Popular Science. Demystifying the worlds of science and technology since 1872.
In a world without people, how fast would NYC fall apart? Here’s the timeline.
In a week, mold moves in. In a century, New York is a forest.
The foul-mouthed cockatoo that lived to 120
Plus a whale pee conveyer belt 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.
Wild cockatoos are learning how to use water fountains
Nabbing a drink is just the latest skill for this innovative group of Australian birds.
Watch bacteria ‘hitchhike’ and zoom around
This pathogenic bacteria can catch rides on yeast puddles to help it spread.
Scientists engineer mosquito STD to combat malaria
The fungus is fatal to mosquitoes, but harmless to humans.
Well-preserved dinosaur skull belongs to new sauropod species
Jinchuanloong niedu was related to the famous Brachiosaurus.
The world’s smallest violin is thinner than a human hair
Don’t expect to hear any sonatas from it.
Pocket watch from Great Lakes’ deadliest shipwreck returned to family
In 1860, the ‘Lady Elgin’ claimed over 300 lives in Lake Michigan.
College student discovers mysterious fungus that eluded LSD’s inventor
‘People have been looking for this fungus for years, and one day, I look in the right place, and there it is.’
19 vintage Goodyear Blimp photos on its 100th anniversary
The iconic airship has flown over Super Bowls, cities, and Rome’s Colosseum.
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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.
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