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08 Apr 2026
Metal detectorist finds Viking Age gold coin that might upend history - Popular Science
Less than a 30 minute drive from the University of Cambridge, a metal detectorist followed beeps to a remarkable treasure: a ninth century gold coin pendant.
Now finding long-lost coins in the English countryside isn’t exactly unheard of. In 2025, another metal detectorist discovered a gold coin dating back to the Iron Age in East Yorkshire. Before that, a Viking silver cache was discovered in North Yorkshire.
But this newly discovered gold coin isn’t like the others. This coin might just rewrite history, at least a little bit.
What makes this coin a bit of a head scratcher is what it depicts: a bearded profile of Saint John the Baptist. Thanks to a Latin inscription, experts have no doubts the coin shows the Christian saint. But what experts don’t yet understand is why the Vikings, who had conquered the English kingdom of East Anglia (where the coin was found) and who weren’t Christians, minted or wore a coin with a Christian saint on it. Why would pagans want a coin with a Christian on it?
In an interview with BBC, numismatics expert Simon Coupland compared the coin to “a child trying to fit a hexagonal object into a square hole.” The coin just doesn’t fit into history the way it should, which suggests we may have some of the history wrong.
Maybe pagan Vikings liked wearing pendants showing Christian saints as a way to assimilate into East Anglia’s largely Christian population? Or maybe a Christian East Anglian wore the pendant? Or maybe a Christian Viking wore the pendant, even though most historians believed the invading Danes were pagan, not Christian?
And just like that, one small gold coin can upend history—rewriting England’s cultural landscape during the island’s perilous ninth century.
Limestone relief of John the Baptist from Zakynthos, Byzantine and Christian Museum, Greece. Image: Public DomainThe post Metal detectorist finds Viking Age gold coin that might upend history appeared first on Popular Science.
What to do if you find a baby opossum - Popular Science
Spring has finally arrived in the northern hemisphere, sweeping winter away with flowers, outdoor activities, and cute babies. While it’s safe to assume that human younglings will be outside in higher numbers, of course we’re talking about baby animals. In the springtime it’s not unusual to find babies such as chicks and squirrels separated from their mothers, but the protocol for what to do about it depends on the species—and the females’ motherly instinct.
In the case of opossum mothers, that instinct is comically low. If given the opportunity, squirrel and raccoon mothers will take their babies back—but these marsupial mothers are less forgiving.
“With possums, we generally say that reuniting is not possible, because mom generally has just kept going,” Priya Patel, wildlife veterinarian at Massachusetts’ New England Wildlife Center, tells Popular Science. It’s worth clarifying that while possums and opossums are sometimes used interchangeably, they are technically two different animals, and here we’re talking about Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana), North America’s only native marsupial.
Opossum babies weigh just 0.13 to 0.16 grams at birth. The newborns immediately move into the mother’s pouch, where they attach to her nipples and are quite literally stuck for 55 to 60 days, after which they re-emerge into the world.
An opossum is seen protecting her baby after being discovered on a patio in Los Angeles. While seemingly fierce, opossums typically do not carry rabies and eat more than 90 percent of the ticks they encounter. Image: VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images VALERIE MACON“The most common period we have people calling us about baby possums is generally about right before they’re two months old, when they’re starting to come out of the pouch and attach onto mom,” Patel explains. That’s when “you see all those pictures of them clinging onto her as she’s moving around, and they’re starting the weaning phase at that point and starting to explore, but they fall off of her and she doesn’t typically wait for them.”
In mom’s defense, opossum babies don’t have the clearest call for help—they make sneezing sounds. If she’s nearby, she might pause to take them back, but Patel has only heard of one potential case of a mother looking for her lost babies.
As such, you should call a licensed wildlife rehabber or wildlife hospital if you come across one or more opossum babies on their own. In the meantime, don’t try to feed them—baby animals have a particular diet, and it could upset their gastrointestinal system, Patel explains.
You might not always be asked to bring the animal in for care. If the individual is around 10 inches long not including the tail, it’s usually grown enough to be independent.
The post What to do if you find a baby opossum appeared first on Popular Science.
513 humpback whales gather at massive Caribbean breeding ground - Popular Science
The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is widely seen as a model success story for wildlife conservation. Prior to the 1986 global ban on commercial whaling, marine biologists estimated only around 10,000 of the marine animals still existed around the world. Today, more than 135,000 of them swim in Earth’s oceans.
This steadily increasing population is a testament to both human environmental stewardship as well as the humpback whale’s own adaptability and intelligence. But even scientists aboard the superyacht-turned-research vessel M/Y Solace were surprised at the sheer number of whales during a recent excursion in the Caribbean. Speaking with Popular Science, the EYOS Expeditions team confirmed that Navidad Bank, a shallow underwater coral formation around 62 miles off the coast of the Dominican Republic, is one of the world’s most densely populated humpback whale breeding grounds.
“This is an extraordinary testament to the power of long-term marine conservation,” Jonathan Delance, Chief Conservation Officer for the Dominican Republic Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, said in a statement. “Decades of conservation have allowed humpback whales to thrive in Dominican waters, and the density documented at Navidad Bank underscores the global importance of creating a sanctuary for our treasured marine life.”
Depending on their location, humpback whales typically spend much of the year in colder waters closer to the poles, where they feed on abundant sources of krill. As ocean temperatures warm, they instinctually migrate towards breeding grounds around the world, including areas of the Caribbean. Female whales typically gestate for about 11.5 months and usually give birth to a single calf, who then spends around a year with their mother before setting out on their own.
Pregnant humpback whales will typically gestate for 11-12 months before giving birth. Credit: Caribbean Cetacean SocietyOrchestrated in collaboration with the Dominican Republic government and the Caribbean Cetacean Society, the visit to Navidad Bank from scientists with Fundación Puntacana and Fundación Dominicana de Estudios Marinos/FUNDEMAR captured incredible footage and images of North Atlantic humpback whales as they traveled amid their winter nursery. The observations culminated with a total of 513 whale sightings in a single day. According to the team, the event is even more incredible knowing that the whales were congregating far before the peak migration period usually spanning March and April.
“We have seen a profound shift toward travel that yields a sense of purpose through genuine exploration,” added EYOS Explorations co-founder Rob McCallum. “Our guests are increasingly…investing their resources into moments that contribute to our understanding of the natural world.”
The full findings will be presented to the International Whaling Commission in the hopes of further emphasizing Navidad Bank’s integral role in helping some of the ocean’s largest and most fascinating animals thrive.
The post 513 humpback whales gather at massive Caribbean breeding ground appeared first on Popular Science.
16 inspiring Artemis II photos that’ll make you feel like a tiny Earthling - Popular Science
The Artemis II mission has re-inspired our collective fascination with space. We’ve gazed on our home planet in a way unseen in decades and caught a glimpse of a part of the moon never seen by human eyes. The historic lunar flyby also sent humans farther from Earth than ever before.
Thanks to stellar camera work by the mission’s crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and NASA mission specialist Christina Koch, and CSA mission specialist Jeremy Hansen—those of us left down here can feel like we’re along for the ride.
Captured by the Artemis II crew during their lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, this image shows the Moon fully eclipsing the Sun. From the crew’s perspective, the Moon appears large enough to completely block the Sun, creating nearly 54 minutes of totality and extending the view far beyond what is possible from Earth. The corona forms a glowing halo around the dark lunar disk, revealing details of the Sun’s outer atmosphere typically hidden by its brightness. Also visible are stars, typically too faint to see when imaging the Moon, but with the Moon in darkness stars are readily imaged. This unique vantage point provides both a striking visual and a valuable opportunity for astronauts to document and describe the corona during humanity’s return to deep space. The faint glow of the nearside of the Moon is visible in this image, having been illuminated by light reflected off the Earth.Image and caption: NASA
Capturing these beautiful and unprecedented photographs wasn’t a fluke. The NASA and CSA astronauts worked with Rochester Institute of Technology alumni Katrina Willoughby and Paul Reichert at the Johnson Space Center in Houston to up their photography skills in preparation for Artemis II.
“Most people can use a camera and get a photo that is good enough, but good enough isn’t what we’re after scientifically,” Willoughby, a graduate of RIT’s imaging and photographic technology program, said. We’re really teaching the astronauts how to go beyond the basics. Being able to understand how to use the equipment, and what the options are, gives us a lot more capability.”
[Related: Why you can’t see space junk in Artemis II photos]
The pair spent two years working with the crew and designed training modules to emulate the challenges of photographing in space. The astronauts learned how to operate both commercially available cameras (including iPhones), along with more advanced equipment and hardware.
A close-up view from the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II crew’s lunar flyby on April 6, 2026, captures a total solar eclipse, with only part of the Moon visible in the frame as it fully obscures the Sun. Although the full lunar disk extends beyond the image, the Sun’s faint corona remains visible as a soft halo of light around the Moon’s edge. From this deep-space vantage point, the Moon appeared large enough to sustain nearly 54 minutes of totality, far longer than total solar eclipses typically seen from Earth. This cropped perspective emphasizes the scale of the alignment and reveals subtle structure in the corona during the rare, extended eclipse observed by the crew. The bright silver glint on the left edge of the image is the planet Venus. The round, dark gray feature visible along the Moon’s horizon between the 9 and 10 o’clock positions is Mare Crisium, a feature visible from Earth. We see faint lunar features because light reflected off of Earth provides a source of illumination.Image and caption: NASA
While the photographs are absolutely awe-inspiring, they also hold importance for scientific study. Lunar and planetary scientists can use the images to better understand our moon and solar system. The Artemis II crew returns to Earth on April 10.
The Artemis II crew captures a portion of the Moon coming into view along the terminator – the boundary between lunar day and night – where low-angle sunlight casts long, dramatic shadows across the surface. This grazing light accentuates the Moon’s rugged topography, revealing craters, ridges, and basin structures in striking detail. Features along the terminator such as Jule Crater, Birkhoff Crater, Stebbins Crater, and surrounding highlands stand out. From this perspective, the interplay of light and shadow highlights the complexity of the lunar surface in ways not visible under full illumination. The image was captured about three hours into the crew’s lunar observation period, as they flew around the far side of the Moon on the sixth day of the mission.Image and caption: NASA Earthset captured through the Orion spacecraft window at 6:41 p.m. EDT, April 6, 2026, during the Artemis II crew’s flyby of the Moon. A muted blue Earth with bright white clouds sets behind the cratered lunar surface. The dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime. On Earth’s day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region. In the foreground, Ohm crater has terraced edges and a flat floor interrupted by central peaks. Central peaks form in complex craters when the lunar surface, liquefied on impact, splashes upwards during the crater’s formation.
Image and caption: NASA Captured from the Orion spacecraft near the end of the Artemis II lunar flyby on April 6, this image shows the Sun beginning to peek out from behind the Moon as the eclipse transitions out of totality. Only a portion of the Moon is visible in frame, its curved edge revealing a bright sliver of sunlight returning after nearly an hour of darkness. In final moments of the eclipse observed by the crew, the reemerging light creates a sharp contrast against the Moon’s silhouette and reveals lunar topography not usually visible along the lunar limb. This fleeting phase captures the dynamic alignment of the Sun, Moon, and spacecraft as Orion continues its journey back from the far side of the Moon.
Image and caption: NASA The Moon seen peeking above the window sill of the Orion spacecraft during the Artemis II lunar flyby on April 6, 2026. The Artemis II crew spent about 7 hours at the Orion windows during the flyby, taking photos and recording observations on the Moon to share with scientists on the ground.
Image and caption: NASA A close-up view taken by the Artemis II crew of Vavilov Crater on the rim of the older and larger Hertzsprung basin. The right portion of the image shows the transition from smooth material within an inner ring of mountains to more rugged terrain around the rim. Vavilov and other craters and their ejecta are accentuated by long shadows at the terminator, the boundary between lunar day and night. The image was captured with a handheld camera at a focal length of 400 mm, as the crew flew around the far side of the Moon.
Image: NASA The lunar surface fills the frame in sharp detail, as seen during the Artemis II lunar flyby, while a distant Earth sets in the background. This image was captured at 6:41 p.m. EDT, on April 6, 2026, just three minutes before the Orion spacecraft and its crew went behind the Moon and lost contact with Earth for 40 minutes before emerging on the other side. In this image, the dark portion of Earth is experiencing nighttime, while on its day side, swirling clouds are visible over the Australia and Oceania region. In the foreground, Ohm crater shows terraced edges and a relatively flat floor marked by central peaks — formed when the surface rebounded upward during the impact that created the crater.
Image: NASA Astronaut Jeremy Hansen captures an image through the camera shroud covering window 2 of the Orion spacecraft. The camera shroud, essentially a curtain with a hole for the lens to pass through, is used to prevent light from the cabin from reflecting on the windowpanes.
Image and caption: NASA A shot from early in the Artemis II lunar flyby, taken with a smaller aperture setting, shows a moodier version of the Moon than some of the other flyby images with more typical lighting settings. The four crew members spent about 7 hours photographing and recording observations of the Moon as they flew around the far side on April 6, 2026.
Image and caption: NASA Artemis II Pilot Victor Glover, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen prepare for their journey around the far side of the Moon by configuring their camera equipment shortly before beginning their lunar flyby observations.
Image and caption: NASA In this view of the Moon, the Artemis II crew captured an intricate snapshot of the rings of the Orientale basin, one of the Moon’s youngest and best-preserved large impact craters on his first shift during the lunar flyby observation period.
Image and caption: NASA NASA’s Orion spacecraft is pictured here from one of the cameras mounted on its solar array wings. At the time this photo was taken at 9:03 a.m. ET, the Artemis II crew was in a sleep period ahead of beginning their seventh day into the mission.
Image and caption: NASA CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut and Artemis II Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen is seen taking images through the Orion spacecraft window early in the Artemis II lunar flyby. Hansen and his fellow crewmates spent approximately seven hours taking turns at the Orion windows capturing science data to share with their team back on Earth.
Image and caption: NASA The Artemis II crew – (clockwise from left) Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover – take time out for a group hug inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home. Following a swing around the far side of the Moon on April 6, 2026, the crew exited the lunar sphere of influence (the point at which the Moon’s gravity has a stronger pull on Orion than the Earth’s) on April 7, and are headed back to Earth for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on April 10. The crew was selected in April 2023, and have been training together for their mission for the past three years.
Image and caption: NASA
The post 16 inspiring Artemis II photos that’ll make you feel like a tiny Earthling appeared first on Popular Science.
Why did childhood summers feel endless? - Popular Science
Growing up, summers felt like they lasted forever—or close to it. It felt as though the season had no end, until the lure of a new backpack and crayons finally summoned us out of the pool.
In adulthood, we’re all too aware of summer’s fleeting nature from the moment it begins. We anticipate our vacations. We guard our weekends. We complain about “Back To School” promotions that seem to start the day after school lets out.
It’s tempting to chalk this up to simple logistics—kids have the summers off. But teachers have summers off, too, and they’ll tell you that August hits like a freight train carrying a giant load of Mondays.
So, what happened? How does the season that once felt never-ending now seem to disappear before we’ve even found our sunscreen?
According to time perception researcher Dr. Marc Wittmann, the answer lies in the mechanics of memory, specifically which moments get stored and which ones slip away.
The science behind the endless summerWhen we look back on a period of time, our sense of how long it lasted comes down to how many moments we actually remember from it. Novel experiences—firsts, surprises, anything that catches the brain off guard—are the moments most likely to stick. In childhood, those moments are everywhere. Almost everything is happening for the first time.
“Everything seems new in childhood: the first ride on a pony, the first trip to the circus, the first vacation at the beach—everything is a first,” Wittmann, a research fellow at the Institute for Frontier Areas in Psychology and Mental Health in Freiburg, Germany, and author of Felt Time: The Psychology of How We Perceive Time, tells Popular Science. “So that causes us to store the memory as something special.”
As kids, almost every experience is a new experience, which helps solidify it in your memory. Image: J_art / Getty Images pluto_art_labIn addition to how novel a summer feels to a child who has only experienced a handful of them, there’s the fact that a child’s brain is still developing. So not only is the child processing new experiences, but they’re processing them through a rapidly changing brain.
“Each year is a completely new year for a child and adolescent,” says Wittmann. “There are so many bodily and mental changes happening. Each year, the child is a new person.”
All those brain changes help cement new experiences into memory.
Why does time go so much more quickly as an adult?One of the more commonly cited explanations for why childhood summers feel endless deals with simple proportions: a year at age five represents a fifth of your entire life, while a year at age 50 is merely a fiftieth.
Although Wittmann acknowledges the popularity of this theory, he questions whether an individual’s experience of time perception really lines up so neatly with the math.
“This is an easy calculation for us to do, and it’s so intuitively compelling,” he says. “But the question would be whether the mind and brain actually calculate lived time this way, and there is no evidence.”
What is happening, says Wittmann, is something both more human and complex. At some point, childhood ends. Development plateaus, the brain stabilizes, and the world stops feeling quite so new. We’ve seen summers before; we know how they go.
This is where time starts to accelerate, or at least, where it starts to feel that way in retrospect. With fewer novel experiences being stored, there’s simply less to look back on. The summers don’t disappear, exactly. They just leave less new memories behind.
How memory shifts as we ageBut novelty is only part of the picture. Wittmann’s newer research points to an additional factor, one that surprised even him.
In a recent study accepted for publication in the journal Memory & Cognition, Wittmann and colleagues tracked memory and time perception across adults ranging in age from their 20s to their 90s. What they found was not what they expected: Older adults didn’t describe their memories as fainter or less vivid. If anything, the opposite was true. The memories they did retain felt richer and more emotionally resonant than those of younger adults.
What was declining was something far more subtle: the ability to encode the unremarkable moments of daily life. Wittmann attributes this to cognitive decline, a process that can begin as early as our thirties.
“From 30 years on, we already have a slight decline, and then at 50 and 60 we decline even more, and, in very old age, we have a steep decline,” Wittmann says. “And this seems to correlate exactly with this feeling that the last ten years have passed so quickly.”
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How you can make summers feel longerThe good news? We can still live our daily lives in ways that can slow the relentless tick of the clock, or at least make those seconds, minutes, and hours more memorable.
Wittmann recommends seeking out new experiences, new places, and new people where you can find them. Even the smallest shake-ups to your usual routine can make a difference. He also suggests staying physically active, keeping up your social connections, and challenging yourself mentally. These are the same habits, he notes, that help ward off cognitive decline in older age.
“The glue for memory”However, Wittmann cautions against cramming one’s day planner with novel experiences as a means of seizing (and holding on to) the day.
“Very often, people think they have to pack their Saturdays full of things to do,” he says. “But because you’re so focused on the timeline of items, time will pass quickly again. Instead, try living into your Saturday morning. Start the day without any plans. Be aware of how you feel, what you want to do, and stay open to whatever comes.”
The endless summers of childhood aren’t coming back, but that may be beside the point. What Wittmann’s research suggests is that we have more control over our experience of time than we might assume. We can seek out the new, maintain social bonds, and keep moving. We can learn to live into our Saturdays.
Ultimately, Wittmann suggests welcoming emotions into your life with—and if that feels like a tall order, start with your calendar. “Emotions are basically the glue for memory,” says Wittmann. “If something is very emotional, it will last your whole life.”
In Ask Us Anything, Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.
The post Why did childhood summers feel endless? appeared first on Popular Science.
The Ancestry Dot Map of America - Google Maps Mania
The Ancestry Dot Map of America - Google Maps Mania
MacBook Neo è stato un successo, si pensa alla versione successiva - TheAppleLounge
MacBook Neo è stato un successo, si pensa alla versione successiva - TheAppleLounge
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iPhone pieghevole, si punta ancora su settembre e attenzione al nome - TheAppleLounge
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07 Apr 2026
Flirty birds inflate throat pouch to attract a mate - Popular Science
From butt-loving baboons to peacocking spiders, animals boast an array of flirting techniques. Male frigatebirds attract potential mates by inflating a large, hairless, red throat pouch and shaking their wings like the DJ just started spinning “Yeah!” by Usher.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently shared a video of the horny avians in action:
Shot by USFWS volunteer Dan Rapp on the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, you can see the birds shrieking while expanding their 7- to 8-foot-long wings with enthusiasm. Frigatebirds mating displays occur in large groups, with up to 30 male birds gathering on treetops to catch the eye of females flying above. The female birds typically only mate every other because chick rearing can take 6-18 months, one of the longest durations amongst bird species.
Frigatebirds mate monogamously for the season and nest in colonies of up to 100 birds. Their mating performance is considered the most elaborate amongst seabirds.
The post Flirty birds inflate throat pouch to attract a mate appeared first on Popular Science.
Why you can’t see space junk in Artemis II photos - Popular Science
The Artemis II astronauts have completed their historic lunar flyby and taken the pictures to prove it. But as skygazers continue enjoying the images of both the moon and Earth, one question is making the rounds online: If there’s such a space junk problem orbiting our home planet, then why isn’t it visible in any of the newest photos?
It may sound like an odd question, but it’s somewhat understandable. After all, numerous astronomers and researchers continue to sound the alarm on the exponentially growing amount of trash encircling Earth at any given moment. Without any actionable solutions, there is an increasing worry about the possibility of initiating a “Kessler cascade.” In such a scenario, the amount of space junk becomes so ubiquitous that collisions are inevitable. Debris traveling at upwards of 17,500 miles per hour smacks into one another, creating even smaller pieces of trash that then increase the likelihood of similar events. All of that ensuing orbital junk could make it extremely difficult to launch new satellites into space, send astronauts on missions, and even protect Earth’s terrestrial residents.
If all that pollution is so concerning and prevalent, how hasn’t the Artemis II crew documented examples to point it out once they return home? Technically, there is a slight possibility that astronauts could snap a perfect photo pointing out low Earth orbit’s fragility. But when you consider the logistics, the likelihood of pulling off such an image is extremely low. The vast majority of space junk isn’t discernible to the naked eye—especially at the speeds both the junk and astronauts are traveling. Aside from the millions of centimeter-or-larger objects orbiting Earth, around 130 million smaller chunks waste from satellites and rocketry encircle the planet.
[Related: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch isn’t just a floating trash pile]
The altitude varies case-by-case, but the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office estimates the greatest concentration of space junk is floating between 466 and 621 miles above Earth. To put it simply, Artemis II’s astronauts were too busy focusing on the earliest minutes of their launch to take photos outside the Orion capsule’s windows. Within seconds, it became nearly impossible to take pictures of any discernible orbital debris, let alone entire satellites. Imagine taking a photo of a pebble on the highway from even 10 miles down the road. It would be that hard—and that’s before piloting a historic space mission.
This isn’t to say Artemis II hasn’t already had firsthand experience with space junk. The International Space Station often collides with tiny debris, but the habitable capsules’ engineering ensures it can withstand strikes from objects as large as one centimeter in diameter. The Orbital Debris Program Office also estimates encounters with anything larger is “slight” at best.\
The bottomline is this: Space is incomprehensibly vast, but even Earth’s dimensions are difficult to imagine. There is still a lot of wiggle-room for Artemis II and future NASA astronaut crews, especially with the aid of precise computing models and orbital tracking technology. Space junk is a serious problem—but it’s not something to make you worry about crew safety, much less doubt humanity’s latest trip around the moon.
The post Why you can’t see space junk in Artemis II photos appeared first on Popular Science.
6 famous people with animals named in their honor - Popular Science
Sometimes it feels like the names of new species can come from just about anything—from regions to a supportive grandmother to a creature’s short butt. Certain people, however, have received more attention from the taxonomic community, inspiring the names of more than one previously undiscovered creature—much to one man’s joking chagrin.
1. Stephen ColbertFamous comedian and television host Stephen Colbert has a number of creepy crawlies named after him, including the wasp Aleiodes Colberti, the trapdoor spider Aptostichus stephencolberti, and the diving beetle the Agaporomorphus colberti.
“Last year, Stephen shamelessly asked the science community to name something cooler than a spider to honor him,” Arizona State University entomologist Quentin Wheeler, who was involved in the naming of the diving beetle, explained in a statement back in 2009. “His top choices were a giant ant or a laser lion. While those would be cool species to discover, our research involves beetles, and they are ‘way cooler’ than a spider any day.”
Botanical artist Lucy Smith (left) and Kew Gardens’ scientific and botanical research horticulturalist Carlos Magdalena (right) pose for photographs with the Victoria Boliviana, a new botanical discovery named in honor of Queen Victoria, at Kew Gardens on July 01, 2022 in London, England. Despite specimens sitting in Kew’s Herbarium for 177 years, the waterlily was identified as a previously unrecognized species. Image: Leon Neal / Staff / Getty Images 2. Queen VictoriaThe famous British monarch doesn’t just have animal species named after her. She has a whole genus of giant waterlilies. Of course, the queen is also referenced in specific animal names, such as the large pigeon Goura victoria (Victoria crowned pigeon), and the Ornithoptera victoriae (Queen Victoria’s birdwing).
3. Leonardo DiCaprioWhile some argue that there could have been room for Jack next to Rose at the end of the Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio would have certainly drowned them all if he had climbed aboard with all the species named after him. The American actor inspired the names of the Cameroonian tree Uvariopsis dicaprio, the water beetle Grouvellinus leonardodicaprioi, and the frog Phyllonastes dicaprioi.
4. Harrison FordIndiana Jones is terrified of snakes, so he probably wouldn’t be too happy to discover that in 2023 the slithering species Tachymenoides harrisonfordi was named in honor of actor Harrison Ford and his environmental advocacy, among other things.
“These scientists keep naming critters after me, but it’s always the ones that terrify children. I don’t understand. I spend my free time cross-stitching. I sing lullabies to my basil plants, so they won’t fear the night,” Ford said in a statement. “In all seriousness, this discovery [of Tachymenoides harrisonfordi] is humbling. It’s a reminder that there’s still so much to learn about our wild world — and that humans are one small part of an impossibly vast biosphere.
The aforementioned critters include the spider Calponia harrisonfordi and the ant Pheidole harrisonfordi.
Arachnologist Norman Platnick first described this tiny spider in 1993 and named it after actor Harrison Ford as a thank you for his voice narration work on a documentary for the Natural History Museum in London. Image: Marshal Hedin / CC BY-SA 2.0 5. Barack ObamaThe former president has an entire Wikipedia page dedicated to things named after him, including an impressive number of organisms. There is the bee Lasioglossum obamai, the spider Spintharus barackobamai (which is in the same genus as Spintharus berniesandersi), and the waterbeetle Desmopachria barackobamai, among others. Like Queen Victoria, even Obama has a genus named after him, as seen in the (extinct) lizard Obamadon gracilis.
6. David AttenboroughLast but certainly not least, there are a whooping over 50 species that carry the name of broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough (though we would argue there should be a few species named specifically after his voice, too). These include the bird Polioptila attenboroughi, the carnivorous plant Nepenthes attenboroughii, and the Bolivian lichen Malmidea attenboroughii.
In Ask Us Anything, Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.
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Grab Amazon’s most popular telescope for just $96 while Artemis II orbits the moon - Popular Science
If the amazing images coming from Artemis II have you itching to look up into the sky, it’s time to grab a telescope. Amazon currently has the Gskyer 70mm refractor is down to $96.99 from $129.99. It’s a basic model, but it’s a solid starting point for beginners or an awesome affordable gift for someone with a budding curiosity about the cosmos. If you want to step up a bit, there are also a ton of Celestron scopes on sale for solid prices.
Gskyer 70mm Telescope $96.99 (was $129.99) amazon $129.99 $96.99 At under $100, this is a great place for a beginner to start.Gskyer
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The Gskyer 70mm uses a 400mm focal length refractor design and offers the same fundamental optical design as telescopes that cost many times more. The 70mm objective lens gathers enough light to resolve the Moon in sharp detail as well as other celestial bodies. It comes with two eyepieces (25mm and 10mm), a 3x Barlow lens that effectively triples your magnification options, and a smartphone adapter so you can photograph what you see.
If you want a real upgrade, the Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ offers superior aperture, more resolution, and a smartphone-guided mount that finds targets for you. It’s $428 (down from $499.95), which is about as aggressive as Celestron ever discounts this model outside of Black Friday.
Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 130AZ $428 (was $499.95) amazon $499.95 $398.99 Celestron’s StarSense system makes it simple to find interesting objects in the sky.Celestron
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The DX 130AZ steps up to a 130mm (5-inch) Newtonian reflector, nearly doubling the light-gathering area of a 70mm refractor and pulling in significantly more detail on the lunar surface. The StarSense tech is the real draw here. Drop your phone into the cradle, open the free StarSense Explorer app, and the telescope uses your phone’s camera to plate-solve the night sky in real time. Follow the on-screen arrows, push the scope until the bullseye turns green, and you’re looking at your target. You don’t have to worry about star charts, polar alignment, or other variables. It comes with 25mm and 10mm Plössl eyepieces, a red-dot finder, and a full-height tripod stable enough for the optics it’s carrying. For anyone who’s bounced off a first telescope because they couldn’t find anything in it, this is the model that fixes the problem.
If the DX 130AZ is more telescope than you need, Celestron’s broader Amazon storefront is running spring discounts across nearly the entire beginner and intermediate lineup. The smaller StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ runs the same smartphone-guided app in a lighter, cheaper package, the AstroMaster and PowerSeeker series cover the under-$200 entry tier, and the Travel Scope models are easy. The Nature DX binoculars are worth grabbing alongside any telescope for wide-field views of star clusters and the Milky Way that a telescope’s narrow field can’t match, and the NASA Lunar Telescope for Kids is a solid sub-$50 pick for anyone trying to turn an Artemis-obsessed kid into a lifelong stargazer.
- Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ App-Enabled Telescope $188.59 (was $259.95) — 27% off
- Celestron StarSense Explorer DX 102AZ App-Enabled Telescope $429.99 (was $489.95) — 12% off
- Celestron AstroMaster 70AZ Refractor Telescope $149.00 (was $199.95) — 25% off
- Celestron AstroMaster 102AZ Short-Tube Refractor Telescope $272.59 (was $359.95) — 24% off
- Celestron AstroMaster 114EQ Newtonian Telescope $244.97 (was $329.95) — 26% off
- Celestron PowerSeeker 127EQ Telescope $183.53 (was $229.95) — 20% off
- Celestron PowerSeeker 80EQ Telescope $167.59 (was $209.95) — 20% off
- Celestron 114LCM Computerized Newtonian Telescope $419.99 (was $479.95) — 12% off
- Celestron NexStar 90SLT Maksutov-Cassegrain Computerized Telescope $479.99 (was $599.95) — 20% off
- Celestron Travel Scope 70 Portable Refractor $84.99 (was $119.95) — 29% off
- Celestron Travel Scope 70DX Portable Refractor $103.59 (was $129.95) — 20% off
- Celestron Travel Scope 80 Portable Refractor $129.99 (was $149.95) — 13% off
- Celestron Nature DX 8×42 Binoculars $135.99 (was $179.95)
- NASA Lunar Telescope for Kids — 90x Magnification $47.99
The post Grab Amazon’s most popular telescope for just $96 while Artemis II orbits the moon appeared first on Popular Science.
Specialized introduces Vado 3 EVO, combining robust motor performance with advanced rider convenience and comfort - Popular Science
Specialized has long understood that a commuter bike shouldn’t feel like a compromise. A good experience should turn a dreary slog into the best slice of your day, which is why the Turbo Vado has been highlighted in PopSci electric commuter bike coverage: it’s an ebike that means less grind, more glide. The new Turbo Vado 3 EVO takes that city bike and upgrades it for when the road gets patchy, the errand list gets ambitious, and you might want to blow off some post-work steam with a dirt detour. Just add safety accessories.
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The core upgrade is that the Vado 3 EVO gets the full-power Specialized 3.1 motor system from the Turbo Levo eMTB: 810 watts of peak power, 105 Nm of torque, and an 840 Wh battery. That means the foundational experience doesn’t change by trim. Specialized claims 0 to 25 kph in three seconds, but the more useful translation is cleaner launches at lights, less strain on loaded climbs, and “SuperNatural” assist that feels pressed into your pedaling instead of dropped on top of it. The motor has also been tuned for quieter, smoother operation (which can be tweaked via app), and the vibration-conscious construction should feel more hushed than hectic.
The EVO-specific IP67 chassis, informed by Body Geometry and Ride Dynamics experts to reduce body pressure and increase rider confidence, is what gives the bike its wider comfort zone. A 120 mm suspension fork, 27.5-inch wheels front and rear, and 2.6-inch all-terrain tires offer a planted stance that should take the sting out of cratered streets, rough shoulders, and gravel shortcuts. [A base 4.0 model with Shimano CUES 9-Speed drivetrain plus Shimano BR-MT200 180mm hydraulic disc brakes weighs 63 lbs.] At the 5.0/6.0 trim levels, a lowerable seatpost with 40 mm of built-in suspension at the touch of a button makes for easier feet-flat stops in traffic, then a quick return to a more efficient pedaling height once you’re rolling. Add a MIK-HD-compatible rated for 27 kg rear rack with integrated brake light, optional 10 kg front rack capacity, child-seat approval, trailer compatibility, and multiple mounting points, and the Vado 3 EVO starts to look less like a commuter bike and more like a full-power platform for Monday’s laptop-and-lunch crawl to a Saturday farmer’s market haul, with a school dropoff and/or long ramble in between.
Specialized says the 840 Wh battery is good for up to five hours of ride-anywhere range, and the optional 280 Wh Range Extender pushes total capacity to 1,120 Wh. Charging also sounds unusually painless: the standard 5-amp charger gets the bike full in less than four hours, while the optional Smart Charger can take it from 0 to 80 percent in under an hour. That’s less “overnight recovery,” more “coffee stop with benefits.”
The trim story is refreshingly straightforward. The ride quality, motor output, and battery range stay the same across the line, so the lowest trim still gets the full-fat Vado 3 EVO experience. Move up the ladder to the 5.0 build and you add Shimano 11-Speed RAPIDFIRE PLUS drivetrain, TEKTRO HD-T5040 4-Piston Caliper brakes, plus more of a premium convenience layer: the integrated 2.2-inch touchscreen MasterMind display, low- and high-beam lighting, a manual wheel lock system, optional Quad Lock phone mounting with wireless charging, and Apple Find My. On the 6.0 model, Specialized makes all that stock and piles on even more goodies with a digital lock system, upgraded Rock Shox Psylo suspension fork, SRAM Eagle AXS wireless shifting, a front rack, Garmin radar, custom SRAM DB DB6 brakes, and a more polished metallic finish. [In total, those additions bring the 6.0’s weight up to 68 lbs.]
With the Vado 3 EVO, commuting is more purr, less grrrr, and just the beginning of this bike’s daily-life integration.
The post Specialized introduces Vado 3 EVO, combining robust motor performance with advanced rider convenience and comfort appeared first on Popular Science.
Is ‘lab-grown’ meat actually safe? - Popular Science
In 2023, the U.S. government approved the sale of “lab-grown” chicken after it passed food safety tests.
Lab-grown meat, also called “cultivated” or “cultured” meat, is meat grown in a lab instead of on a farm. Scientists take a few cells from an animal and put them in a tank called a bioreactor with nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. The cells grow and multiply until they form muscle tissue—the same stuff that makes up the meat people eat.
Because no animal has to be killed, cultivated meat is better for animal welfare. The environmental impact is still debated: cultivated meat could be better or worse for the planet depending on the type of energy used to power the factories that make it.
But what about the big question: Is it actually healthy to eat?
Lab-grown meat is nutritionally similar—but not identical—to conventional meatLab-grown meat is designed to be as close to the real thing as possible in terms of look, taste, and nutrition, but it’s not a perfect copy.
Conventional meat contains all nine essential amino acids (protein building blocks), which the human body cannot produce on its own, as well as various non-essential amino acids. It is also a source of B vitamins and several mineral nutrients, including iron and zinc.
According to Dr. Tim Spector, an epidemiologist at King’s College London and co-founder of the nutrition science company ZOE, “the protein quality and amino acid profile of cultivated meat is generally similar to conventional meat, with all essential amino acids present but with varying ratios.”
And what about the vitamin and mineral content? “There is still limited published data on how closely real-world cultivated meat products match conventional meat for these micronutrients,” Spector says.
Early research suggests that some nutrients may be lower in lab-grown meat, while others could be equal—or even higher, says Noah Praamsma, a registered dietitian nutritionist and a nutrition education coordinator with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
At an agricultural expo in Hangzhou in east China’s Zhejiang province, a piece of lab-grown rainbow trout meat is displayed in November 2024. Image: Feature China / Contributor / Getty ImagesOne study found that, compared with regular chicken meat, lab-grown chicken had less protein, lower amounts of most essential amino acids, less magnesium, and less vitamin B3. However, it had more total fat, more saturated fat, more cholesterol, and higher levels of vitamins B5, B6, and A. Lab-grown chicken also contained higher amounts of several minerals, including calcium, copper, iron, potassium, manganese, sodium, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc.
In conventional meat, nutrients build up in animal tissues over the animal’s lifetime through diet, microbes in the animal’s gut, and normal metabolism, explains Spector. Replicating that complex process in a lab environment is difficult, although technology is making great strides.
Lab-grown meat could be healthier than conventional meatOne of the biggest promises of lab-grown meat is that, unlike conventional meat, its nutritional content can potentially be fine-tuned during production.
“In practice, this might mean aiming for less saturated fat and more unsaturated fat and enriching the product with beneficial fatty acids such as omega-3,” says Spector. This may come with a few trade-offs, as fat plays a major role in how meat tastes and feels, he says.
Another benefit of cultivated meat comes from the way it’s produced—in a sterile lab environment. This contrasts with traditional meat farming where manure is present and can—potentially—come into contact with meat. Lab-grown meat might improve the food safety concerns associated with large-scale animal farming, Praamsma says.
Lab-grown meat falls under the ‘ultra-processed food’ umbrellaBecause of how lab-grown meat is made—through an industrial process, and with added ingredients—it would probably count as an ultra-processed food, says Spector.
“But ‘processed’ doesn’t automatically mean unhealthy,” he says. “What matters is the quality of the final product, what’s added, how it affects the gut microbiome, and what it replaces in the diet.”
Nutritionally, lab-grown meat is much like regular meat: low in fiber and high in saturated fat. “But in theory, it could be designed to have an improved nutrient profile,” Spector says, for instance with more iron or vitamin B12 and less saturated fat.
Still, tweaking the nutrient mix doesn’t erase the health concerns linked to eating meat. “Decades of research shows that diets emphasizing whole plant foods are consistently associated with better long-term health outcomes than diets high in meat, whether conventional or novel,” says Praamsma. Simply swapping conventional meat for lab-grown versions isn’t likely to deliver the same benefits as adding more fruits, vegetables, and legumes to your plate, he points out.
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Its long-term impact on health is unknownAt the moment, we don’t yet know how eating lab-grown meat affects health in the long run.
“Studies evaluating its long-term health outcomes relative to traditional meat do not yet exist,” says Praamsma.
Spector agrees. “No clinical trials have been conducted to date, which means we don’t have data on its impact on any health conditions or allergies. This includes the impact on our gut microbiome.”
The bottom lineNutritionally, lab-grown meat is much like regular meat, though it isn’t an exact copy. On the upside, it could be designed to be healthier, and because it’s made in a clean lab, it may lower the risk of contamination compared with farm-raised meat.
But we still don’t know how eating lab-grown meat affects our health long-term. Based on what we know now, diets rich in whole plant foods are still the best way to improve overall health.
In Ask Us Anything, Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.
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THIEAUDIO Hype 4 MKII IEMs & Cypher headphones review: Happy to meet audiophiles in the middle - Popular Science
THIEAUDIO has spent years building trust and a following by packing serious tuning obsessions into attainable gear. Since launching under Linsoul and rising fast on the strength of models like the Monarch line, the Chinese brand has not been subtle in its ambitions to offer boutique-level configurations without boutique-level pricing. While THIEAUDIO has launched compelling kilobuck+ flagships, the sweet spot has been mid-fi products for obsessives on a budget. And the Hype 4 MKII IEM and Cypher semi-open headphones feel like a sharper extension of that focus. At $399 each, they arrive in very different shapes but chase similar ends: sound with more poise and precision, but with just enough mischief left in it.
The buildAn update to a 2023 forums favorite, the Hype 4 MK II is a six-driver hybrid in-ear monitor rebuilt from the ground up in an enclosure machined from durable anodized aluminum. Underneath an iridescent inlay are the brand’s latest IMPACT2 dual-8mm sub-bass system paired with four updated Knowles balanced armatures. The Cypher, meanwhile, is a new 50mm dynamic-driver wired headphone built from aerospace-grade aluminum, stainless steel, lambskin, and enough confidence to debut at a CanJam and act like it belongs there.
Tony Ware
See ItThe Hype 4 MKII’s IMPACT2 low-end system features composite-diaphragm dynamic drivers in a proprietary pneumatic acoustic chamber, then hands the rest of the spectrum to a stack that’s pure modern hybrid maximalism: two RAB-series drivers for the lower mids, an ED-33465 handling upper mids and lower treble, and a RAD-33518 ultra-tweeter pushed up near the nozzle for extra extension. On paper, that adds up to a four-way crossover, six total drivers, an 18-ohm load, 101dB sensitivity at 1 kHz, and a quoted 5 Hz to 22 kHz frequency response. In practice, it’s easy to drive from ordinary sources, but tuned with the kind of fixated care that makes every sonic edge feel just as filed and fitted as the physical casing.
Accompanying the IEMs in the small rectangular hard case, you’ll find a detachable modular cable made with 6N ultra-pure monocrystalline copper and accompanied by easily swappable 4.4mm balanced and 3.5mm unbalanced plugs. Additionally, there’s a selection of silicone and memory foam ear tips, though I ended up swapping to a pair of Divinus Velvet Wide Bore and doing most of my listening from FiiO M27 and iBasso DX340 [AMP15] DAPs.
Tony War
See ItThe Cypher uses a newly developed 50mm dynamic driver built around a 20-core N45 magnetic array, a semi-crystalline polymer-and-rubber composite diaphragm, and a high-tension copper-aluminum composite voice coil. The shell is equally intentional: swiveling CNC-machined single-block aerospace-grade aluminum earcups, a stainless-steel headband with a carbon-fiber-like surface treatment, a supple suspended lambskin strap with fabric-covered segmented padding on the underbelly, velour-and-memory-foam magnetically mounted pads, and a final weight of 411 grams.
The grille’s geometric weave has a fabric-like appearance with an almost Meze Audio-lite industrial elegance. The Cypher is rated at 32 ohms, 96dB sensitivity, and 20 Hz to 20 kHz—easy enough to run off a laptop, though clearly happier when given a little dignity upstream, which is why I tried them with the TEAC UD-507/HA-507 stack and a Schiit Audio Jotunheim 3.
Included in the surprisingly low-profile leatherette carrying bag [the Cypher pivots flat] is a detachable 1.5-meter (4.9 ft.) braided cable with a nylon-braided exterior and 3.5mm/6.3mm gold-plated connectors. And if you want to upgrade to a balanced option, the Cypher’s dual mono inputs are aftermarket-friendly.
The soundThe Hype 4 MKII is an extroverted IEM, but not a messy one. For many familiar with the fun-tilted original, it will be surprisingly clean and controlled. In the low end, adrenaline’s sparks have been exchanged for dopamine’s slow burn. Bass still hits with a tight, piston-like punch that gives kick drums a beveled edge and synth lines real body. But it’s not bloated.
The stated tuning profile takes inspiration from studio monitors paired with a subwoofer, and the sharp 150Hz bass shelf supports that. There’s also a gentle nudge around 400Hz that brings warmth to the lower midrange, pushing it closer to a more Meta tuning. Compared to the original’s woozier woofer, however, it’s more disciplined than indulgent. Up top and across the stage, the Hype 4 MKII sounds more separated and sorted than before, so even busy mixes stay tidy rather than slumped together.
The psychedelic flourishes of an album like Beck’s Sea Change float through with a kind of narcotic clarity, all shimmer, sigh, and negative space. There is, admittedly, some heat on top, a little treble flare, but that quicksilver snap contributes to a sense of speed and keeps haloed layers of phosphorescence detail neatly banked instead of throwing the whole balance off. This V-shaped incisive approach might be excessive for heavily compressed, high-octane genres except in moderation, but this heightened imaging is perfectly suited for more organically unfurling selections.
The Cypher takes the opposite approach, with a warm-neutral, mids-forward response that’s less about attention or extension and more about staying power. This is the kind of headphone you can listen to for hours because it would rather reveal than dazzle.
The Cypher’s bass is more planted than punishing, but it’s got grip for an open-back. It’s not thin and keeps low-end info intact, yet it’s defiantly uninterested in showing off. And the upper register has an anchoring, almost uncanny natural timbre, even if it’s not the most expansive. Treble is smooth, not spotlight-hungry, offering presence without glare. There are microdynamics, but they don’t chase spray-on sparkle so much as help coax pressure shifts from recordings.
Much like its closest spiritual cousins, the Sennheiser HD 600/650, rich, realistic vocal presence is the Cypher’s ultimate strength. But with more sub-bass staging. That same Beck album goes from prismatic reflection to lysergic confession. It’s laid out in a well-lit theater that’s wider than it is deep, spacious enough to sort every element’s honest intent but always kept to an intimate scale. If you’re monitoring for emotional weight, the Cypher lets it settle in your lap. Compared to the romantic voicing of similarly positioned Meze Audio headphones, the Cypher shows a mature restraint. The headphone is no longer demanding you constantly shift your attention; it’s keeping you company, handing you orange slices and telling you to relax.
The verdictIf the Hype 4 MKII is all velocity and contour, the Cypher is texture and tact. If the Hype 4 MKII reveals the foundation and framing of a track, the Cypher is the fixtures and fittings. Which is right for you comes down to whether you vibe more with a nervy display or deliberate composure. THIEAUDIO’s latest mid-fi one-two punch at $399 not only broadens the lineup, but it also clarifies the brand. One product says THIEAUDIO can still do spectacle; the other says it may finally know when not to.
The post THIEAUDIO Hype 4 MKII IEMs & Cypher headphones review: Happy to meet audiophiles in the middle appeared first on Popular Science.
Giant Jell-O measures crowd volume in wobbles - Popular Science
Sports arenas across the United States could soon have a new, jiggly way to measure the excitement of a game. Jell-O, the company most known for its physics-defying gelatin dessert, is introducing a device it says can calculate fan intensity in a stadium and then visually represent that data in real time as a jiggling mass of Jell-O. The rowdier the crowd gets, the more the Jell-O jiggles. The company is calling its bizarre invention the JELL-OMETER. It’s already been used at a professional hockey game in New York and is expected to be on its way to other stadiums soon.
Anyone who has been to a sporting event has likely seen messages on the jumbotron urging fans to “Get Loud” and cheer. Those systems typically use decibel readers to measure sound.
The JELL-OMETER takes a different approach and tries to measure fan energy instead. The company claims the device uses “proprietary plate-sensing” technology to capture sound pressure from the crowd’s cheers. That sound pressure is then converted into mechanical motion and presented as a shaking mold of Jell-O.
The energy is measured in “jiggles”on a scale of one to 10. One jiggle is roughly equivalent to a microwave, while 10 is supposedly the same as a small earthquake rumble. No word yet on how many the small earthquakes generated at Taylor Swift concerts would be.
Related: [What a Jell-O brain tells us about the future of human-machine interaction]
The company says that their goal is to create an “interactive way to experience crowd intensity.” Priming fans to get up and buy a packet of the jiggly substance probably doesn’t hurt either.
“As the inventors of the jiggle more than 125 years ago, we knew we had a unique opportunity to visually measure sound in a way no one else could,” Kathryn O’Brien, the Kraft Heinz Company’s head of marketing for desserts, said in a statement.
“With the JELL-OMETER, we’re bringing the iconic Jell-O jiggle to sports to give the fans something they’ve long waited for—the opportunity to secure bragging rights on who has the most passionate fanbase.”
The JELL-OMETER has already seen some action. On Friday, the device was trialed at a professional hockey game between the New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Flyers. This clip posted on Instagram shows the device registering “5.8” jiggles.
View this post on Instagram Loud crowds can win gamesSports fans aren’t shy about getting loud. In 2014, Kansas City Chiefs fans broke the Guinness World Record for loudest crowd roar at a sports stadium, belting out an ear-blistering 142.2 decibels—roughly equivalent to the sound of a jet taking off. That record beat the one set by Chiefs fans in 2013.
And while the rowdy fans certainly played a role, the stadium has also earned a reputation for being particularly loud, something reportedly attributed to a pair of canopies that cover a large portion of the seats. That coverage protects fans from rain, but it also serves a secondary purpose of amplifying sound.
Some particularly crafty sports teams have also been known to use a stadium’s loudness to their advantage. The Houston Astros famously opted to keep their roof closed during the 2017 World Series, even when the weather was fine, in a deliberate attempt to amplify the crowd noise bouncing back down from the roof. They ended up winning that series four to three.
The science behind the JELL-OMETER. Image: JELL-OJell-O makes it clear they aren’t pulling for any one team in particular. The company said it is looking to introduce its device to more stadiums and is gathering feedback from fans to see which cities might be prime candidates.
“The JELL-OMETER doesn’t take sides,” O’Brien said. “It just measures the madness.”
The post Giant Jell-O measures crowd volume in wobbles appeared first on Popular Science.
iPhone Fold potrebbe essere in ritardo, problemi in fase pre-produzione - TheAppleLounge
iPhone Fold potrebbe essere in ritardo, problemi in fase pre-produzione - TheAppleLounge
Spuntano le ultime indiscrezioni su iPhone 18 e iPhone Air 2 - TheAppleLounge
Spuntano le ultime indiscrezioni su iPhone 18 e iPhone Air 2 - TheAppleLounge
The World in Motion - Google Maps Mania
The World in Motion - Google Maps Mania
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Skechers just dropped prices on its best walking shoes for National Walking Month - Popular Science
May is National Walking Month, and if you’ve been meaning to upgrade your walking form, decent shoes make a big difference. Skechers is running a sitewide Buy One, Get One 50% off sale right now (or 20 percent off a single pair). That includes the GO WALK line, which has a name that doubles as good advice. This line of kicks was built specifically for putting in miles on foot, with arch support, firm-but-cushioned midsoles, and that Slip-ins heel design that lets you step in without reaching down. Here are the deals to check out before your next stroll.
Skechers GO WALK Glide-Step 2.0 – Venus (Women’s) $79.99 (was $100.00) The robust cushioning has benefits all the way up your leg.,Skechers
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The Venus is the best straightforward deal in the GO WALK lineup right now. It’s already marked down 20 percent to $79.99 without a promo code. It’s a laceless knit slip-on with Skechers’ Hands Free Slip-ins heel, so you step in and go. If you’re looking to build a walking habit this spring, this is a low-commitment entry point that won’t wreck your feet or your wallet. Note: this particular shoe is excluded from the BOGO promo, so the $79.99 is your final price.
Skechers
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The Jesper is the top-of-the-line men’s option here, and the one most worth pairing in the BOGO deal. It’s $120 at full price, but buy it alongside any other pair and that second shoe drops to half off. That’s two pairs of GO WALK shoes for $180 total. What sets this one apart from the cheaper Glide-Steps is the Arch Fit insole (removable, podiatrist-designed) and the APMA Seal of Acceptance, which means the American Podiatric Medical Association actually reviewed it.
Skechers
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The Areena is essentially the women’s counterpart to the Jesper above. It has the same APMA certification, same Arch Fit insole, same Max Cushioning midsole stack. Some colorways are already marked down to $94.99 from $120, and it’s BOGO-eligible on top of that. The real move here is pairing it with the Jesper for the BOGO deal. That’s $120 for the first pair, $60 for the second, so you and a walking partner can both upgrade for $180 total heading into the warmer months.
The men’s side of the GO WALK lineup is heavy on Slip-ins models in the $95–$120 range. The Jonah is the budget pick if you still want Arch Fit support without the Slip-ins heel, and the Pelayo and Day are solid entry-level options under $100.
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Glide-Step 2.0 – Zac (Men’s) $105.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Glide-Step 2.0 – Maser (Men’s) $105.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Glide-Step 2.0 – Cozy Fit Walker (Men’s) $105.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Arch Fit 2.0 – Percy (Men’s) $105.00
- GO WALK Max Cushioning Arch Fit – Jonah (Men’s) $100.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK 8 – Pelayo (Men’s) $95.00
- GO Walk 8 – Day (Men’s) $85.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Flex – Hands Up (Men’s) $85.00
- GO WALK Max Cushioning Flex – Raf (Men’s) $80.00
The women’s selection is bigger and has a wider price spread. The GO WALK Joy – Vela is marked down to $59.99, making it the cheapest Slip-ins walking shoe in the sale, and the Max Cushioning Flex starts at just $64.99 depending on color. Most of these are BOGO-eligible.
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Glide-Step 2.0 – Cozy Fit Walker (Women’s) $105.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Glide-Step 2.0 – Nessa (Women’s) $105.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Glide-Step 2.0 – Elektra (Women’s) $105.00
- GO WALK Max Cushioning Arch Fit – Roslyn (Women’s) $100.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Max Cushioning Flex – Remi (Women’s) $100.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK 8 – Mikayla (Women’s) $100.00
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK 8 – Nova (Women’s) $95.00
- GO WALK Glide-Step 2.0 – Chelsea (Women’s) $90.00
- GO WALK Air 3.0 – Ree (Women’s) $90.00
- GO WALK Arch Fit 2.0 – Cassy (Women’s) $85.00
- GO WALK Glide-Step 2.0 – Kristee (Women’s) $85.00
- GO WALK 8 – Julietta (Women’s) $75.00
- GO WALK Max Cushioning Flex – Stormi (Women’s) $75.00
- GO WALK Max Cushioning Flex (Women’s) from $64.99
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Now – Khloe (Women’s) from $62.99 (was $90.00)
- Skechers Slip-ins: GO WALK Joy – Vela (Women’s) $59.99 (was $85.00)
The above sale is part of Skechers’ sitewide event: Buy One, Get One 50% off (or 20% off a single pair), applied at cart. Some sale items are excluded from the BOGO promo. Shop the full GO WALK lineup here.
The post Skechers just dropped prices on its best walking shoes for National Walking Month appeared first on Popular Science.
06 Apr 2026
How to rescue an old laptop by installing Linux on it - Popular Science
No matter how sprightly and speedy your laptop was when you first bought it, it will inevitably slow down to a sluggish pace eventually. And it’s when you reach this point that you can’t really put off an upgrade any longer.
However, there is an alternative way forward: Install Linux. While it’s not as well known as Windows or macOS, Linux has been around since the early 1990s and is comfortable running on laptops and desktop computers. It’s capable, well maintained and regularly updated, and completely free to use.
Importantly for our purposes here, Linux is also lightweight. Its demands on your system can be much lower than software from Microsoft and Apple, and that means your old laptop components can be given a new lease of life.
Due to the proprietary way Apple fuses its hardware and software together, this is really only something to attempt on Windows laptops (you can install Linux on a Mac, but it’s complicated—especially on newer models). So, if you have a creaking Windows laptop that needs a Linux refresh, here’s how to go about it.
What is Linux? Linux Lite is one of the options available to you. Screenshot: Linux LiteLinux is actually a collective name for a whole host of different-but-related operating systems known as distros. You don’t actually install Linux, you install one of the distros in the Linux family: Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Debian, and Fedora are some of the most popular, though there are dozens to pick from.
Linux isn’t as widely used as either Windows or macOS, and so generally, you’ll find less software available for it. There’s no Photoshop for Linux, for example, though there are some very capable (and free) alternatives. That said, several big name apps are available on the Linux platform, including Google Chrome and Spotify.
Some Linux distros focus particularly on being as lightweight and as minimal as possible, and these are the ones to look for if you’re wanting to save an old laptop. They’ll go easy on the aging components in your system, and you should see snappier performance than you do with Microsoft Windows.
Your options here include Puppy Linux, Lubuntu, and the appropriately named Linux Lite—and you’ll be able to find several other lightweight options if you search around on the web. There’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to which one to pick. Have a look at the screenshots and documentation and decide which one fits your current needs.
We’d recommend all three mentioned above, but whichever Linux distro you go for, you should find plenty of help along the way. Generally speaking, Linux users (and distro developers) are generous and community-spirited, and if you need assistance with anything, there are multiple resources to turn to online.
How to install Linux Rufus will take care of putting your Linux image on a USB drive. Screenshot: RufusWhatever flavor of Linux you’re installing, first you need to back up everything currently on your Windows laptop: A Linux install will wipe everything currently on your hard drive. Thankfully, backing up is easier than it used to be, and we’ve got a full guide here. If you use something like OneDrive, Dropbox, or Google Drive, you might already be covered.
With all your data safely copied elsewhere, there are a few different ways to install Linux over the top of Windows, but the most straightforward is to grab a spare USB drive and put all the Linux installation files on it. Exactly how you go about this will depend on the distro you’re using, but the steps are broadly similar, and each distro will usually come with extensive instructions for installing it.
Let’s take Lubuntu as an example, as the installation process here is fairly typical. The first step is downloading an image (or ISO) of the distro to your computer (it can be the one you’re upgrading or a different one). This image is simply the Linux software itself (and it will be quite a hefty download), though it’s not yet in a form you can run an installation program from.
Next, you need an app to put the image on your USB drive. The Windows tool usually recommended for this is Rufus, which is free to download and use. Once it’s up and running, you can simply point it towards the Linux distro image you downloaded earlier, and your connected USB drive, and it will take care of the rest.
The final step is booting your laptop from the USB drive rather than its hard drive, which will then present you with the Linux setup program, which you can follow step by step. How you switch to booting from USB will depend on your laptop, but typically you press a key like F2 or Del while the laptop is starting up—look for a message on screen right after turning your computer on, or check online for further instructions.
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Mathematicians figured out the perfect espresso - Popular Science
People love a good cup of coffee, but how do you get a perfect brew? Barring philosophical deep dives into the nature of perfection, an international team of mathematicians and environmental scientists believe that it’s entirely possible to calculate the ideal espresso. Not only that, but they now have the formulas to back it up. The math detailed in their study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science is dense. But the short answer is that’s all about puck size.
Picture the typical espresso machine at your favorite cafe. The small dish into which your friendly barista tamps coffee grounds is called the puck. After inserting it into the machine, hot water flows through the receptacle and molecularly absorbs the beans’ flavor, hue, and (most importantly) caffeine.
The quality of the final espresso depends on many aspects, including how the grounds are packed, how long water passes through the coffee, and the size of the grounds themselves. It’s always been difficult to accurately predict how a cup of espresso changes based on these variabilities.
To get a better sense of how these different factors interact, researchers ground Tumba beans from Rwanda and Guayacán beans from Colombia into 11 sizes ranging from extremely fine to coarse. They then placed each variant into tubes before using a visualization technology called X-ray computed micro-tomography (XCT). The technique generated 3D maps of each sample’s internal structures, complete with passageways between grains, known as pore spaces, that are impossible to see with the human eye.
Here is where the experiments began to percolate—literally. Using digital flow tests, the team simulated water flow through each sample based on percolation theory, a subset of physics focused on fluid movement between connected spaces. Researchers were particularly interested in understanding how well each sample’s pore space facilitated uninterrupted water routes through the puck. Basically, they brewed a lot of coffee on a computer.
After comparing the results from different coffee grounds, the study’s authors could finally design an equation that calculates how easily water permeates coffee grounds. They also concluded they found the formulas are in “excellent agreement” with their percolation theory, offering a practical way to express coffee ground size and packing as they relate to saturation.
The main factors are pore space connectivity, grain size, and surface area, as well as how they are packed. All these variables influence how much time water remains in physical contact with the coffee, thereby taking on its flavor profile. More time and contact typically means stronger flavors, and the best way to maximize that is to get as much of the water to flow over the surface area of coffee grounds.
The study’s conclusions are less about altering your personal approach to espresso-making, and more about introducing methods for improving industry equipment. Integrating their formulations into machine settings will allow for more customized grinds, improved filtration, and even better brews.
In the meantime, go with your gut. If it’s a perfect espresso to you, then that’s all that matters.
The post Mathematicians figured out the perfect espresso appeared first on Popular Science.
Rome unleashed an ancient ‘machine gun’ on Pompeii - Popular Science
Battlescars etched into the stone walls of Pompeii may offer the first known evidence of a mechanical weapon that was thousands of years ahead of its time. Archaeologists at Italy’s University of Campania believe Roman soldiers utilized a polybolos—a machine designed to fire multiple metal-tipped bolt projectiles in quick succession. Essentially, an ancient machine gun. Their argument is detailed in a recent study published in the journal Heritage.
Pompeii is most famous for its destruction in the wake of the Mount Vesuvius eruption in 79 CE. Nearly 170 years earlier, however, its residents weathered another cataclysm.
In 89 BCE, Rome dispatched forces under the command of general Lucius Cornelius Sulla to lay siege to the city. It was one of multiple campaigns amid the Social Wars (91–87 BCE), a conflict that saw multiple autonomous allies in Italy pushing back against Roman rule.
In the battle, Sulla directed troops to specifically target Pompeii’s northern walls near the Herculaneum and Vesuvio gates, where they proceeded to inundate the city’s resistance with heavy artillery fire.
Scale comparison of two detailed textured mesh models: on the left, (A) ballistic impact of a spherical stone projectile; on the right, (B) fan-shaped groups of smaller quadrangular impacts. Credit: Rossi, et al.The city ultimately surrendered and was annexed under Roman rule, but evidence of the battery is still visible in some of the remaining stone walls. Ballistae—large machines resembling oversized crossbows—provided most of the force. Aside from human casualties, ballistae projectiles also left behind circular dents and chips in the damaged fortifications.
But some areas of the walls tell a different story. Instead of ballistae markings, certain sections feature small, four-sided pits grouped near one another. Researchers recognized these as the telltale signs of a wholly different type of weapon: the polybolos.
Invented by the Greek engineer Dionysius of Alexandria during the 3rd century BCE, writings describe the polybolos as vastly different from other contemporary siege tools. Instead of the torque-power used by ballistrae, the polybolos relied on mechanical chains and gears. Operators could then load a magazine with multiple bolts and fire them in quick succession. Philo of Byzantium even described the weapon as a “repeating catapult,” a precursor to machine gun technology not seen for another 2,000 years.
Unfortunately, the polybolos has always posed a problem for archaeologists—there was no physical evidence of its existence, only textual accounts.
However, researchers at the University of Campania now believe they finally identified direct effects of the weapons at Pompeii. They reached their conclusions after employing high-resolution laser scans, detailed imaging analysis, and 3D modeling to examine the stone wall impact clusters. Next, they used this information to determine the ammunition’s size, shape, and force of firing.
In most cases, the damage was only a few centimeters deep. This indicates that metal-tipped bolts, not stone ballistics, caused the indentations.
The regular, close-spacing, and fan-shaped distribution further indicates the use of a repeating weapon instead of individual shots. So while archaeologists don’t have the polybolos itself, they can point to evidence of its destructive capabilities.
If true, the discovery helps recontextualize not only the siege at Pompeii, but the history of military technology. The first mentions of the polybolos trace back to the Greek city of Rhodes, which predated Rome by more than 300 years.
Meanwhile, the general Sulla is known to have studied advanced technological breakthroughs from the eastern Mediterranean. Taken together, it seems that Roman forces likely incorporated these mechanical Greek designs into their own military campaigns—designs that would not reemerge in warfare for hundreds, if not thousands, of years.
The post Rome unleashed an ancient ‘machine gun’ on Pompeii appeared first on Popular Science.
Xtracycle Swoop ASM review: The family cargo electric bike that adapts to your day - Popular Science
Cargo bikes are supposed to solve problems. School drop-offs. Grocery runs. The “we forgot one thing” trips that somehow turn into a bag full of impulse buys. The Xtracycle Swoop ASM shows up ready for all of it, but the surprise is that it never really stops feeling like a bike.
Somewhere between getting used to the weight and realizing how quickly you can adjust it for a different rider, it clicks: this isn’t just about replacing a car. It’s about having one bike that can flex with everything your day throws at it.
Heather Kuldell-Ware
See It Pros- Flexible longtail design works well for kids, cargo, and daily errands
- Excellent fit range—ideal for households with multiple riders
- Still rides like a bike, even when fully loaded
- Strong car-replacement potential for short trips
- Comes well-equipped with accessories that would otherwise cost hundreds
- Large footprint requires dedicated storage space
- Tough to manage in tight indoor areas or crowded bike racks
- Not ideal for walk-ups or apartments without easy access
- Long wheelbase makes tight turns and maneuvering in small spaces tricky
For families hauling kids and swapping riders, the Swoop ASM from Priority Bicycles‘ sister brand Xtracycle hits the sweet spot—capable enough to replace car trips, but still feels like, well, a bike.
How we tested the Xtracycle Swoop ASMI’m a pretty average-height mom rider at 5’4”, which means I care a lot about how approachable a bike feels, especially when it’s loaded with kids. Most of my riding happens on a mix of neighborhood streets, bike lanes, and multi-use paths around a dense D.C.-area suburb. To test the Swoop ASM, I leaned into exactly what it’s built for: hauling a rotating trio of my elementary school-aged extended family on stop-and-go rides.
I also used it for grocery runs and random errands, most of which happened in less-than-ideal conditions thanks to a surprisingly snowy winter and an especially wet spring. In other words, it was a perfect testing ground to see how the Swoop ASM holds up when it’s part of the daily routine.
Design and features: Built to carry more and fit more peopleIf you’re shopping for a cargo e-bike, start with one question: What are you carrying—and how often? Kids, groceries, gear, or some chaotic mix of all three?
If kids are involved (especially more than one), you’re likely choosing between front-loaders and longtails. Front-loaders (with the big box up front) are great for heavy loads and keeping an eye on passengers, but they’re big. Very big. Longtails are the do-it-all option—great for kids and errands—and easier to ride solo once everyone’s been dropped off.
The Swoop ASM lands firmly in the longtail camp, which, for most families, is the sweet spot. It’s built to carry multiple kids and a solid amount of cargo without making you feel like you’re suddenly a pedicab driver.
At its core is Xtracycle’s “mullet” wheel setup—a 24-inch front wheel for smoother rolling and a smaller 20-inch rear wheel that lowers the center of gravity and reduces any tippy feeling during turns. It pairs that with a Shimano EP6 mid-drive motor, a front suspension fork, and big 203mm four-piston brakes—so it’s well-equipped for hills, stops, and fully loaded rides.
But what really makes it work for families is the fit. The Swoop ASM accommodates riders from 4’10” to 6’5″, with a low-step-through 4130 Chromoly steel frame, a dropper post for quick adjustments, and an adjustable stem to dial things in. The shortest partner—usually but not always a mom—often falls into the trap of dealing with a cargo bike that’s a little too big, partly because manufacturers tend to underserve the inseam-challenged. Don’t do this. If a family is buying a bike for multiple adults to ride, it must comfortably fit both of them.
The Swoop ASM also shows up surprisingly ready to go. The included front rack, passenger bars, footrests, wheel skirts, and MIK [Mounting Is Key] HD-compatible rear deck cover what most families end up buying anyway—saving both setup time and a few hundred dollars in add-ons.
Performance and ride feel: Still feels like a bike“This might be a terrible idea” is probably the first thought when you push off with two kids on the back of any bike. They’re talking, shifting, maybe leaning at exactly the wrong moment.
About five minutes in, you settle in. You stop overthinking every turn as the bike starts to feel steady and predictable.
Riding with kids quickly becomes cooperative. You give them a heads-up—“we’re turning,” “lean with me,” “hill coming”—and they respond. They’re more engaged than they’d be in a car, and it all gels faster than you’d expect. Yes, they wiggle. Yes, they reach for crosswalk buttons. But it’s manageable.
That’s what makes the Swoop ASM stand out. For a bike designed to carry this much, it rides surprisingly like a normal bike—and a big part of that is how little you have to think about it while you’re moving.
The Shimano Di2 automatic shifting plays into that. You’ve got three assist levels on the left and simple button shifting on the right. I found the first assist level worked well for groceries, while the second felt better with a full load of kids.
There’s a tendency to rely on assist instead of shifting, but you really need to use both. If you forget to downshift before a stop, you feel it—and you have to work a lot harder to get moving again.
You notice the weight most at starts and on steeper hills, where the long tail reminds you there’s more bike behind you. But once you’re rolling, it fades. Even loaded up with groceries—I did a beverage run for sparking waters one time—it stays balanced, especially if you keep the weight low and centered.
On a range test, with lights on and max assist, I still managed about 25 miles on a windy spring day. The bike wasn’t loaded, but I did have my husband on his road bike chasing me—and he was putting in a lot more effort than he expected when I said I’d be on a cargo bike.
So, who should buy the Xtracycle Swoop ASM?The Swoop ASM is a standout choice for families who want one bike to do a lot—especially if it needs to work for multiple riders and a mix of passengers and cargo.
The longtail design makes it especially well-suited for families with elementary school-aged kids and up. If you’ve got younger kids—or riders prone to falling asleep—adding a child seat is a smart move for peace of mind. That said, the MIK-compatible rear deck adds real flexibility because you’re not locked into Xtracycle’s accessories. There are plenty of third-party options.
It’s also a better value than it first appears. The included accessories—especially the front rack, which quickly became a favorite—along with footrests and wheel guards to keep little feet out of spokes, cover a lot of what families typically end up buying anyway. Outfitting another cargo bike like this can easily add a few hundred dollars, so it’s nice not to start from zero. Like most cargo bikes, the Xtracycle Swoop ASM is big with a 54-inch wheelbase. It can fit through a standard doorway, but tight turns and small indoor spaces are a challenge, and locking it up at crowded bike racks can be awkward. It’s best suited for someone with a garage or generous storage space. Apartment living isn’t impossible, but it’s more challenging than a typical commuter or folding ebike, so ground-floor access or a roomy elevator will make a big difference.
Tech Specs SpecDetailMotorShimano mid-drive motor with Di2 automatic shiftingBattery630WhRemoveable BatteryYesRiding RangeN/AClassClass 3ThrottleNoTop Speed28 MPHBike Weight68.4 pounds without included accessoriesCarrying capacity400 lbs. (including rider)Frame SizesOne size (fits 4’10” to 6’5″)ColorsPacific Blue [model tested] and Tiburon [white/gray]Price$4,499.95The post Xtracycle Swoop ASM review: The family cargo electric bike that adapts to your day appeared first on Popular Science.
Beware, bees! This wildflower will trap you in a floral escape room. - Popular Science
What’s fragrant, floral, and perfectly devious? If you’re confused, imagine what it must be like for the bees ensnared in the colorful clutches of a pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule). This large species of wildflower has ingenious pollinating tactics that were highlighted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service on April Fools’ day. But this is no joke.
Pink lady’s slippers are members of the roughly 28,000 member orchid family, and their bulbous flowers are generally pink. They grow throughout a significant part of the eastern U.S., usually blooming between May and July. Like many flowers, they draw bees in with their color and fragrance. But what happens next is more dramatic than one might expect. The bee enters the slipper-shaped flower pouch expecting to find nectar, but there is none.
“Instead, the bee is now inside a floral escape room with no exits… except one very specific exit,” the federal agency noted. “The entrance closes behind it, and the only way out is to squeeze through a tight opening near the top of the flower.”
The pink lady’s slipper blooms between May and July. Image: Keith Ramos/USFWS.Squeezing through this opening means the pollinator emerges dusted with pollen, which is rather convenient for the flower.
“It flies off, a little confused, a little betrayed, and immediately falls for the same trick again at another pink lady’s slipper. The bee has been tricked into pollinating the next generation,” the U.S.F.W.S continued.
It’s simply a native orchid pulling off one of the most elaborate pollination scams on the continent.
Pink lady’s slippers are also known as the Moccasin flower. Other members of this colorful genus include the White lady’s slipper (Cypripedium candidum), Yellow lady’s slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum), Spotted lady’s slipper (Cypripedium guttatum), and Ram’s-head lady’s slipper (Cypripedium arietinum), as well as other lady’s slippers.
A note to the bees—better to be a bee scammed by a pink lady’s slipper than a fly gobbled up by a venus fly trap (Dionaea muscipula).
The post Beware, bees! This wildflower will trap you in a floral escape room. appeared first on Popular Science.
7 captivating photos of train travel’s first century - Popular Science
In 1804, a British man named Richard Trevithick invented the first steam-powered locomotive. But it was Americans who truly ran with Trevithick’s invention in the decades that followed. In 1830, the 13-mile, horse-powered Baltimore and Ohio Railroad became the first railroad in North America. Just a few decades later, the United States had more railroad tracks for steam-powered engines than the rest of the world combined—more than 9,000 miles.
The 19th century became a heyday of American railroads, as business magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt built an empire on the backs of train travel, consolidating much of the Northeast’s railroads. In 1902, the U.S. had built over 200,000 miles of railroad track connecting the country like never before. The United States would never be the same.
Train travel today looks quite different from it did in the 1800s. These seven fascinating images act as a window into a time gone by—when trains, not cars, ruled and shaped America. (Click to expand images to full screen.)
The three-mile-long Granite Railway in Quincy, Massachusetts, was the first commercial railway in the United States. Incorporated in 1826, the railway used horses instead of steam locomotives to move cars along the tracks. It was mainly used to transport granite from Quincy to build the Bunker Hill Monument, a war memorial commemorating the 1775 Revolutionary War battle completed in 1843. Image: Public Domain Library of Congress The DeWitt Clinton was one of the earliest steam locomotives ever used in the United States and one of the first to regularly offer passenger service in New York. The DeWitt Clinton pulled a unique style of stagecoach converted into passenger cars. The locomotive only ran between 1831 and 1833. Image: Library of Congress / Contributor / Getty Images Library of Congress By the 1860s, railroads were king in the United States. In 1833, only around 380 miles of railroad tracks were in operation across the country. By 1860, more than 30,000 miles of tracks were in operation. This illustration, completed around 1860, shows off the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad’s four lane track, run by Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt. Image: Bettmann / Contributor / Getty Images Bettmann In 1869, a “Golden Spike” connected the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads in Promontory, Utah, marking the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. Image: Universal History Archive / Contributor / Getty Images Universal History Archive By 1875, the era of luxury train travel was upon us. Along the transcontinental railroad, Pullman Palace Railway Cars offered travelers specialty sleeping, dining, and even parlor cars. This illustration is from a Spanish-language travel book full of illustrated engravings called El Mundo En La Mano. Image: Universal History Archive / Contributor / Getty Images Universal History Archive On May 10, 1893, a steam locomotive traveling between Batavia and Buffalo, New York, hit 112.5 miles per hour—marking the first time a train ever exceeded 100 mph. The speedy locomotive was No. 999 of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad. Image: Museum of the City of New York/Byron Collection / Contributor / Getty Images Museum of the City of New York George Pullman, the founder of the Pullman Palace Car Company, introduced the first dining cars on railroads. Black men, known as Pullman porters, usually staffed these luxury dining cars, often working 20-hour shifts back-to-back for little pay. In 1925, the porters founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, one of the first all-Black labor unions in the country. Image: Universal History Archive / Contributor / Getty ImagesThe post 7 captivating photos of train travel’s first century appeared first on Popular Science.
The Politics of Street View - Google Maps Mania
The Politics of Street View - Google Maps Mania
LG’s spring sale at Home Depot Cuts up to 43% off stoves, refrigerators, washers, and more - Popular Science
Home Depot is running a major LG appliance sale right now with more than 200 products marked down. The biggest cuts include $1,800 off a smart wall oven, $1,500 off a French door refrigerator, and $1,200 off a slide-in range. Percentage-wise, several models are 40 percent or more off their regular prices. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to replace a major appliance, this the time to do it. The deals span washers, dryers, refrigerators, ranges, cooktops, dishwashers, and even LG’s Styler steam closet. It’ll give you even more reason to stay home, which is always a plus for me.
Best LG appliance deals at Home Depot LG 6.4 Cu. Ft. Smart Combi Wall Oven with InstaView and Air Fry $2,799.00 (was $4,599.00) If there’s something you can’t cook with this thing, it has to be a skill issue.LG
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This is the largest dollar savings in the entire sale — $1,800 off a wall oven is rare at any time of year. The LG 6.4 cu. ft. Combi Wall Oven packs an arsenal of useful features with marketing names, including True Convection, InstaView (so you can check on food without opening the door), Air Fry, Steam, and Sous Vide modes. It’s a versatile wall oven that covers nearly every cooking method you’d want, and at 39 percent off, it’s about as close to a deal-of-a-decade price as you’re likely to find on a premium LG wall oven.
LG
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At 43 percent off, this is the highest percentage discount in the entire LG sale. The slide-in design means no gap between the range and your countertop and the 6.3 cu. ft. capacity is large enough to cook multiple dishes at once. ProBake Convection uses a rear heating element for more even heat distribution, and the Air Sous Vide mode is the kind of feature you’d normally only see on much pricier appliances. At $1,599, this model competes with similar units that cost three times as much.
LG
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The InstaView panel lets you knock twice to see inside without opening the door. Is it necessary? Probably not, but it’s cool. The MyColor feature lets you change the door accent lighting through the ThinQ app. The core specs are solid: 29 cubic feet of storage, a standard-depth footprint that’s unusually large for a non-counter-depth model, and a four-door layout with a wide bottom freezer drawer.
LG
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Counter-depth refrigerators are more expensive than standard models because they sit flush with your cabinets rather than sticking out into the kitchen. This particular model adds a Full Convert Drawer, which lets you switch a middle section between fridge and freezer temperatures depending on what you need to store.
LG
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The WM4000HBA is one of LG’s most popular washers, with more than 3,700 reviews and a 4.5-star average. At $899, it’s $400 off its regular price — and it pairs directly with the matching electric dryer (also $899, details below), making this a good moment to replace both at once. The standout features are TurboWash360, which uses multiple spray nozzles to saturate clothes faster, and Steam, which helps loosen stains and reduce allergens without extra detergent. It’s stackable if space is tight, and the LG ThinQ app lets you start, stop, and monitor cycles remotely.
LG 7.4 Cu. Ft. Stackable SMART Electric Dryer in Black Steel $899.00 (was $1,299.00)
The matching dryer to the washer above, also $400 off. TurboSteam reduces wrinkles in 10 minutes without re-washing, and Sensor Dry automatically stops the cycle when clothes are done to prevent over-drying. If you’re buying both together, Home Depot is also offering a bundle discount — worth checking the “Buy the Pair and Save” pricing on-site at checkout.
The sale extends well beyond the headline picks above. Here’s a rundown of the other notable discounts across every category, from ranges and cooktops to dishwashers and laundry pedestals.
Ranges and ovens- LG 6.3 Cu. Ft. Smart 4-Element Induction Slide-In Range with Air Fry $1,199.00 (was $2,099.00) — Save $900 (43% off)
- LG 4.7 Cu. Ft. Smart Single Electric Wall Oven with Air Fry $1,299.00 (was $2,199.00) — Save $900 (41% off)
- LG 30 in. 4-Burner Induction Cooktop with SmoothTouch Controls $999.00 (was $1,599.00) — Save $600 (38% off)
- LG 33 in. 21 Cu. Ft. SMART Counter Depth MAX French Door Refrigerator $1,499.00 (was $2,188.00) — Save $689 (31% off)
- LG 7.4 Cu. Ft. SMART Stackable Gas Dryer in Black Steel with TurboSteam $999.00 (was $1,399.00) — Save $400 (29% off)
- LG 7.3 Cu. Ft. SMART Electric Dryer in Matte Black with EasyLoad Door $1,099.00 (was $1,599.00) — Save $500 (31% off)
- LG 7.4 Cu. Ft. Vented SMART Gas Dryer with AI Sensor Dry in Black Steel $1,349.00 (was $1,799.00) — Save $450 (25% off)
- LG STUDIO 24 in. Top Control SMART Dishwasher with TrueSteam (Panel Ready) $1,099.00 (was $1,399.00) — Save $300 (21% off)
- LG Styler SMART Steam Closet in Mirror Black with Dual TrueSteam $2,299.00 (was $2,699.00) — Save $400 (15% off)
The post LG’s spring sale at Home Depot Cuts up to 43% off stoves, refrigerators, washers, and more appeared first on Popular Science.
ESA - Immagine della settimana: Occhi sulla nostra Luna (06 aprile 2026) - GEOmedia News
Da una prospettiva insolita per un satellite di osservazione terrestre, la missione Copernicus Sentinel-2 cattura...
05 Apr 2026
What did Pompeii smell like before it burned? - Popular Science
In 79 CE, one of the most infamous tragedies of antiquity rocked the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Mount Vesuvius erupted, burying Pompeii beneath ash and pumice, preserving the ancient Roman city’s final moments in astounding detail.
The plaster casts of the victims are arguably the most famous Pompeiian remains, but the volcanic debris also preserved another revealing element—ash residues from incense burners in domestic altars.
In a paper recently published in the journal Antiquity, scientists analyzed ash from two incense burners from Pompeii and a nearby villa. Ancient Romans used these burners to present sacrifices to their pantheon of divinities. Inside, they found traces of more than just native plants.
Pompeian incense burner with the investigated ash residues. Image: Parco Archeologico di Pompeii / Photo by Johannes Eber“We can now pinpoint which fragrances were actually burned in Pompeian domestic cult practices,” Johannes Eber, lead author of the study and an archaeologist at the University of Zurich, said in a statement. “Alongside regional plants, we found traces of imported resins – an indicator of Pompeii’s far-reaching trade connections.”
The findings include residues from a tree resin that likely originates from tropical African or Asian countries, suggesting that Pompeii participated in an extensive international trade network. The study represents the first scientific investigation of the contents that were burned in Pompeiian Roman incense burners. It also comes around the same time as a new permanent exhibition at the Pompeii Archeological Park, hosting a significant amount of organic remains, like wooden artifacts, foods, and plant residues.
Pompeian street altar with painted images of gods and ash residues from the last sacrifice performed there. Photo from 1915. Image: Parco Archeologico di Pompeii. Archivio Fotografico Inv. C756.“Molecular analyses also point to a grape product in one of the incense burners,” added Maxime Rageot, a biomolecular archaeologist at Switzerland’s University of Bon. “This would be consistent with the use of wine in rituals as portrayed in Roman imagery and described in texts. At the same time, it demonstrates the importance of supplementing archaeological studies with scientific analyses.”
The smell of ancient Egyptian mummies has already been made available to the public. Maybe one day we’ll be able to smell the fragrance of a Pompeiian domus—an ancient Roman house.
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What to do with clothes you can’t donate - Popular Science
Most of us know the best way to repurpose gently used clothing is to donate it. But what about undergarments or items that are a little too worn? Sadly, tons of clothing end up in landfills because they’re damaged, stained, or unsellable. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, discarded clothing makes up the largest share of textiles in municipal solid waste. Is there an easy way to dispose of clothing sustainably? There isn’t an easy answer, but there are better options. Even clothes that seem destined for the trash still have value; you just need to know where to send them.
Why some clothes can’t de donatedMost donation centers resell items for a profit or give them to those in need. They are not recycling centers. Donation centers will reject or discard any clothing that has stains, odor, damage, or, in some cases, is outdated. As a result, not everything you drop off will find a second life through donation. So, what should be done with items that don’t make the cut?
RepairBefore discarding worn clothing, consider repairing it to extend its lifespan. There are many ways to repair clothing: You can patch small holes, replace missing buttons or broken zippers, or use fabric dye to refresh items with stains or fading. These efforts can make clothes wearable again without much cost or effort. Repairing even one item reduces the demand for new clothing production, which in turn lowers resource use and environmental impact. In many cases, fixing what you already own is the most sustainable choice. There are decorative methods, such as sashiko stitching, a type of visible mending, that transform repairs into wearable art. This DIY is easy, and kits are available to make the process even easier.
A sample embroidery using the Japanese sashiko technique. Image: Hendrik Schmidt/picture alliance via Getty Images picture alliance UpcycleOne practical and immediate way to use old clothes is to transform them into household cleaning supplies. This idea is similar to the Japanese zokin—simple, reusable cleaning cloths traditionally made from worn fabric and used for everyday cleaning. Clothes made from natural materials, such as cotton and denim, can be repurposed as useful cleaning tools.
Old cotton T-shirts and towels can be cut into durable cleaning rags, while softer fabrics work well as dusting cloths or even DIY mop pads. Heavier materials can be repurposed into garage or shop rags for oil or paint projects. Even worn textiles can serve in pet care, such as bedding or towels for muddy paws. Natural fibers like cotton and linen offer the best absorbency, while synthetic blends are less effective for these uses and are better suited for other solutions.
Making shorts from old jeans is a simple way to upcycle old clothes. Image: Getty Images Elena Medoks Recycling programsWhen clothing is too worn to donate or reuse, textile recycling programs are the best option. These systems break down old fabrics into raw fibers, which are then repurposed into products like insulation, industrial wiping cloths, or carpet padding.
To get started, always check locally first. Many municipalities offer textile recycling programs or designated drop-off locations. Some retailers also run take-back initiatives; for example, REI and Patagonia accept used gear and clothing, and some Nike stores accept used sneakers. Your local animal shelter may accept clean, gently used blankets, sheets, and towels. Mail-in services like Retold Recycling and Trashie are also options, though they typically require purchasing a bag and may include shipping costs. Even heavily worn clothing is often accepted, making recycling a reliable option for those items that are truly not reusable.
When throwing away is the only optionIn some cases, disposal is unavoidable. For example, clothing that is heavily contaminated, such as items exposed to chemicals, mold, or hazardous substances, cannot be safely donated or recycled. In these situations, the landfill becomes the last resort. Shifting how we think about disposal can make a measurable difference. Even the smallest changes help reduce textile waste over time.
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10 wild photos of bird eggs - Popular Science
Colorful dyed eggs typically grab the spotlight on Easter, but the world of bird eggs is so much bigger than chickens. There are as many colors and sizes as there are bird species. According to conservation writer Paul Baicich, the co-author of Nests, Eggs and Nestlings of North American Birds, there is a reason some eggs are white and some are colored.
White eggs in the wild mostly belong to the birds that nest in deep holes in trees or terrain. These birds are called cavity nesters and the contrast between the white egg and dark spaces help them see their eggs. Some cavity nesters include woodpeckers, owls, and kestrels.
Wild colored eggs—not the ones the Easter Bunny hides—generally belong to birds that nest in more open areas on the ground. This color makes them more difficult to find. Because eggs in ground nests have color, they are harder for predators to find. Plovers, gulls, and most ducks are considered ground nesters.
Take a peek into this exciting world in the gallery below. (Click to expand images to full screen.)
Spotted sandpipers (Actitis macularia) actually reverse roles when it comes to watching over eggs. The females will migrate early to arrive at a potential nesting site before the male. She is also the one that establishes the territory by driving out the other females. After mating and laying her eggs, the female abandons the male who then takes on all of the parental duties. Image: NPS/John Good.A sora (Porzana carolina) nest lying in a shallow marsh at Morris Wetland Management District in Minnesota. Soras are small marsh birds. They typically lay 10 to 12 eggs in one clutch, but can sometimes lay up to 18. Image: Sara Vacek/USFWS.
Many eggs have some color, which helps camouflage them from predators. This is a black skimmer (Rynchops niger) egg at Breton National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. Egg incubation takes 21 to 23 days. It is performed by both sexes, and the male may do more. Image: Greg Thompson/USFWS.
Ostriches are the largest birds on Earth, but can’t fly like most other avians. Both living ostrich species, the common ostrich (Struthio camelus) and the Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes), are found in Africa. Their eggs are famous for their size, averaging six inches long, five inches across, and weigh about three pounds. Female ostriches lay seven to 10 eggs at a time, in communal nests to benefit the entire flock. These eggs belong to a common ostrich in the Ngorongoro conservation area in Tanzania. Image: André Gilden via Getty Images. An eared grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) egg resting in a nest in a marsh at Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota. Right after this photo was taken, an adult eared grebe returned to the nest. These long-necked waterbirds are known for their bright red eyes. Image: Kelly Preheim.
The common murre (Uria aalge) lays colorful, speckled eggs. They are also pyriform, or pear-shaped and pointed. The photo of this egg was in Selawik National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, which is home to several species of waterfowl, songbirds, shorebirds, and fish. Image: Brandon Saito/USFWS.
Wisdom is a Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) and the oldest known bird in the wild. At the estimated age of 75, has raised as many as 40 chicks in her lifetime. She tends to her eggs at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the Pacific Ocean. Image: Kristina McOmber/Kupu Conservation Leadership Development Program and USFWS.
An early-blooming plant called skunk cabbage and brown coloring provides cover for these eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) eggs. These birds that are more typically associated with Thanksgiving, mate in the spring and lay an average of 11 to 12 eggs (often one a day) in a clutch. Image: Chesapeake Bay Program.
Tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus columbianus) eggs sit in a relatively open nest at Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. They breed in remote areas of the North American arctic, and must defend their eggs and hatchlings against several predators, including foxes, weasels, wolves, and bears, as well as other birds. Image: Nathan Graff/USFWS.
Perhaps the prettiest of all, the American robin’s (Turdus migratorius) eggs have a signature blue-green hue thanks to an egg-citing evolutionary adaptation. The color may help protect them from sun exposure by filtering out the amount of UV light that penetrates the eggshell. It comes from a pigment called biliverdin that the mother deposits onto the eggshell when she lays the egg. This particular clutch was photographed in Moorestown, New Jersey in 2013. Image: John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images.
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Is it okay to eat standing up? A doctor weighs in. - Popular Science
You’re busy. Somewhere along the way, the chair disappeared from meals. Breakfast over the sink, lunch at the counter. Sometimes, you can still hear your parents chiding you about how it’s “better” to sit down while eating. But is that really true? Is it bad to eat standing up?
Digestion is about gravityWhen it comes to habits for good digestion, experts say the goal is to work with—not against— gravity. Whether you’re sitting down or standing up, a good guideline is to simply make sure you’re eating upright. The biggest no-no is eating lying down, or lying down right after you eat.
“A really common way to trigger heartburn symptoms is to eat and then lie down immediately,” Dr. Carolyn Newberry, gastroenterologist and Associate Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, tells Popular Science. “As stomach acid gets secreted and it’s digesting food and mixing it up in your stomach, that can regurgitate back up if you’re not using gravity to help it go down properly.”
Ancient Romans often laid down while they ate—that doesn’t mean you should. Image: Public DomainIt typically takes about two hours or more for food to move from the stomach to the intestines, which is why eating right before bed is discouraged.
With gravity in mind, eating standing up might not be that different from eating sitting down. Experts say the major drawback to standing and eating is mainly that people tend to do it because they’re in a hurry, and that’s where the trouble lies.
The trouble with eating in a hurryIf you’re experiencing indigestion and changes in diet aren’t helping, experts suggest examining the pace of your meals. Eating in a rush can cause bloating, upset stomach, and overeating. Unintentionally swallowing excess air and not chewing sufficiently as you scarf down your lunch can be rough on the gut.
Our digestive system does its best work when we’re in a leisurely state. Newberry says people should take their time while eating meals.
She encourages taking smaller bites and making sure to chew completely. “The digestion process starts in the mouth,” she says, “even with the salivary enzymes that break down some of your macronutrients.”
Pumping the breaks can also help you to know how much food you actually need. “You want to eat at a pace that you can feel when you’re full,” Newberry says. Satiety hormones kick in at a bit of a delay. It takes about 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to start sending you the “Hey, I’m almost full now” signals. When you eat slowly, you give it a chance to get that message across, which helps you to avoid overeating.
If you must eat quickly, however, Newberry recommends eating smaller, more frequent, protein-rich, snack-sized meals.
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Think “rest and digest”Another drawback to dining in a rush is the potential for moving around more than you should while eating. Eating while walking or running is generally discouraged, as it carries many of the same risks as hurried eating does, not to mention a heightened risk for choking.
But even just lunching in haste may mean you need to get up very suddenly, change position, or run off to do something. Abrupt position changes during or right after eating aren’t good either.
“If you were to eat a big meal and then get up really quickly, you may feel dizzy or lightheaded just from those fluctuations in blood flow and the different hormone changes that happen,” says Newberry.
Blood flow is important for digestion and diverting it to other muscles may make it harder to digest well. We’ve all heard the rule about not swimming right after eating. But this applies to other vigorous activities too. A gentle walk shortly after a meal is fine, and even good for you, but you should wait 30 minutes following a snack and two hours after a big meal to engage in strenuous exercise. Simply put, our bodies are wired to digest while in a state of calm.
“‘Rest and digest’ is parasympathetic,” Newberry says, referring to the network of nerves in your body responsible for periods of tranquility. “It’s the opposite of adrenaline. It’s a different type of hormone that’s released, and it allows your body to relax. Blood flow can go to your intestines, and you can digest and metabolize your food.”
In Ask Us Anything, Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.
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200,000 Rivers Run Through It - Google Maps Mania
200,000 Rivers Run Through It - Google Maps Mania
04 Apr 2026
Humans can still beat AI at video games - Popular Science
Ask someone to chart the progression of artificial intelligence (AI) models over the past few decades and you’ll likely hear some reference to how good they are at playing games. IBM shocked the world in 1997 when its Deep Blue model vanquished chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov at his own domain. Nearly two decades later, Google’s AlphaGo model trounced a human champion of the game Go, a feat some thought impossible at the time.
Since then, increasingly data rich AI models have graduated from board games to video games. Various models have used a training method called reinforcement learning—a technique that also plays a key role in training AI chatbots like ChatGPT—to teach machines how to learn and outperform humans at a range of Atari games.More recently, reinforcement learning has taught machines how to master incredibly complex strategy games including Dota 2 and Starcraft II.
But there’s one area of gaming remaining—at least for now—where computers still can’t hold a candle to flesh and bone humans. They are still not great at learning different kinds of more open-ended games quickly. When it comes to picking up a random title from a game store that they haven’t seen before and getting the gist, human gamers still learn the ropes much quicker than even the most advanced AI models.
That’s the key argument made in a recent paper authored by New York University computer science professor Julian Togelius and his colleagues. They note this distinction isn’t just a pat on the back for Homo sapiens. It may also shed light on a key element of what makes human intelligence so unique and why AI still has a long way to go before it can truly claim human-level intelligence—let alone surpass it.
“If you pit an LLM [large language model] against a game it has not seen before, the result is almost certain failure,” the authors write.
AI has been hooked on games from the beginningGames have been useful testbeds for AI models for decades because they typically have predictable rules, defined goals, and varying mechanics. Those basic tenets track particularly well for reinforcement learning, where a model plays a game in simulation over and over again—sometimes millions of times—using trial and error to gradually improve until it reaches proficiency. This, in a basic sense, was how DeepMind was able to master Atari games in 2015. That same logic influences today’s popular large language models, albeit with the entire internet serving as training data.
And yet, that method runs into problems when asked to generalize. AI models crush humans at board games and certain video games because the constraints are clear and the goals are relatively straightforward. At the end of the day, Togelius and his colleagues argue that those models, impressive as they may seem, are still getting exceptionally good at a very specific task—and not much more. Even small variations to a game’s overall design can cause the whole thing to break down. A model might be superhuman when playing a specific game, but prove pretty incompetent when asked to improvise.
That distinction becomes even clearer considering the broader trend in modern gaming toward more open-ended and abstract titles. Take chess versus a high-budget third person adventure game like the open-world western “Red Dead Redemption.” While both are games in the basic sense, what it means to succeed or win in each are wildly different. “Red Dead Redemption” has many missions with clearly defined resolutions—shoot the bad guy, steal the horse. However, the overarching goal of the game is far less straightforward. What does it mean to win when the central drive is to embody a morally troubled Western outlaw?
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Human gamers can intuit that; machines, not so much. Even in simpler games like “Minecraft,” the researchers note, an AI model may know to jump from one block to another while having absolutely no concept of what it actually means to jump.
“In sum, all well-designed games are expertly tailored to human capabilities, intuition, and common sense,” the authors write.
Lived experience appears to be our greatest advantage when playing against machines. The average gamer downloading a new release may not have been scrupulously trained by an office full of well-paid, Patagonia-clad engineers, but they do have years of interacting with and understanding objects and more abstract concepts that they will then encounter in the game. The authors note that human babies learn to recognize and identify individual objects somewhere around 18 to 24 months, simply by existing in the world. Machines need more hand-holding.
All of this translates to humans learning new games faster. Past studies show that a game-playing AI model using a curiosity-based reinforcement learning may require four million keyboard interactions to finish a game. That translates to around 37 hours of continuous play. The average human gamer, by contrast, will usually figure out even totally new mechanics in under 10 hours.
That said, game-playing AI is definitely still improving, even in more general settings. Just last year, Google DeepMind unveiled a model called SIMA 2, which the company describes as a significant step forward in AI learning to play 3D games in ways more similar to humans, including games it wasn’t specifically trained on. The key breakthrough involved taking an existing model and integrating reasoning capabilities from Google’s Gemini large language model. That combination helped it better understand and interact with new environments.
Togelius and his colleagues say those models still have real ground to cover before they can be considered on par with a human gamer. Their proposed benchmark involves taking a model and having it play and win the top 100 games on Steam or the iOS App Store, without having been previously trained on any of them—and doing so in roughly the same time it would take a human. That’s a tall order.
“General video game playing, in the sense of being able to play any game of the top 100 on Steam or iOS App Store after only the same amount of playing time that a human would need, is a very hard challenge that we are nowhere near solving and not even seriously attempting,” the authors write. “It is not at all clear that current methods and models are suited to this problem.”
Beating that challenge isn’t just of interest to the gaming world. Togelius argues that a machine capable of generalizing in that way would likely need to excel at true creativity, forward planning, and abstract thinking, all qualities that feel far more distinctly human than what current AI models possess.
In other words, the true test of how well AI can achieve “human-level intelligence” might not come from generating deepfakes or writing trite novels, but from playing a whole lot of games.
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