popular science team
Want to become a creative genius? Try this nap hack.
Science The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week Want to become a creative genius? Plus "spontaneous" human combustion and other weird things we learned this week. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Have you ever tried napping with something heavy? What's the weirdest thing you learned this week?
Touchscreen shirt shows photos, plays videos, and answers calls
The bendable touchscreen fabric was woven into a shirt that works even after 50 washes. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. The fibers support the functions early generations of smartphones could perform. The 96 by 54-pixel display can run a calculator, show a photo gallery, play a video, work as a compass, respond to voice commands, receive images over Bluetooth, as well as read and display body temperature. Engineers and computer scientists have spent the better part of the past 15 years trying to integrate mobile phone technology into clothing.
Earth's first fully-marine amphibian stalked the seafloor with a chunky, bony body
Environment Animals Wildlife Earth's first fully-marine amphibian stalked the seafloor with a chunky, bony body'Gerrothorax maritimus' lived about 237 million years ago, when parts of China were covered by an ocean. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. An illustrated rendering of'Gerrothoroax maritumus,' informed by newly discovered fossil evidence of the creature, which is the first fully marine amphibian on record. AI was sparingly used in the rendering's creation to adjust lighting, brightness, fish skin and amphibian skin. Nearly 237 million years ago, a spiky and toothy bottom dweller skulked the Late Triassic oceans that once covered present-day China. What sets this newly discovered giant salamander -sized prehistoric amphibian apart is not its impressive body-it's that it lived in the ocean.
15 uplifting images from Dog Photography Awards 2026
More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Here I Come! 2026 Action Category, Honorable Mention. Since then, these four-legged friends have provided companionship, assistance, and protection for people. Whether you favor a squished-face potato dog or a determined and smart working dog, you likely understand how dogs got the designation of "man's best friend." The Dog Photography Awards celebrate dogs of all shapes and sizes.
Young parrot rescued from grips of invasive boa snake
A biologist came upon the scene in Puerto Rico. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Red-tailed boas are considered apex predators in Puerto Rico, putting native populations at risk. In the Maricao State Forest on the western end of Puerto Rico, a biologist encountered a flock of parrots in a panic. Raúl Correa of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service followed the chaotic squawks and found a young bird in the grips of a red-tailed boa (). The snake had trapped a juvenile Puerto Rican parrot () on a bamboo stalk.
Wavy-shaped homes could limit damage from hurricane winds
Embrace the ocean's own wavy aesthetic. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Hurricane Irma regained strength to a Category 4 storm early as it began pummeling Florida and threatening landfall within hours. As residents on the northern Gulf Coast brace for quickly strengthening Hurricane Isaias (a Category 3 storm as of Friday afternoon), many are likely eyeing their roofs and walls with nervous anticipation. And while rounded corners, sloped walls and reinforced construction can help mitigate some wind damage, these additions are often expensive or impractical for developers looking to cut costs.
Opera singers and shrieking lemurs share vocalization strategies
The world's only known signing lemur needs to make calls that can travel through the thick rainforest. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. How the points of the mouth are tracked during singing. With piercing, emergency siren-like calls, the indri () is the world's only known singing lemur. The primates found in Madagascar's rainforest swing through the trees, making these sounds that contain a surprisingly human element.
Yes, scientists really built a "tickle robot." Here's why.
Yes, scientists really built a "tickle robot." Plus other weird things we learned this week. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. The origins of why we are ticklish remain a mystery, but we're starting to figure it out. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week.
Tweet! Here are the winners of the 2026 Audubon Photography Awards
Contestants from the U.S., Canada, Chile, and Colombia highlight how birds connect us across continents. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. This photo of a common merganser (Mergus merganser) in East Bay Sandbar, Nova Scotia, Canada won the female bird prize for contestants in the United States and Canada. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .
10 moving images from the International Nature Photography Festival
A reminder that our planet is worth protecting. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy . The natural world's up and downs are documented in stirring detail at the International Nature Photography Festival .