Popular Science. Demystifying the worlds of science and technology since 1872.
Why do your joints hurt when it’s cold? We asked a doctor.
And what you can do to ease the aches.
Americans planted entire forests of exploding Australian trees
Plus beaver skulls and other weird things we learned this week.
Rachel Feltman
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
Poop DNA tests and AI dog surveillance: The tech changing pet care.
Technology is being repurposed to find lost animals—and owners who don’t clean up after their pets.
Weird bird mouths go all the way back to the first avian dinosaur
150 million years ago, Archaeopteryx changed evolutionary history.
Hair samples reveal the benefits of lead regulation
Before the EPA, Utah saw 100 times more lead exposure.
Teen discovers Australia’s oldest dinosaur fossil—almost 70 years ago
An early sauropodomorph likely made the 230-million-year-old footprint.
Locust swarms may meet their match in protein-enriched crops
The specialized crops could save farmers millions.
Can shoes alter your mind? What neuroscience says about foot sensation and focus.
There are surprisingly close links between your feet and your brain.
Caterpillars use tiny hairs to hear
Experiment in one of the world’s quietest rooms reveals the hairs detect airborne sounds—like predators.
Groundhogs don’t poop during hibernation and 6 other random facts
Shadow or no shadow, the rodents have a special set of ecological skills.
A Harry Potter quiz may predict your career prospects
Researchers solemnly swear they are up to no good.
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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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