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A taxidermied squirrel named Tommy Tucker standing upright inside a glass display case. The squirrel is dressed in a miniature pink pleated dress with puffy sleeves and a white ribbon tied around the waist, paired with a small pearl necklace. The display case is secured with a brass knob and a black padlock. In the blurred background, papers and a water bottle are visible on a desk.
Animals

During WWII, a dress-wearing squirrel sold war bonds alongside FDR

US bomber crews even carried photos of Tommy Tucker on missions.

By Amy Crawford

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Chicago’s rat hole wasn’t made by a rat

Plus a retirement home for penguins 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

Background of close up lettuce leaves. Top view
Food Safety

Why does lettuce go bad so quickly?

Our new study has the answer.

By Victoria Fernández, Ana Cros Stötter, Jaime Colchero / The Conversation

a large brown bear in italy
Bears

Bears in Italy inbreed more, but are less aggressive

Apennine brown bears have been isolated from their European counterparts since the Roman Empire.

By Margherita Bassi

A pink octopus squid floating upside down spotted by MBARI researchers
Fish

Dive into 2025’s most stunning deep-sea wildlife encounters

Celebrate sea sponges, translucent squid, and more in a new year-end video.

By Andrew Paul

3D scan cross-section of an ant
Wildlife

Weak ants conquered Earth using sheer numbers

Ant evolution favored large colonies over individual strength.

By Andrew Paul

three white 3D printed animal skulls
Wildlife

3D printed skulls make mounting antlers less of a bloody mess

The fake skulls can take up to 50 hours to print.

By Mack DeGeurin

NASA’s SPHEREx has mapped the entire sky in 102 infrared colors, which are invisible to the human eye but can be used to reveal different features of the cosmos. This image features a selection of colors emitted primarily by stars (blue, green, and white), hot hydrogen gas (blue), and cosmic dust (red). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Space Telescope

Explore NASA’s most detailed map of the night sky yet

‘We essentially have 102 new maps of the entire sky.’

By Andrew Paul

roman ruins in northern england
Food Safety

Diarrhea slowed down Roman soldiers

Intestinal parasites that still plague us today were all over Roman Britain.

By Laura Baisas

3D printed Christmas tree made from ice
Physics

Physicists 3D-printed a Christmas tree made of ice particles

The three-inch-tall tree is more than just a holiday novelty.

By Andrew Paul

Swearing and smiling emojis side by side on blue background
Mental Health

Go ahead and swear—it’s good for your health

Cursing can boost your workout, mood, and even confidence.

By Andrew Paul

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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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