton-like representations of people moving on the other side of a wall. And while it sounds like the kind of technology a SWAT …
Artificial IntelligenceHow Popular Science covered '2001: A Space Odyssey' in 1968
"But by the time 2001 A.D. rolls around, things may be more fantastic than the picture shows."<p>The future is here. That's the feeling you get when you leave the theater after seeing <i>2001: A Space Odyssey</i>, the most realistic science-adventure movie ever filmed.<p>It uses an astonishing combination of …
Space ExplorationA warmer planet might make deadly bacteria more resistant to antibiotics
Rising global temperatures are making it more difficult to combat bacteria with antibiotics.<p>Tom Patterson became ill in 2015 while vacationing in Egypt. He was felled by <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i>, an often deadly bacterium resistant to every antibiotic his doctors tried. Patterson, a University of …
MicrobiologyEven if you live in a city, you can get health benefits from nature
Visiting city parks can give your health a boost, but not all green spaces are created equal<p>Toward the end of the 18th Century, a pastime known as sea bathing took Britain by storm. People would climb into wooden contraptions called bathing machines, allow themselves to be wheeled into the water, …
Ecology$300 off a 4K projector and other good deals happening today
The low-down on the day's best bargains.<p>For more deals and product chatter, check out our exclusive Facebook group.<p>Guitars, audio gear, and smart home products<p>Monoprice has up to 50 percent off on loads of electronics for Father’s Day. They’ve got smart plugs, security cameras, USB cables, speakers …
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