Science(Page 9)

Science spans our understanding of how Earth and the cosmos work. Get the biggest news on biology, physics, space, dinosaurs, and more—along with the latest episodes of the Ask Us Anything and Weirdest Thing podcasts.

Latest in Science

a male lion sits in a tree

Environment

Lion brothers take risky swim across crocodile-infested channel Lion brothers take risky swim across crocodile-infested channel

By Laura Baisas

Screenshot of model rocket vertically landing

Aviation

Teen’s model rocket sticks a SpaceX-inspired vertical landing Teen’s model rocket sticks a SpaceX-inspired vertical landing

several stone circles marking gravesites in a field in norway

Archaeology

Stone circles unearthed in Norway mark ancient children’s graves Stone circles unearthed in Norway mark ancient children’s graves

By Laura Baisas

Image of Omega Centauri star cluster with black hole and evidence stars highlighted

Black Holes

Astronomers discover Earth’s closest black hole Astronomers discover Earth’s closest black hole

tourists in greece

Environment

Tourists are feeling the heat—and their bodies may not be able to catch up Tourists are feeling the heat—and their bodies may not be able to catch up

By Kiley Price / Inside Climate News

Located in the foothills of a rock emerging from a green field

Agriculture

Iron Age plant remains tell new agricultural story in east Africa Iron Age plant remains tell new agricultural story in east Africa

By Laura Baisas

Starship test launch in 2021

NASA

SpaceX’s Starship may mess up the lunar surface SpaceX’s Starship may mess up the lunar surface

circles of red, blue, and green bacteria

Biology

‘Bacterial glitter’ shimmers without pigments ‘Bacterial glitter’ shimmers without pigments

By Laura Baisas

NASA asteroid concept

Science

How often do asteroids come near Earth? How often do asteroids come near Earth?

By Briley Lewis

an illustration of a large shark jumping out of the water and eating a winged dinosaur

Animals

When the ocean got hot, the sharks bulked up When the ocean got hot, the sharks bulked up

By Laura Baisas

an illustration of a blue exoplanet with white swirls near a sun-like star

Deep Space

A nearby exoplanet reeks of rotten eggs A nearby exoplanet reeks of rotten eggs

By Laura Baisas

Environment

The greening of planes, trains, and automobiles The greening of planes, trains, and automobiles

By Nicola Jones / Knowable Magazine

A sampling of haplochromine cichlid fish.

Environment

One fish, two fish, 3,000 fish … One fish, two fish, 3,000 fish …

By Curtis Abraham / Knowable Magazine

Large hailstones

Environment

How does hail grow to the size of golf balls and even grapefruit? How does hail grow to the size of golf balls and even grapefruit?

By Brian Tang / The Conversation

Barred owls have expanded their range across North America, from east to west.

Environment

These owls spread from east to west. Not everyone is pleased. These owls spread from east to west. Not everyone is pleased.

By Jude Isabella/Hakai Magazine

Environment

What’s going on with spotted lanternflies? What’s going on with spotted lanternflies?

By Lauren Leffer

Octopus in water

Environment

The ‘smart’ animal club keeps getting bigger The ‘smart’ animal club keeps getting bigger

By Mack DeGeurin

Pain doesn’t belong on a scale of zero to 10

Health

Pain doesn’t belong on a scale of zero to 10 Pain doesn’t belong on a scale of zero to 10

By Elisabeth Rosenthal/KFF Health News

a nearly complete skeleton of a salamander-like creature that lived 300 million years ago. it's head is round and shaped like a toilet seat

Animals

This giant tetrapod sucked in prey with its ‘toilet seat-shaped’ head This giant tetrapod sucked in prey with its ‘toilet seat-shaped’ head

By Laura Baisas

cone shaped skull

Science

These viking ladies tried to start a trend for pointy heads, but it didn’t take off These viking ladies tried to start a trend for pointy heads, but it didn’t take off

By Popular Science Team

Brain and brain waves in epilepsy, computer illustration. This EEG (electroencephalogram) illustration shows generalized epilepsy, affecting the whole brain cortex: all the EEG traces show chaotic brain waves. Epilepsy can take many forms, and have different effects. This could illustrate both benign epilepsy (inherited childhood form that normally improves with age), and myoclonic epilepsy (form that causes muscle contractions). An EEG measures electrical activity in the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp.

Technology

100 years of EEG: How this technology transformed neuroscience 100 years of EEG: How this technology transformed neuroscience

By Erika Nyhus / The Conversation

a striped cat scratching a grey armchair

Animals

Why some cats scratch more than others Why some cats scratch more than others

By Laura Baisas

Close up of human brain neuron

AI

Lab-grown human brain tissue used to control robot Lab-grown human brain tissue used to control robot

a small grey and black reef fish swims

Animals

Fish in Earth’s hottest water defy the odds Fish in Earth’s hottest water defy the odds

By Laura Baisas

two ants face each other in a lab. one has purple dye where a wound was treated.

Environment

Watch a carpenter ant chew off another’s wounded leg to try to save its life Watch a carpenter ant chew off another’s wounded leg to try to save its life

By Laura Baisas

Close up of Syntrichia caninervis moss

Agriculture

This inedible, indestructible moss may help humans thrive on Mars This inedible, indestructible moss may help humans thrive on Mars

SpaceX will attempt the first commercial spacewalk

Science

SpaceX will attempt the first commercial spacewalk SpaceX will attempt the first commercial spacewalk

By Briley Lewis

beaver at a dam

Environment

How beavers are helping the Tule River Tribe of California fight wildfires How beavers are helping the Tule River Tribe of California fight wildfires

By Taylar Dawn Stagner / Grist

Breakdown of Antikythera mechanism

Archaeology

The world’s oldest mechanical computer used a lunar calendar to study the stars The world’s oldest mechanical computer used a lunar calendar to study the stars

Ritual sticks uncovered in Cloggs Cave date back 10,000 to 12,000 years.

Archaeology

Evidence of 12,000-year-old cultural ritual unearthed in Australia Evidence of 12,000-year-old cultural ritual unearthed in Australia

By Laura Baisas

The newly described Guianan long-nosed armadillo.

Science

A new armadillo species was hiding in plain sight A new armadillo species was hiding in plain sight

By Lauren Leffer

NASA's Orion Capsule is drawn into the well deck of the USS Portland during recovery operations after it splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, on December 11, 2022. - Orion was launched November 16 on the Artemis rocket for a 25-day mission to the Moon. The main goal of this mission was to test Orion's heat shield -- for the day when it is humans and not test mannequins riding inside. (Photo by Mario Tama / POOL / AFP) (Photo by MARIO TAMA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Science

How NASA and SpaceX get spacecraft safely back on Earth How NASA and SpaceX get spacecraft safely back on Earth

By Marcos Fernandez Tous / The Conversation

green and red grapes

Biology

If dinosaurs hadn’t gone extinct, we may not have delicious grapes If dinosaurs hadn’t gone extinct, we may not have delicious grapes

By Laura Baisas

Oil Pulling Mouthwash, dental oral hygiene rinse aid liquid, trendy alternative detoxifying mouthwash with toothbrush, toothpaste for cleaning teeth on bath background

Health

What does oil pulling do to your teeth? We asked dentists. What does oil pulling do to your teeth? We asked dentists.

a fun moon rises over an italian city

Mars

July’s skies sizzle with the Buck Moon and a meteor shower July’s skies sizzle with the Buck Moon and a meteor shower

By Laura Baisas

man sneezing on a colorful, illustrated background

Health

Why do some people sneeze so loudly? Why do some people sneeze so loudly?

By RJ Mackenzie

Henrique Alvim Corrêa’s Illustrations for The War of the Worlds (1906)

Science

100 years of aliens: From Mars beavers to little gray men 100 years of aliens: From Mars beavers to little gray men

By Bill Gourgey

Five of the comb jelly species featured in a new study on how their cells adapt to water pressures. Red coloration as seen in the two specimens at right is common among deep-sea animals.

Animals

Comb jellies won’t give into the extreme pressures of deep-sea life Comb jellies won’t give into the extreme pressures of deep-sea life

By Laura Baisas

a marine biologist and an actor fist bump while sitting on a dive boat in the ocean

Animals

Actor Anthony Mackie and marine biologist Jasmin Graham talk sharks Actor Anthony Mackie and marine biologist Jasmin Graham talk sharks

By Laura Baisas

International Space Station orbiting above Earth

International Space Station

NASA is paying SpaceX to destroy the International Space Station NASA is paying SpaceX to destroy the International Space Station

five statues depicting the high dignitary Nefer and his wife (Abusir, Egypt).

Archaeology

Ancient Egyptian scribes suffered bone damage from working long hours in hunched positions Ancient Egyptian scribes suffered bone damage from working long hours in hunched positions

By Laura Baisas

Illustration of woolly mammoth walking icy plain

Animals

The last woolly mammoths were impressively inbred—but that’s not what killed them The last woolly mammoths were impressively inbred—but that’s not what killed them

the tall and straight pillars of creation as seen with two space telescopes. these celestial bodies are finger-like figures of gas and dust

Deep Space

Ethereal Pillars of Creation come to life in new 3D visualization Ethereal Pillars of Creation come to life in new 3D visualization

By Laura Baisas

visual rabbit illusion

Science

How does the visual rabbit illusion fool us so reliably? How does the visual rabbit illusion fool us so reliably?

Environment

Scientists built an artificial shark uterus Scientists built an artificial shark uterus

By Claudia Geib / Hakai Magazine

NASA astronaut and Expedition 71 Flight Engineer Tracy C. Dyson is pictured in her spacesuit prior to the start of a science and maintenance spacewalk that ended early after her suit experienced a water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit.

International Space Station

NASA is having one rough summer NASA is having one rough summer

the wreckage of an ancient greek shipwreck underwater, with two divers exploring it

Archaeology

Nuts, bones, and wood help date a 2,000-year-old Greek shipwreck Nuts, bones, and wood help date a 2,000-year-old Greek shipwreck

By Laura Baisas

Water tank used for wave modulation system

Engineering

Sound waves power ping-pong ball through aquatic obstacle course Sound waves power ping-pong ball through aquatic obstacle course

Green and gold bell frogs in artificial hotspot shelter.

Environment

Frog saunas could help the amphibians cope with a deadly fungus Frog saunas could help the amphibians cope with a deadly fungus

By Lauren Leffer

In the era of private spaceflight, who gets to be an astronaut?

Science

In the era of private spaceflight, who gets to be an astronaut? In the era of private spaceflight, who gets to be an astronaut?

By Briley Lewis

brain on screens

Science

This is your brain. This is your brain on screens. This is your brain. This is your brain on screens.

By Jill Barshay / The Hechinger Report

An aerial view of the lava flows from the Sundhnúkur volcano on June 3, 2024 on the Reykjanes peninsula near Grindavik, Iceland. The volcano has erupted five times since December 2023.

Science

Iceland’s ‘unparalleled’ volcanic activity could continue for decades Iceland’s ‘unparalleled’ volcanic activity could continue for decades

By Laura Baisas

a small town street with one and two-story buildings

Environment

The small Texas town where you can sip AND soak in mineral water The small Texas town where you can sip AND soak in mineral water

By Alisha McDarris

Side by side of lab grown skin on 3D and 2D human face models

Science

Lab-grown, self-healing human skin designed to cover robot faces Lab-grown, self-healing human skin designed to cover robot faces

Golden Anthias (Pseudanthias squamipinnis) in the Red Sea, Egypt

Climate Change

Mass extinction 183 million years ago offers dire warning for modern oceans Mass extinction 183 million years ago offers dire warning for modern oceans

a blue lobster in an aquarium tank

Environment

Why blue animals are so rare in nature Why blue animals are so rare in nature

By Laura Baisas

Baseball fans clear the stands as lightning strikes near the Colorado Rockies’ stadium in 2019.

Environment

How to stay safe during lighting season How to stay safe during lighting season

By Chris Vagasky / The Conversation

a large lizard with yellow spots in the dirt

Animals

Giant lizards could keep flesh-eating maggots off Australia’s sheep Giant lizards could keep flesh-eating maggots off Australia’s sheep

By Laura Baisas

3D printed Lego moon brick made from meteorite dust against space background

Engineering

Future lunar bases could be built with LEGO moon bricks Future lunar bases could be built with LEGO moon bricks

Science

Yes, humans are still evolving Yes, humans are still evolving

By Lauren Leffer

person holding pets

Science

The fuzzy science on whether your pet is actually good for you The fuzzy science on whether your pet is actually good for you

By Michael Schulson/Undark

'fraud' written over man in brain device

Science

In the 1960s, swindlers pushed fake radioactive medicine In the 1960s, swindlers pushed fake radioactive medicine

By Popular Science Team

Science

Inside the secret lives of wombats Inside the secret lives of wombats

By Amber Dance/Knowable Magazine

Orange juice with spoon of collagen

Health

Does drinking collagen actually do anything? We asked experts. Does drinking collagen actually do anything? We asked experts.