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a black bear hanging out between two rocks
Bears

Male black bear ‘Nugget’ wins Introvert Award for his adorable hiding technique

Nugget is known for his small stature and scrappy fishing.

a large black bird with a tag on it
Endangered Species

Seven young condors released in northern California

The large birds of prey are clawing their way back from the brink of extinction.

Woman and child wearing gas mask in arm chair.
Military

World War II’s baby gas masks are as unnerving as you’d imagine

After the horrors of the First World War, parents were understandably nervous.

Artist's impression of GRB 260310A. A massive star collapses and launches a jet made up of a narrow, ultrafast core (white beam) wrapped in a broader and slower outflow. The jet points away from Earth. Researchers first saw light from the jet's outer wings and only later from its energetic core. The inset shows the image acquired by the Large Binocular Telescope, displaying the bright optical afterglow (marked) next to its host galaxy. Credit: Fortuna/Yang/ERC BHianca
Space Telescope

Gamma-ray burst is one of the brightest in decades

It shot out a billion years’ worth of solar energy through a pencil-sized jet.

a graphic of a long, circular robot
Robots

MIT develops robot that slithers through intestines like a snake

It can enter through the front or back.

Video screenshot of a barrelfish
Fish

Rare glob-eyed fish spotted in ocean’s twilight zone

Watch new 4K footage of a barreleye fish.

two bears on rocks. one is eating a salmon, and the other is waiting to some salmon
Bears

Extremely chill bear named Paul wins a Dude-approved award

For his patience around salmon, the USDA Forest Service awards the black bear the 2026 Dude abides Award.

An International LT Series truck integrated with the Aurora driver at a Roush Enterprises Inc. facility in Livonia, Michigan, US, on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. Self-driving trucking company Aurora Innovation Inc. expects to fall short of its production target for this year but said it's on track to recover for 2027. Photographer: Sarah Rice/Bloomberg
Self Driving

Driverless 18‑wheelers are on a few highways, but widespread use is a long way down the road

Fully automated trucks use a combination of AI, machine learning, computer vision, pattern recognition and adaptive decision-making.

Line of school buses in parking lot on a snowy evening
Mental Health

Permanent Daylight Saving Time is dangerous for kids, new research says

The ‘Sunshine Protection Act’ would leave children in the dark.

The winged mammals boast five-foot-wide wingspans.
Endangered Species

The puppy-sized bats of Madagascar are shrinking

They aren’t interested in blood, just fruit.

Painting of a woman in white with a demon sitting on her chest and a ghostly horse to the left.
Mental Health

The creepy science behind sleep paralysis ‘demons’

Aliens, vampires, and ghosts have haunted our sleep for centuries.

Close up photo of trapdoor spider named after Stephen Colber
Spiders

Spider named after Stephen Colbert has twice as many chromosomes as you

Yes, the “t” in ‘A. stephencolberti’ is silent.

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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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