Hellbender salamanders are huge—and in trouble

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Eastern hellbenders live under freshwater river rocks. Credit: Deposit Photos Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. The Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis) isn’t nearly as fearsome as its name implies. They’re actually somewhat cute, if you can get past the salamander’s slimy,Continue Reading

18th century lead ammo found in Scottish Highlands

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The Battle of Culloden effectively ended the Jacobite rising of 1745. Credit: Andy Jepson / University of Glasgow Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Archaeologists in Scotland have excavated over 100 weapon projectiles, including cannon shot and lead musket balls from oneContinue Reading

NASA offers $155,000 to design moon tires

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The final LTV design may—or may not—look like the current batch of terrestrial candidates. Credit: Felix and Paul Studios Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. With about two-and-a-half years to go until a planned crewed-mission to the moon, NASA is still decidingContinue Reading

Corn gets gassy when it feels too crowded

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Linalool is often found in perfumes and cleaning products. Credit: Deposit Photos Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Corn really likes its space–so much so that it has a unique way of letting its fellow crops know if the field is gettingContinue Reading

Airplane toilet water may help combat the next pandemic

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Researchers found nine superbug variants present in many of the 44 flights they analyzed. Credit: Deposit Photos Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Airplane bathrooms aren’t exactly the most pleasant, comfortable, or even hygienic experiences. But their sheer number of daily occupantsContinue Reading

Remote Norwegian cave is an ice age animal jackpot

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Researchers excavated the cave site in 2021 and 2022. Credit: Trond Klungseth Lødøen Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. On Norway’s frosty northern coast, a cave sat virtually unknown to humans for over 75,000 years. This remote area of the European ArcticContinue Reading