Popular Science

Modern life requires lots of logging into apps and websites. Even with a password manager, remembering all of that log in information can be difficult. Using a fingerprint, eye, or other biometrics can introduce privacy concerns. A new security system might solve that password problem by using vibrations—in our skulls. 

The newly designed software program called VitalID uses the tiny vibrations generated by heartbeats and breathing that move through the skull. Like our fingerprints, these patterns are unique to an individual’s facial tissue and bone structure. VitalID is designed for use in extended reality settings and was presented at the 2025 ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security. 

What is XR?

Extended reality (XR) includes virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality technologies that mix digital content with the physical world. XR systems including Viture, MetaQuest, and Oculus Rift are best known in the gaming world. However, this technology is expanding into finance, medicine, education, and remote work. As it increases its reach, security in XR systems has become increasingly urgent.

“Extended reality will play a major role in our future,” Yingying Chen, a study co-author and computer engineer who specializes in remote sensors at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said in a statement. “If immersive systems are going to become woven into daily life, authentication has to be secure, continuous and effortless.”

How VitalID works

VitalID uses simple biology to fix these user experience and security issues. Even when we are sitting still, our bodies are moving in subtle ways. Every breath and heartbeat creates tiny vibrations that travel through the neck and into the head. Once they reach the skull, they make our heads shake slightly. Since every skull has a different shape, thickness, and bone structure, the vibrations change in unique ways as they travel. 

As a result, we all produce a distinct vibration pattern within our skulls. Motion sensors that already reside inside virtual reality headsets can detect these tiny patterns and determine who is wearing the device.

“We do not need to add any device or additional hardware,” Chen said. “It requires only software.”

In their study, Chen and the team tested 52 users over a 10-month period using two popular XR headsets. Their system correctly authenticated legitimate users over 95 percent of the time. Importantly, it rejected unauthorized users more than 98 percent of the time.

They also built a filtering system that removes interference from extra head and body movement like nodding. This helps the headset only focus on the tiny vibrations in the skull that are caused by an individual’s breathing and heartbeat. They then used computer models to analyze the skull vibration patterns.

According to Chen, these vibrations may be more difficult to mimic since they travel internally through a person’s bone and tissue. While someone might imitate another person’s breathing rhythm, they can’t replicate the biomechanical properties of another person’s skull quite so easily. The headset would constantly sense these subtle vibrations to confirm that the right person is using it.

A next-gen solution

XR headsets now store confidential documents, personal accounts, and access to web services. However, typing passwords in a virtual environment based on gestures can be awkward. Two-factor authentication often interrupts immersion and hardware that scans the eye adds cost, according to Chen.

While not commercially available yet, VitalID is an attempt at solving this user experience and security problem. It allows users to access financial platforms, medical records or enterprise systems inside immersive environments without stopping to log in. 

This technology is available for licensing and/or research collaboration and Rutgers has applied for a provisional patent. The study was a collaboration with Cong Shi at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Yan Wang at Temple University in Philadelphia, and Nitesh Saxena at Texas A&M University.

The post Skull vibrations could be your next password appeared first on Popular Science.

Only 80 to 90 percent of Earth’s vast oceans have been explored, leaving countless species just waiting to be discovered. That’s where the Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative: One Thousand Reasons campaign comes in. The project is designed to describe 1,000 previously unknown deep-sea species by 2030 in order to assess ocean biodiversity to protect species as the prospect of deep-sea mining expands.

Twenty-four new species of deep-sea crustaceans are now on the project’s growing list. The new species are detailed in a special edition of the journal Zookeys and were discovered in the remote Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ). This vast area of 1.7 million square-miles of deep ocean between the west coast of Mexico and Hawaii is home to numerous unknown species as well as minerals needed for many high-tech uses.

The type specimens of some of the new species, including Elimedon breviclunis, are now cared for by curators at the Natural History Museun in London. Image: © Horton et al. 2026. Meet the amphipods

These new species are amphipods—a diverse group of crustaceans made up of over 10,000 known species. Some amphipods are only millimeters in size, while the largest species Alicella gigantea is the size of a loaf of bread. They play a key role as a food source for larger animals and help decompose the bodies of larger creatures. 

Amphipods are adapted to live in a wide range of habitats. Some live in damp caves or even woodlands on land, while most live in fresh and saltwater environments. Parasitic whale lice ride around on marine mammals, eating algae and keeping whales clean. Predatory amphipods hunt small worms and other invertebrates, while other species are scavengers that help recycle nutrients in marine ecosystems.

The new species were found while researchers were taking so-called “box samples” from the seafloor. During box sampling, scientists take a huge cube of mud from the seabed and bring it up to a ship to study its contents and get a sense of what’s lurking inside. After washing and separating the material from these particular cores, they found a variety of pale amphipods.

“These amphipods appear to have a range of different feeding styles,” Dr. Eva Stewart, a study co-author and deep-sea scientist at the Natural History Museum in London, said in a statement. “Some seem to be eating the mud and getting nutrients from that, while others have large claws, which suggest they might be predating other things that are living in the sediment.”

Naming the new amphipods after video games, family, and a short butt

Since amphipods are such a diverse group of animals, it only makes sense that their names follow suit. The scientists met for one week to determine the name for this exciting new batch of critters. 

Mirabestia maisie and Astyra mclaughlinae are named after family members and colleagues, while Elimedon breviclunis is named for the animal’s short butt. 

Pop culture inspired other names. Lepidepecreum myla reminded the team of Myla from the videogame “Hollow Knight.” According to the team, both the character and specifically Lepidepecreum myla “are just little arthropods trying to survive in total darkness.”

In addition to new species, the team also discovered a new family and superfamily. A superfamily ranks below an order and above family. For example, the superfamily Hominoidea (or apes) includes both the family Hominidae (humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans) and Hylobatidae (gibbons).

“To find a new superfamily is very rare, so this is a discovery we’ll all remember,” added study co-author Dr. Tammy Hortonopens. “But each species we describe is just as important, as they’re a vital step towards improving our understanding of this fascinating ecosystem.”

One of the new species, Mirabestia maisie, was named after Dr. Tammy Horton’s daughter. Image: © Horton et al. 2026. The Clarion-Clipperton Zone has the attention of big tech

Further study of these creatures will give us a better idea of how they are living in one of the most untouched places on Earth. Despite its remoteness, the CCZ has drawn a lot of interest due to the metallic nodules found on the ocean floor. These nodules often contain minerals used for solar panels and wind turbines. While deep-sea mining can help us reach environmental goals, this region is poorly understood and mining could risk damage to these important ecosystems. 

“It’s estimated there are around 5,600 species in the CCZ, but around 90 percent of these are undescribed,” Stewart explained. “As a result, there are thousands of potential species that have been discovered over the past decade just waiting to be named.”

These types of discovery will be vital to understand the possible impacts of deep-sea mining in the future.

The post New crustacean named after its unique butt appeared first on Popular Science.

April 1Full Pink MoonApril 17Best Chance to See Comet C/2025 R3April 19The Moon, Venus, and Pleiades ConjunctionApril 22Lyrid Meteor Shower Predicted Peak

Spring has sprung, the annual hour of sleep has been stolen from us, and the days are getting longer.  But don’t fear, skygazers, there are still enough celestial sights to see this month to keep you happy. They include an early full moon, a meteor shower known for generating unexpected spectacles, and a lovely conjunction of the moon and one of our cosmic neighbors. Also, there’s a comet to see! Onwards! 

April 1: Full Pink Moon

A full moon on the first day of the month! As far as we know, there’s no name for this, but it doesn’t matter, because April’s moon is gifted with the most poetic of names anyway. It’s the Pink Moon, making April the best month of the year for fans of Nick Drake, Édith Piaf and, excuse the pun,, P!nk herself. Sadly, despite the poetic name, the moon itself is the same color as always. The “pink” in the pink moon is a reference to the flowers that bloom as winter releases its icy grasp and spring warms the Earth for another year.

This April’s full moon is also a micromoon, placing it firmly at the opposite end of the scale from the string of supermoons we had from October through January. A micromoon is a full moon that occurs when the moon is at or near its furthest distance from Earth. This distance means that the moon will appear relatively small. To see our little April moonlet, bless it, look to the skies at 10:12 p.m. EDT on April 1 when it reaches peak illumination.

April 17: Best Chance to See Comet C/2025 R3

There’s a comet heading our way this month—but don’t worry! As per NASA, that comet named Comet C/2025 R3 might be the brightest such visitor visible this year. While its closest approach to Earth isn’t until April 27, NASA suggests that the evening of April 17 might be the best time to catch it, because there’ll be no moonlight to interfere with comet viewing action. You’ll still need a telescope or a good pair of binoculars, though. If you have access to such gear, look to the eastern sky above the constellation Pisces—the comet should be visible within the constellation Pegasus.

April 19: The Moon, Venus, and Pleiades Conjunction

By April 19, the moon will have waxed almost to invisibility—but not quite. And that’s just as well.Otherwise, we’d be denied the lovely spectacle of the tiny crescent moon peeking its way out from the constellation Pleiades, just above the always eye-catching beauty that is the planet Venus. The scene will play out in the western sky, not far above the horizon. If you look a little further upward, you’ll see the absolute big boy himself, cousin Jupiter, rumbling into the chat to make sure he gets some attention too.

April 22: Lyrid Meteor Shower Predicted Peak

As far as meteor showers go, the Lyrids don’t mess around. They’re in and out of the sky in a couple of weeks, and if you miss them, that’s it  until next year. This means they can be hit or miss, especially if they coincide with the light of a full moon or a spell of bad weather. In these cases, there might be none to see at all.

Fortunately, their predicted peak will coincide with excellent viewing conditions—weather permitting, of course. The meteor shower will last from April 15 to April 29, with the predicted peak smack bang in the middle on April 22. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the radiant point—from which the meteors appear to originate—will be high in the northern sky. Expect to see 10 to 15 meteors an hour—but as per EarthSky, the Lyrids are known for generating “uncommon surges,” so you never know what you might see!

During any month, remember that you’ll get the best experience gazing at the cosmos if you get away from any sources of light pollution, give your eyeballs some time to adjust to the darkness, and review our stargazing tips before setting out into the night.

Until next time! 

The post April skygazing: An early micromoon, comet flyby, and the Lyrid meteor shower appeared first on Popular Science.

Navigating streaming services is basically a nightmare at this point. On top of their constantly shifting libraries, it feels like nearly every week includes the announcement of yet another subscription price hike. If you’re looking for a temporary reprieve and some truly unique content this week, an unsung hero is ready to help you out. Folks, it’s time to tune into C-SPAN for NASA’s upcoming Artemis II launch.

Yes, that C-SPAN. The same channel that has been broadcasting government hearings daily since 1979.

Through Sunday, April 5, CSPAN is airing daily coverage of all things Artemis II. The NASA mission deserves it, after all. The four astronauts are scheduled to launch no earlier than Wednesday, April 1, and when they do it will kick off a major new era of space exploration. Over 10 days, the Artemis II crew will complete the first human flyby loop around the moon since the Apollo 8 mission in 1972.

The trip is expected to pave the way for NASA’s return to the lunar surface, estimated for 2027. The mission will also set new milestones and break multiple records in the process. Upon its return, Artemis II will have carried the first woman, first person of color, and the first non-United States citizen beyond low Earth orbit. It will also travel about 4,800 miles beyond the moon to surpass Apollo 8’s total distance, and set a new reentry top speed of around 25,000 miles per hour.

C-SPAN’s special programming began on March 29 and will continue through April 5. It features daily news briefings before all-day launch coverage expected on April 1. On March 31 and April 4, C-SPAN2 will air 24 hours of documentaries on the history of U.S. crewed spaceflights. There will also be live call-in sessions, as well as commentary from guests from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. While the exact date isn’t confirmed yet, C-SPAN will also cover Artemis II’s atmospheric reentry and splashdown.

No T.V.? No problem. You can also watch all of the coverage on C-SPAN.org, the C-SPAN YouTube channel, C-SPAN Radio, and the C-SPAN mobile app. Check out the upcoming programming schedule below.

C-SPAN’S Artemis II Coverage Schedule

Monday, March 30

• LIVE 5:00 p.m. ET (C-SPAN): NASA news conference

Tuesday, March 31

• LIVE 1:00 p.m. ET (C-SPAN): NASA pre-launch news conference

Wednesday, April 1 – expected Launch Day

• LIVE 1 p.m. ET (C-SPAN): C-SPAN’S extended live all-day launch coverage begins

Saturday, April 4

• 24 hours Historic Space Programming (C-SPAN2): American History TV marathon of historic programming about America’s manned spaceflight program

Sunday, April 5

• C-SPAN’s “Q&A” series (C-SPAN): Program will feature a history of the Space Shuttle, including video shot on location at The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum

The post The best way to watch the Artemis II launch is on C-SPAN appeared first on Popular Science.

Navigating streaming services is basically a nightmare at this point. On top of their constantly shifting libraries, it feels like nearly every week includes the announcement of yet another subscription price hike. If you’re looking for a temporary reprieve and some truly unique content this week, an unsung hero is ready to help you out. Folks, it’s time to tune into C-SPAN for NASA’s upcoming Artemis II launch.

Yes, that C-SPAN. The same channel that has been broadcasting government hearings daily since 1979.

Through Sunday, April 5, CSPAN is airing daily coverage of all things Artemis II. The NASA mission deserves it, after all. The four astronauts are scheduled to launch no earlier than Wednesday, April 1, and when they do it will kick off a major new era of space exploration. Over 10 days, the Artemis II crew will complete the first human flyby loop around the moon since the Apollo 8 mission in 1972.

The trip is expected to pave the way for NASA’s return to the lunar surface, estimated for 2027. The mission will also set new milestones and break multiple records in the process. Upon its return, Artemis II will have carried the first woman, first person of color, and the first non-United States citizen beyond low Earth orbit. It will also travel about 4,800 miles beyond the moon to surpass Apollo 8’s total distance, and set a new reentry top speed of around 25,000 miles per hour.

C-SPAN’s special programming began on March 29 and will continue through April 5. It features daily news briefings before all-day launch coverage expected on April 1. On March 31 and April 4, C-SPAN2 will air 24 hours of documentaries on the history of U.S. crewed spaceflights. There will also be live call-in sessions, as well as commentary from guests from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. While the exact date isn’t confirmed yet, C-SPAN will also cover Artemis II’s atmospheric reentry and splashdown.

No T.V.? No problem. You can also watch all of the coverage on C-SPAN.org, the C-SPAN YouTube channel, C-SPAN Radio, and the C-SPAN mobile app. Check out the upcoming programming schedule below.

C-SPAN’S Artemis II Coverage Schedule

Monday, March 30

• LIVE 5:00 p.m. ET (C-SPAN): NASA news conference

Tuesday, March 31

• LIVE 1:00 p.m. ET (C-SPAN): NASA pre-launch news conference

Wednesday, April 1 – expected Launch Day

• LIVE 1 p.m. ET (C-SPAN): C-SPAN’S extended live all-day launch coverage begins

Saturday, April 4

• 24 hours Historic Space Programming (C-SPAN2): American History TV marathon of historic programming about America’s manned spaceflight program

Sunday, April 5

• C-SPAN’s “Q&A” series (C-SPAN): Program will feature a history of the Space Shuttle, including video shot on location at The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum

The post The best way to watch the Artemis II launch is on C-SPAN appeared first on Popular Science.

The notorious disease known as sleeping sickness can lurk inside a host for months or even years before serious symptoms arrive. When these tiny parasites do, it’s often a death sentence for its human host. After confounding epidemiologists for decades, researchers now know exactly how sleeping sickness can remain undetected for so long. Its secret weapon is a constantly adapting “invisibility cloak” crafted from special proteins. The evidence is laid out in a study published on March 30 in the journal Nature Microbiology.

Trypanosomiasis, better known as sleeping sickness, starts with a tiny bloodsucking bug called the tsetse fly that causes a huge problem. Like the mosquito, the tsetse fly is a vector for multiple dangerous diseases. However, the tsetse fly is particularly notorious for its role in spreading sleeping sickness in humans via the parasite Typanosoma brucei gambiense (T. brucei). Roughly 70 million people across 36 countries are still at risk of contracting sleeping sickness, and a total eradication remains elusive. 

Around 70 million people live in regions at risk of spreading sleeping sickness. Credit: Deposit Photos

Cases of sleeping sickness are steadily declining, but they remain frequently fatal. Initial symptoms appear relatively innocuous, with a patient developing a fever, joint pain, headaches, and itchiness between one and three weeks after an insect bite. But the problems intensify from there. The second stage of sleeping sickness may arrive weeks, months, or even later, but its effects on the nervous system invariably include neurological complications like confusion, numbness, poor coordination, irregular sleep disruptions, and coma. What’s more, it’s often already too late for effective treatment once the most severe symptoms arrive. At that point, there isn’t much to do for a patient.

But how and why does it take so long to learn when someone has sleeping sickness? Newly discovered ESB2 proteins may be the reason why. These collectively create a barrier structure called a variant surface glycoprotein (VSG). At the same time, the parasite is also precisely editing its genes to hide inside its host.

“We’ve discovered that the parasite’s secret to staying invisible isn’t just what it prints, but what it chooses to redact,” explained University of York biologist and study co-author Joana Faria. “By placing a ‘molecular shredder’ directly inside its ‘protein factory,’ the parasite can edit its genetic manual in real-time.”

The explanation answers a question that’s stumped microbiologists and epidemiologists for nearly 40 years. In addition to the protein cloak, T. brucei is producing “helper genes” that ensure its survival by hiding it from the immune system. Researchers noted that although the genetic instructions should result in equal quantities of each gene type, the parasite knows to make many more VSG proteins than the helpers.

That’s where ESB2 comes into play. Faria’s team successfully identified the protein inside a region of the parasite known as the Expression Site Body. As new genetic material is manufactured, ESB2 immediately takes a cellular scalpel to the helper sections while sparing the cloaking mechanisms. Basically, it’s retracting telltale phrases in a manifesto that would otherwise trace back to the author.

“When we first saw the molecular shredder localized in the microscope, we knew we had found something special,” recalled biologist and study co-author Lianne Lansink.

The implications also extend beyond sleeping sickness. According to Faria, the breakthrough “suggests a fundamental shift” in how infectious diseases are approached. In some cases, an organism’s survival may rely less on how it creates genetic instructions, and more on which ones they eliminate in the moment.

Despite its classification as a neglected tropical disease, sleeping sickness cases have steadily declined in recent decades thanks to public health efforts. With the discovery of ESB2, researchers are one step closer to wiping out sleeping sickness.

“The mystery of how this parasite manages the asymmetric expression of its genetic manual has been a cold case in the back of my mind since my days as a postdoc,” said Faria. “It’s a testament to what a fresh lab and a diverse group of scientists can achieve when they look at an old problem from a completely new angle.”

The post Parasitic sleeping sickness creates ‘invisibility cloak’ to hide in humans for years appeared first on Popular Science.

Betty White spent the winter hiding from the authorities. The roughly 20-year-old female Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) named after the iconic actress is one of Oregon’s Badger Run Wildlife Rehab resident reptiles. She went missing this past fall, only to be found months later underneath her enclosure by a volunteer named Rose.

Russian tortoises like Betty White are found throughout Central Asia, including in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and China. After the fall of the Soviet Union, they became a popular export for former Soviet states. 

“Almost all of the Russian tortoises in the pet trade are wild-caught and this has taken a toll on their species in their native territories along with habitat loss,” Laura Hale, a biologist and the president of Badger Run Wildlife Rehab, tells Popular Science. “They are considered endangered or threatened in much of their range.” 

Betty White is a Russian tortoise, a species found through Central Asia. Image: Laura and John Hale / Badger Run Wildlife Rehab.

In December 2023, Betty White and a male Russian tortoise named Smudge were rescued after her owner had died. Both were brought to Badger Run Wildlife Rehab in Klamath Falls, Oregon, where they teach the public about turtles, tortoises, and the dangers of the exotic pet trade. Trafficking wild animals takes them out of their natural habitats and owning exotic pets also pose health risks for human handlers and the animals—Betty White included. Her name comes from the white lines on her shell due to improper growth between the individual sections of the shell. These lines are due to a poor diet and the incorrect humidity she was originally kept in.

Betty White and Smudge now spend their spring, summer, and fall together in a large outdoor enclosure with deep soil for burrowing. In the winter they are moved indoors to a warmer enclosure with UVB lamps.

Betty White (left) and her buddy Smudge (right) were reduced in 2023 and now help teach the public about reptiles and the dangers of the exotic pet trade. Image: Laura and John Hale / Badger Run Wildlife Rehab.

“Since Betty White and Smudge have ‘day jobs’ as education animals we do not let them brumate (hibernate) during cold weather,” Hale says. “They are moved indoors where they stay active throughout the cold months.”

According to Hale, many reptile experts advise against letting captive animals like Betty White and Smudge brumate unless caretakers can ensure absolute silence without any disturbances for the animals’ wellbeing.

“Every time a hibernating animal is awakened, it raises their metabolism again which burns precious calories,” Hale explains. “If that happens too often, they won’t have enough calories stored to survive until spring.”

Related Reptile Story

Trafficked turtles get a second chance at life in New Jersey sanctuary

The world’s smallest sea turtle lives in a noisy ocean

97-year-old Galápagos tortoise becomes first-time mom

How to turn your garden into a tortoise sanctuary

This past fall, the Badger Run team prepared to move the pair into their winter lodgings. Smudge, who is  more of a “people tortoise,” made sure to come out for shell rubs and scratches. But Ms. White had other plans. She burrowed a few feet beneath the heavy and insulated house underneath their 16 by eight foot rectangular enclosure. 

“The bottom of the enclosure has a heavy wire mesh floor to prevent a tortoise from completely tunneling out and escaping,” says Hale. “So, we knew she was in there somewhere.” 

Betty White spent the winter snugly tucked into her burrow, while the team patiently scanned the area for signs of tortoise life. When a spell of unusually warm weather returned earlier this month, Betty White came out to sun herself and was picked up by volunteers on Saturday March 21. 

Russian tortoises like Betty White were heavily trafficked after the fall of the Soviet Union. Image: Laura and John Hale / Badger Run Wildlife Rehab.

She was cleaned up and fed greens, dried flowers, a calcium supplement, in addition to access to water, heat, and UVB lamps. “Betty White was none too pleased with having her shell rinsed of caked mud upon return from her winter brumation adventure,” Hale explains.

Betty White will remain back indoors with Smudge until more steady warm temperatures return to southern Oregon.

“Smudge was very happy to see Betty White return,” says Hale. “He spent the first day following her around their indoor enclosure.”

The post Volunteers finally find Betty White—the rescue tortoise appeared first on Popular Science.

Artemis II astronauts have entered final preparations for their historic trip around the moon, but they won’t be flying alone. While speaking recently at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, mission commander Reid Wiseman revealed the mission’s adorable zero gravity indicator. Designed by a 2nd grader from California, “Rise” is a tiny plush doll that will let the four-person crew know when they’ve reached zero gravity. Aside from being extremely cute, Rise is also a symbolic celebration of the first crewed NASA mission to leave Earth’s orbit and circle the moon since the Apollo program.

“Rise,” designed by Lucas Ye of Mountain View, California, as the zero gravity indicator that will fly with the crew around the Moon. “Rise” was inspired by the iconic Earthrise moment from the Apollo 8 mission. A zero gravity indicator is a small plush item that typically rides with a crew to visually indicate when they are in space.
Credit: NASA

A zero gravity indicator is an untethered object—often a stuffed animal or something similar—that highlights astronauts’ journey into space. However, their inclusion during flights wasn’t an original NASA idea. In 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first to pack a small doll alongside him during the Vostok I journey to showcase when he reached microgravity. Zero gravity indicators have since become an international staple of spacefaring, with past examples including plushies of R2-D2, Albert Einstein, and multiple dinosaurs. More recently, Snoopy was the sole inhabitant aboard the uncrewed Artemis I mission in 2022.

The Rise doll was one of over 2,600 submissions from more than 50 countries during NASA’s Moon Mascot contest. In August 2025, the Artemis II crew narrowed down the selections to 25 finalists before settling on the top five contenders:

• “Big Steps of Little Octopus,” Anzhelika Iudakova, Finland
• “Corey the Explorer,” Daniela Colina, Peru
• “Creation Mythos,” Johanna Beck, McPherson, Kansas
• “Lepus the Moon Rabbit,” Oakville Trafalgar School, Canada
• “Rise,” Lucas Ye, Mountain View, California

Ye’s creation is inspired by the historic Earthrise scene captured during the Apollo 8 mission in 1968. While Rise will only be one official zero gravity indicator for Artemis II, there’s a solid chance that its very trendy, planet-themed baseball cap may start showing up in stores after the mission’s completion. Artemis II is currently scheduled to launch no earlier than Wednesday, April 1.

The post A 2nd grader designed an adorable mascot for NASA’s Artemis II mission appeared first on Popular Science.

Peter Cottontail would probably pull a muscle trying to lug this giant chocolate egg down the bunny trail. After the success of the world’s largest Cadbury Creme Egg in 2025, Cadbury World has a new sweet concoction. Behold the world’s largest Cadbury Mini Egg, aka The Mega Mini Egg.

The Mega Mini Egg is currently on display in the U.K.  Image: Cadbury World / PA Media

It took chocolatiers Claire Fielding, Dawn Jenks, and Donna Pitt two days to craft the giant egg entirely by hand. The 27.5-inch-tall, 121-pound egg weighs about as much as an emu. The Mega Mini Egg has a pastel pink sugar coating on its crisp shell and some subtle speckles on the surface. 

“Cadbury Mini Eggs are another absolute favourite and a British Easter staple, so creating the Mega Mini Egg felt like the perfect next challenge,” Cadbury chocolatier Claire Fielding said in a statement. “We took that instantly recognisable shell and chocolate centre and scaled it up into a real showstopper. It’s been so rewarding seeing it come to life, and we can’t wait for visitors to come and see it in person this Easter.”

Cadbury World Chocolatier Claire Fielding with the “Mega Mini Egg.”  Image: Cadbury World / PA Media

The egg is on display in the Chocolate Making area at Cadbury World in Bournville, England, about 100 miles northwest of London. 

Even if you were able to take a bite out of this enormous piece of candy, it would take a lot of chocolate to kill a person. The adult human weighing 165 pounds would need to eat 75,000 milligrams to be at a toxic level. To reach that level, our estimates say that a person would need to consume:

• 711 regular-sized Hershey’s milk chocolate bars OR 

• 7,084 Hershey chocolate kisses OR

• 332 standard- sized Hershey’s dark chocolate bars.

You’d probably end up getting sick long before reaching that chocolate critical mass. 

The post World’s largest Cadbury Mini egg weighs as much as an emu appeared first on Popular Science.

Excerpted from THE EDGE OF SPACE-TIME: Particles, Poetry, and the Cosmic Dream Boogie by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein with permission from Pantheon Books, a division of Penguin Random House. Copyright © 2026 by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein.

Halfway through Space Is the Place, Sun Ra muses that scientists are fed on research while Black people have been fed on freedom. As a Black physicist, I have been fed on both, and I have tried to grow the seeds that my ancestors passed on to me. The ancestors could fly. I do too, whenever I am able to escape into looking at the universe through the lens of quantum fields. I am not the first to escape into the abstractions of space and time. If you’ve read this far, then you have joined me. We are not the first. We will not be the last.

When I was younger, I knew I could be a scientist because I grew up watching LeVar Burton play one on television. As Geordi La Forge, chief engineer of the starship Enterprise on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Burton gave us a brilliant, Black nerd. Because I saw this early example, my child self never doubted that I had the freedom to be a professional nerd too. It was not a possibility that was, as it had been for Black generations before me, “Far Beyond the Stars”—the title of a powerful episode about twentieth-century anti-Black racism that aired during the sixth season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. DS9, as many fans know it, was the first Trek series to feature a Black lead. Avery Brooks’s Benjamin Sisko broke barriers in what is to this day the longest-running television drama with a Black man in the leading role. Like Burton’s Lieutenant Commander La Forge, Captain Sisko taught Black children like me that not even the sky was the limit.

In this sense, representation has real material meaning: Trek has continuously pushed the boundaries of our imaginations for as long as it has existed. Burton’s performance as Geordi La Forge has its origins in an earlier iteration of Trek—the first Black person Burton ever saw on television was Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the original Star Trek series. This milestone was marked in the January 1967 issue of Ebony magazine, which also features a cover photograph of Nichols. In the photo, she’s wearing a form-fitting red synthetic velour dress with a respectably high black scoop-neck collar—the uniform of a liberated Black woman who is Earth’s chief communicator in outer space. The dress looks straight out of the 1960s except for the small patch over the left breast, which is roughly shaped like an arrowhead and features a swirly letter e (for engineering). The accompanying feature story declared that Nichols, then a star of the brand-new NBC Color television show Star Trek, was “the first Negro astronaut, a triumph of modern-day TV over modern-day NASA.”

The Edge of Space-Time is available on April 7th from Pantheon Books. Credit: Pantheon / Penguin Random House

The decision to feature the stunningly beautiful Nichols on the cover, complete with a lengthy feature describing her significant contributions to the production of Gene Roddenberry’s new humanistic drama of life in space, was both clear and pointed. Not only was Ebony celebrating a great Black actor; it was also offering political commentary on the whiteness of the political zeitgeist, asserting that NBC had imagination NASA utterly lacked. Of course, there are limits to this way of looking at things. Roddenberry had filmed the first Star Trek pilot featuring white actress Majel Barrett (his wife) as second in command of the Enterprise, but NBC hated the idea of portraying a white woman in such a powerful position and refused to pick up the series. The franchise might have died were it not for the intervention of Lucille Ball of I Love Lucy fame, who insisted that Roddenberry be given a second chance. So Roddenberry got rid of the white woman first officer and replaced her with not just any male but a male alien: Leonard Nimoy’s science officer Spock. He also added pilot Hikaru Sulu to the crew, played by Japanese American concentration-camp survivor George Takei. And he cast Nichols, already a star stage performer, in the role of the communications officer whose last name recalls uhuru—Swahili for “freedom.”

It would be nearly three decades before a Black woman would finally make the journey to space in real life. Roddenberry, of course, was not the first to dream of it. I imagine that Black women have dreamed of space throughout the centuries—for much longer than the idea of “Black people” has existed. Even Star Trek was a few years behind journalist Edward Murrow, who, as head of the U.S. Information Agency, wrote to NASA administrator James Webb in 1961 to suggest that the United States send “the first non-white man to space.” Webb replied that such a choice was “inconsistent with our agency’s policies.” And so in 1967, it was Lieutenant Uhura who first fulfilled that dream in the popular consciousness. Beamed into the living rooms of Black children across the country, Nichelle Nichols transformed how Black children saw themselves and their futures. 

Media like Trek kept me open to the possibility that space represented. I am a child of the space shuttle era, so I never knew a world where humans, including Black people, weren’t annually flying to space. I was fascinated by the 1976 IMAX film To Fly!—and saw it at both the California Science Museum and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., where it brought me “past Mars, past Jupiter and its moons, past Saturn and beyond.” The script of the twenty-seven-minute film, juxtaposed with the larger-than-life IMAX movie screen, was the best kind of propaganda, designed to inspire awe. Toward the end, the narrator sums up the journey: “Today we look upon our planet from afar and feel a new tenderness for the tiny and fragile Earth. And so I learned early on from documentary as well as Star Trek that space was a tapestry for our dreams.

______________

Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is an associate professor of physics and astronomy and core faculty in women’s and gender studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her research in theoretical physics focuses on cosmology, dark matter, and neutron stars. She is also a researcher of Black feminist science, technology, and society studies. She is also the creator of the Cite Black Women+ in Physics and Astronomy Bibliography. Her first book The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime, and Dreams Deferred (Bold Type Books) won the 2021 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the science and technology category, the 2022 Phi Beta Kappa Science Award, and a 2022 PEN/Oakland Josephine Miles Award.

The post When ‘Star Trek’ put the first Black astronaut into space appeared first on Popular Science.

Have you ever walked into an old garage or antique store, seen a VHS tape gathering dust and wondered: would those sad old pieces of plastic still play? An eclectic YouTuber named Brady Brandwood is taking that  curiosity to the extreme. Brandwood has collected a handful of neglected VHS tapes and CDs from long-abandoned buildings in Georgia and is setting out on a journey to bring them back to life. Remarkably, after likely spending more than a decade exposed to the elements, almost all of the old media still worked. Well, mostly worked, at least.

“I’ve heard the lifespan of a VHS tape is about 30 years,” Brandwood says in his video. “I’m betting it’s actually a lot longer than that. “They are obviously very durable, even when they are left out in the elements.” 

Searching abandoned homes for neglected VHS tapes 

Brandwood has odd tastes. The regular programming on his channel (which has nearly 700,000 subscribers) normally involves chronicling the life of wild lobsters and welcoming wild animals into his home. This video switches things up, opening with him wandering through creepy, rotting homes in Georgia’s woodlands from a first-person camera view. The creaky floors, rotted wood, and strewn-about furniture make it look like something straight out of a “Resident Evil” game.

“Kinda sad, all of this will be bulldozed down soon,” he says. Something like a fast food restaurant or gas station will likely replace it. And whoever, or whatever is living in this basement will be evicted.”

The YouTuber returned to the house with his camera, because he had previously spotted some VHS tapes scattered around and wondered if there was any way to find out what was hidden on them. He left with several dirt-filled tapes as well as a handful of CDs, each showing varying levels of apparent wear and tear. One of the CDs clearly had a picture of Elvis on the front, while another had the words “The Blind Side” written in black marker.

Brandwood didn’t actually own a VHS player, so he had to visit several thrift shops to find one—a hunt he also recorded. To play back the CDs, he used an old Apple Power Mac G5 from his storage unit. But even with the correct hardware on hand, neither the VHS tapes nor the CDs would play in their current, dirt-coated state.

Brandwood burned through plenty of paper towels and cleaning spray during his experiment. Image: Brady Brandwood / YouTube.

To clean the VHS tapes, Brandwood started by wiping down the exteriors to remove dirt and grime. He then opened up the top of the tape casing to get a better look at the mechanical innards. It was a mess, to say the least. Mold was growing on the inside, and a good deal of extra dirt was lodged within. Upon closer inspection, one of the tapes had apparently also served as a spider’s nest at some point.

After all that cleaning came the moment of truth. He loaded in one of the VHS tapes and, at first, nothing happened. He ejected it and loaded it once more, and this time, after a brief dramatic pause, the screen went gray and old-time swing music started playing. Moments later, the Paramount Pictures logo with the mountaintop in the background appeared. When he rewound the tape, he realized it was a recording of something from Cartoon Network. It wasn’t crystal clear, but the old tape worked.

The other refurbished VHS tapes managed to play as well. One showed what appeared to be a dinosaur documentary. Another loaded up to reveal a filmed Jerry Lee Lewis concert, in which the musician can be seen playing the piano with his foot. While  all of the VHS tapes were able to play, the same couldn’t be said for the recovered CDs. Some were simply too degraded, and the computer spat them back out.

Brandwood loaded one of the tapes and was greeted with this recording of Jerry Lee Lewis in concert. Image: Brady Brandwood / YouTube. The race against time to save physical media’s secrets 

Brandwood set out to the abandoned VHS tapes and CDs for fun, but figuring out the science behind preserving old physical media is serious work. Around the globe, archivists are racing against time to find the best ways to immortalize degrading tech and safeguard the contents held within them.

Popular Science recently spoke with Cambridge University Library archivist Leontien Talboom  who teamed up with video game enthusiasts to create a new stand for cleaning and imagining floppy disc drives. The square cartridges were the dominant medium for storing digital information throughout the last three decades of the 20th century and are familiar to anyone who remembers the Tamagotchi craze. 

Some of the CDs were too badly damaged to play. Image: Brady Brandwood / YouTube

Here in the United States, archivists at the Library of Congress are actively running experiments on CDs. They’re artificially exposing them to various heat and humidity levels to see how fast they degrade, and what can be done to slow the process. 

For CDs and VHS tapes alike, the best way to prolong their life is to keep them in a climate-controlled environment to prevent decay. Ironically, even though the transition from VHS to CDs was driven partly by the perception that the CDs were a more durable, long-lasting medium, Brandwood’s adventure shows that’s not necessarily the case. It turns out the humble VHS tape may have been a more robust engineering accomplishment than was previously appreciated.

The post Georgia man brings abandoned VHS tapes back to life appeared first on Popular Science.

In Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairytale, “The Princess and the Pea,” a prince tests whether a young woman is, in fact, a princess. In order to authenticate her nobility, his mother (the queen) places a single pea at the bottom of the woman’s bed, beneath 20 mattresses and 20 quilts. If the woman is sensitive to the pea, she must have royal blood—obviously. Although she falls asleep easily atop the towering, the woman spends the entire night tossing and turning because the bed is so uncomfortable. Later, the queen confirms it was the pea that made her sleep so unbearable. But if you were to ask a sleep doctor today, it may have had more to do with the princess’s sleeping position. 

It’s no secret that your sleeping position can significantly affect your sleep quality. But according to science, which sleeping position is best? 

In order to determine whether we should be snoozing on our backs or curling up on our sides to achieve maximum health benefits (and a good night’s rest), Popular Science turned to  Dr. John Saito, a representative for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Apparently, the answer isn’t so clear-cut. 

A good sleep position begins with easy breathing

“Everyone has an idea of what a good sleep position may be,” says Saito, “whether it’s sleeping on your left side, ride side, back, belly, or even upside down. But it all depends on the context.” 

For example, say you’re lying on your back and have a good support pillow that keeps your spine and your neck in a neutral position. This, says Saito, allows your airway to remain unobstructed and you to breathe easily. That’s a good thing. 

However, if you have sleep apnea—a condition in which your breathing stops and starts throughout sleep, typically resulting from your throat muscles becoming too relaxed and blocking a body’s upper airway—sleeping on your back can be detrimental to your health. 

“If the tongue falls to the back of your throat when you’re lying on your back, that’s bad,” says Saito. For babies, most doctors recommend putting them to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), an unexplained death that usually occurs during sleep. 

Related 'Ask Us Anything' Stories

White noise vs brown noise: What’s the best sound for sleeping?

Is it better to be a morning person or a night owl? What the science says.

Tired? You may have social jetlag.

Is sleeping outside good for you? Science has a clear answer.

What causes you to jolt awake right before falling asleep?

Is it better to sleep in cycles?

Good news for side sleepers

For adults, “If you’re lying on your right side, it might be better for blood flow,” says Saito, as well as lower pressure on your heart. This is because your mediastinum, a flexible compartment located between the lungs, helps hold your heart in place. 

“If you’re lying on your left side, it may actually be better for clearing the waste product in our brain,” he says. This is called the glymphatic system, a brain’s specialized waste clearance network that washes away harmful metabolic byproducts, including proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease, while we sleep. 

There’s also a difference between sleeping in a fetal or curled position, and sprawling out straight. Sleeping on either side with your body relatively linear helps to align your spine, while curling up on your side is generally good for easing lower back pain. However, being too curled up like a baby can compress your diaphragm and chest, and in turn restrict breathing. 

Finding the best sleeping position for you

Regardless of what science shows, certain people will have certain preferences when it comes to sleeping positions, says Saito, and for good reason. For instance, “ask someone who’s dealing with back pain to then sleep on their back and they’re going to curse you,” he says, “because even though they’re breathing better, their bones and joints are hurting terribly.”

So instead of a specific sleeping position, Saito says to consider the ABCs of respiratory therapy: airway, breathing, and circulation. “If you can’t breathe because you have sleep apnea or you have allergies and a stuffy nose, you want to find the best position that keeps your airway open,” he says. 

What if you move around, sleeping in multiple positions through the night? 

According to Dr. Saito, “There’s nobody that sleeps like a log and doesn’t move. You may start off in one position to be comfortable, but over the night you shift.” However, he says, there’s a difference between repositioning yourself throughout the night, and moving a lot because you can’t find a comfortable sleeping position. “Just like in anything, a little bit is OK,” he says, “but too much means you’re outside of the spectrum of normal.”

People who have trouble sleeping tend to move excessively. But there are ways to practice sleeping in better positions. If you’re typically a side sleeper, try placing a pillow between your knees to help better align your head, neck, and hips. This neutral posture can not only make breathing easier, but it can also result in deeper, more restorative sleep. 

If you prefer sleeping on your side, try placing a pillow between your knees to help your alignment. Image: Getty Images / bymuratdeniz

If you’re traditionally a back sleeper, place a pillow under your knees. Is sleeping on your stomach more your thing? Try placing a thin pillow under your hips. Choosing a mattress that adheres to the natural curve of your spine is also a key element of snoozing through the night.  

In the end, “There’s no one best sleeping position,” says Saito. In reality, it can depend on a myriad of factors, from whether you’re pregnant and suffering from bad back pain to battling sleep apnea and being a chronic snorer. 

Your ultimate goal is to find a comfortable, unobtrusive sleeping position that allows you to get a good night’s sleep. 

Ultimately, whatever sleep position you find comfiest is going to be the best one for you. This is because it’s what’s going to give you the most rest, which, in turn, will also keep you healthiest.

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 The best sleep position, according to science appeared first on Popular Science.

When taking care of injured birds, sometimes a hands-off approach is the best place to start. And that’s exactly what was in store for two great-horned owls (Bubo virginianus) in the caring hands of the team at the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center in central California.

“Great-horned owls often jump out of the nest before the babies can fly. The parents continue to care for them on the ground,” Donna Burt, a biologist and chairman of the board, executive director, and founder of the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center, tells Popular Science. “That works fine if the owls are in a protected area, but these were in a soccer field.”

Fortunately, these birds did not have any injuries when they were brought into the animal care center, but they still needed a check-up. During a hands-off exam like this one, veterinarians look closely to see how an animal stands, walks, and looks around, to get a sense of their health and potential injuries. In the case of these four to five-week-old owls, the bird on the left is up on its feet, while the owl on the right is hock sitting. Since it is unable to stand, the bird sits back on its legs, which is a normal action for owls this age. Both birds can snap their beaks and spread their wings in threat displays, which indicates that they are feeling well. 

The team can also check on the birds’ eyes during this type of exam. They have a little cloudiness, which is normal for young great-horned owls. They will also blink by lowering the upper eyelids, which is sometimes another threat display. 

Great-horned owls reach adult size by 10 weeks-old. Image: Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center.

Great-horned owls are one of North America’s largest owls. They typically weigh between 2.5 and 4.5 pounds. Baby great-horned owls are also the first babies that the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center receives every single year. Owl pairs begin their courtship in November and lay eggs in late January or early February. The eggs will hatch in March or April. Once hatched, the owls reach full adult size at 10 weeks, but will stay with their parents until the fall.

“When we get tiny baby great-horns, we put them with a non-releasable surrogate owl who cares for and feeds them,” Burt says. “Not only is that easier for us, but it’s better for the babies. Although it can feel rewarding to hand-feed and care for the little fluffballs, it is in their best interest to be raised by owls. They grow faster and develop normal behavior.”

A baby owl with a surrogate. Image: Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center.

While these two can eat on their own, it will be another few weeks before they can fly. As soon as the birds reach that milestone, they will move  to one of the center’s larger aviaries that measure either 50 feet or 100 feet long.

If you come across baby great-horned owls on the ground who appear clean and healthy, the center advises people to leave them alone. If a bird looks injured or sick, contact your local animal control or wildlife rescue center.

The post Spunky baby owls examined after being found on soccer field appeared first on Popular Science.

When taking care of injured birds, sometimes a hands-off approach is the best place to start. And that’s exactly what was in store for two great-horned owls (Bubo virginianus) in the caring hands of the team at the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center in central California.

“Great-horned owls often jump out of the nest before the babies can fly. The parents continue to care for them on the ground,” Donna Burt, a biologist and chairman of the board, executive director, and founder of the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center, tells Popular Science. “That works fine if the owls are in a protected area, but these were in a soccer field.”

Fortunately, these birds did not have any injuries when they were brought into the animal care center, but they still needed a check-up. During a hands-off exam like this one, veterinarians look closely to see how an animal stands, walks, and looks around, to get a sense of their health and potential injuries. In the case of these four to five-week-old owls, the bird on the left is up on its feet, while the owl on the right is hock sitting. Since it is unable to stand, the bird sits back on its legs, which is a normal action for owls this age. Both birds can snap their beaks and spread their wings in threat displays, which indicates that they are feeling well. 

The team can also check on the birds’ eyes during this type of exam. They have a little cloudiness, which is normal for young great-horned owls. They will also blink by lowering the upper eyelids, which is sometimes another threat display. 

Great-horned owls reach adult size by 10 weeks-old. Image: Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center.

Great-horned owls are one of North America’s largest owls. They typically weigh between 2.5 and 4.5 pounds. Baby great-horned owls are also the first babies that the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center receives every single year. Owl pairs begin their courtship in November and lay eggs in late January or early February. The eggs will hatch in March or April. Once hatched, the owls reach full adult size at 10 weeks, but will stay with their parents until the fall.

“When we get tiny baby great-horns, we put them with a non-releasable surrogate owl who cares for and feeds them,” Burt says. “Not only is that easier for us, but it’s better for the babies. Although it can feel rewarding to hand-feed and care for the little fluffballs, it is in their best interest to be raised by owls. They grow faster and develop normal behavior.”

A baby owl with a surrogate. Image: Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center.

While these two can eat on their own, it will be another few weeks before they can fly. As soon as the birds reach that milestone, they will move  to one of the center’s larger aviaries that measure either 50 feet or 100 feet long.

If you come across baby great-horned owls on the ground who appear clean and healthy, the center advises people to leave them alone. If a bird looks injured or sick, contact your local animal control or wildlife rescue center.

The post Spunky baby owls examined after being found on soccer field appeared first on Popular Science.

When taking care of injured birds, sometimes a hands-off approach is the best place to start. And that’s exactly what was in store for two great-horned owls (Bubo virginianus) in the caring hands of the team at the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center in central California.

“Great-horned owls often jump out of the nest before the babies can fly. The parents continue to care for them on the ground,” Donna Burt, a biologist and chairman of the board, executive director, and founder of the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center, tells Popular Science. “That works fine if the owls are in a protected area, but these were in a soccer field.”

Fortunately, these birds did not have any injuries when they were brought into the animal care center, but they still needed a check-up. During a hands-off exam like this one, veterinarians look closely to see how an animal stands, walks, and looks around, to get a sense of their health and potential injuries. In the case of these four to five-week-old owls, the bird on the left is up on its feet, while the owl on the right is hock sitting. Since it is unable to stand, the bird sits back on its legs, which is a normal action for owls this age. Both birds can snap their beaks and spread their wings in threat displays, which indicates that they are feeling well. 

The team can also check on the birds’ eyes during this type of exam. They have a little cloudiness, which is normal for young great-horned owls. They will also blink by lowering the upper eyelids, which is sometimes another threat display. 

Great-horned owls reach adult size by 10 weeks-old. Image: Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center.

Great-horned owls are one of North America’s largest owls. They typically weigh between 2.5 and 4.5 pounds. Baby great-horned owls are also the first babies that the Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center receives every single year. Owl pairs begin their courtship in November and lay eggs in late January or early February. The eggs will hatch in March or April. Once hatched, the owls reach full adult size at 10 weeks, but will stay with their parents until the fall.

“When we get tiny baby great-horns, we put them with a non-releasable surrogate owl who cares for and feeds them,” Burt says. “Not only is that easier for us, but it’s better for the babies. Although it can feel rewarding to hand-feed and care for the little fluffballs, it is in their best interest to be raised by owls. They grow faster and develop normal behavior.”

A baby owl with a surrogate. Image: Stanislaus Wildlife Care Center.

While these two can eat on their own, it will be another few weeks before they can fly. As soon as the birds reach that milestone, they will move  to one of the center’s larger aviaries that measure either 50 feet or 100 feet long.

If you come across baby great-horned owls on the ground who appear clean and healthy, the center advises people to leave them alone. If a bird looks injured or sick, contact your local animal control or wildlife rescue center.

The post Spunky baby owls examined after being found on soccer field appeared first on Popular Science.

Pepperoni or anchovies? Mushrooms or black olives? And what about the ever popular and polarizing pineapple? Pizza topping preferences are as varied as the people who order them. While that’s fine for one or two hungry friends, planning multiple pies for a larger group can quickly turn tense. Most of the time, it feels like diners simply settle on one-topping or cheese pizzas in the hopes of avoiding an argument.

From a technical standpoint, it is definitely possible to figure out the optimal pizza toppings based on a group’s various tastes. However, the time it takes to chart out and settle on the most democratically representative dishes may risk devolving into a dreaded “hangry” shouting match. Thankfully, a software engineer has a solution.

The recently launched Pizza Voter website is a free-to-use platform that allows you to email a pizza party invitation to every participant in an upcoming meal. Once accepted, each person then clicks whether they Love, Hate, or Don’t Mind each topping. There’s even a fill-in-the-blank option for the especially picky pizza fan. From there, an internal algorithm weighs each topping’s scores based on the answers, then calculates a perfect pizza that theoretically will satisfy everyone.

According to the creator’s announcement post on Reddit, it takes Pizza Voter about 60 seconds to generate an answer to each topping conundrum. And lest anyone think this is a covert ploy by Big Pizza to amass consumer data: the website includes a full privacy policy explaining that a geographic estimation of every user is the only data it is currently collecting from users.

Tracking location is also not for marketing. Instead, it simply lets everyone know where people are eating the most pizza. Judging from the project’s social media, it’s currently a toss-up between San Francisco and Chicago. We’ll let them argue over the best type of crust.

The post Software engineers design algorithm to solve pizza topping arguments appeared first on Popular Science.

It’s important to remember that we humans are simply animals. A very advanced species, but members of the animal kingdom nonetheless. We all need water, food, and shelter to survive, but we also share another similarity. 

Humans also find animal mating calls and signals appealing, whether it’s the bright colors of butterfly wings, a flower’s sweet smell, or a songbird’s melodies. The findings are detailed in a study published today in the journal Science and indicate that the preference for some animal sounds might be more common than previously believed. 

In 1981, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) staff scientist A. Stanley Rand and research associate Michael J. Ryan discovered that a female túngara frog’s (Engystomops pustulosus) preference for a mate depends on the complexity of the male’s call. For this new study, Ryan and his colleagues wanted to know if human preferences for certain animal calls—including those alluring calls from male túngara frogs—correlate with the preferences of female animals.

“After witnessing those female preferences Stan and Mike [Ryan] discovered when I got to measure them myself, I became fascinated with the question of where these preferences come from,” Logan James, a STRI research associate and the study’s lead author, said in a statement. “Plus, since that team released their initial findings, we’ve found that other animals, including eavesdroppers such as blood-sucking flies and frog-eating bats, also prefer complex calls. This got us wondering how common acoustic preferences may be.” 

For the study, the team used a computer game to test humans’ preferences for different animal sounds using an online computer game. They presented pairs of animal sounds from 16 different animal species, including crickets, zebra finches (Taeniopygia castanotis), and several frog species to over 4,000 human participants from around the world. 

“In gamified citizen science, people volunteer for experiments simply because they’re fun and interesting,” added Samuel Mehr, a study co-author and cognitive scientist at Yale University’s Child Study Center. “The method is perfect for answering questions from evolutionary biology where we aim to study phenomena across many species as opposed to just a few. Our game enabled us to test lots of humans’ preferences for lots of different sounds.” 

Three male zebra finches (Taeniopygia castanotis). Image: Raina Fan.

The sounds came from animals that are known to display a preference for one sound over the other. After listening to these sound parings, the humans were asked to express their preference for one sound or the other, the way that the animals making and listening to the sounds do. 

The team found a broad overlap between human and animal sound preferences. The stronger an animals’ preference for a specific sound, the more likely it was for a human to pick that sound as their favorite. The human participants were also quicker to select the more attractive sound. Humans and animals share a strong preference for lower pitch sounds and those with acoustic adornments, such as “trills,” “clicks” and “chucks” in bird songs and frog calls.  

“Darwin noted that animals seem to have a ‘taste for the beautiful’ that sometimes parallels our own preferences,” Ryan concluded. “We show that Darwin’s observation seems to be true in a general sense, probably due to the many sensory system properties we share with other animals.” 

The post Even humans love a good mating call appeared first on Popular Science.

Chess is widely seen as a great equalizer. Players from every social, racial, and economic class have squared off across the board for nearly 1,500 years, with victories determined solely by skill and strategy. Unfortunately, the egalitarian foundations of chess are rarely reflected beyond the game itself. During the Middle Ages, for example, many contemporary accounts from both Christian and Muslim societies depicted their opposing side as barbaric, blasphemous, and inferior.

However, recent reexaminations of medieval artwork are complicating these assumptions. After reviewing a range of artwork from Europe and the Middle East, Cambridge University historian Krisztina Ilko believes that chess players on either side of the board were well aware of the game’s capacity to humanize and humble. As she explained in a study recently awarded the Medieval Academy of America’s Article Prize in Critical Race Studies, chess has bridged cultural divides and subverted stereotypes at least as far back as the 13th century.

Abu’l Qasim Firdausi, ‘Buzurgmihr masters the game of chess’. Folio from the First Small Shahnama (Book of Kings) (Iraq or Iran, c.1300–30). Credit: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

“Medieval sources repeatedly state that chess is war without bloodshed, and that it represents a just world,” Ilko explained in a statement. “Chess was a powerful vehicle for people hailing from widely different places, even civilizations, to interact with each other. It was an intellectual exchange.”

Some of the most prominent examples are found in the Libro de axedrez, or Book of Games—a manuscript commissioned by King Alfonso X of Spain in 1283 CE. In the manuscript, dozens of illustrations in it showcase non-white players from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East holding their own against their European opponents. One scene features a Muslim and a Jewish player playing chess, while another reveals four Mongols peacefully enjoying a match. These are far cries from how such groups are described in other Eurocentric artifacts. 

“When people with non-white skin color are depicted in medieval images, scholars have tended to see them in either exalted or subdued positions. So you get the Queen of Sheba at one extreme, and executioners and other malignant forces at the other,” said Ilko. “Chess reveals a different, more complex story.”

Medieval rulers like King Alfonso were almost certainly keenly aware of the real problems these reductive stereotypes caused. Europe had famously fallen behind in science advancements by the Middle Ages, and the Spanish ruler’s court purposefully sought out and translated Islamic math, astronomy, and medical knowledge. These interactions inevitably led to chess games—and presumably, a lot of losses for Spanish diplomats. Of the 103 chess problems shown in Libro de axedrez, 88 are based on Muslim play styles.

St Nicolas miracle chess scene in the late 14th-century altarpiece from San Nicolas, Portopi, now in the Museu de Mallorca. Credit: Krisztina Ilko

Another example is visible in a late 14th century Spanish altarpiece dedicated to Saint Nicholas of Myra. The scene takes place in a Muslim court between a dark-skinned king and a light-skinned thief. Ilko argues that the players’ respective physical features challenged the prevailing European system that emphasized whiteness. She believes that these depictions along with many other examples show the importance of chess throughout generations—not only as a fun strategy game, but as a way to break down societal barriers.

“Chess was and remains a game of logic, where intellectual prowess matters. Chess operated on a different plane where people could engage with each other as equals, irrespective of their skin color,” said Ilko. “What mattered was ‘who’s smarter?’ [and] ‘who can win?’, not ‘who’s more powerful or socially superior?’”

The post Medieval chess was more inclusive than the world around it appeared first on Popular Science.

Spring has almost arrived in the northern hemisphere and with the new season comes warm temperatures, blooming flowers, and adorable baby animals. Right under our noses, coyotes (Canis latrans) may be building dens and having litters of pups. However, you probably won’t see them. These flexible wild canines will do everything they can to keep us out of their dens, according to new research published in the journal Ecology and Evolution.

Where the dens are located

Researchers followed 48 urban coyotes fitted with GPS tracking collars and located 20 dens throughout Atlanta, Georgia. More than half of the dens were located in natural structures such as burrows and fallen tree trunks.

“Basically, we saw that the coyotes were trying to avoid people,” said Summer Fink, lead author of the study and a University of Georgia doctoral candidate, said in a statement. “The animals didn’t want to den in areas where there was a lot of human activity and development.”

Some of the dens did incorporate human-related items: discarded piles of concrete, an overturned boat, and even a large, half-buried tractor tire. The researchers believe that the coyotes’ willingness to incorporate these human-made items into their dens shows the canines’  adaptability. That doesn’t mean they want to interact with people, though.

“Most people don’t even know coyotes live in our cities. This paper demonstrates that these animals are living and reproducing in the same spaces as us without people even realizing it,” added study co-author and ecologist Michel Kohl. “To me, this highlights how well coyotes are able to avoid us, which suggests that people’s fear of coyotes is often greater than the actual risk.”

Some dens were built near homes and buildings, but those houses were most often vacant and the buildings were abandoned. “It seemed like coyotes were perceiving that risk, realizing there weren’t people there and deciding to den in those locations,” Fink said.

The coyotes appear to be more concerned with their dens’ structural integrity. “As long as it was strong and it had visual cover around it to hide the coyotes from people seeing them, they were happy,” Kohl added.

The team put GPS collars on 48 urban coyotes in Atlanta, Georgia. All animals in the included images and videos are handled by trained wildlife professionals with legal permits. Image: UGA/University of Georgia. Leaping litters

Coyote packs typically include two to seven dogs. They live in every state except Hawaii and in every major city from Los Angeles to Chicago to Atlanta. This study found that in Georgia, coyotes give birth from mid-March through mid-April. In other parts of the country, coyote pupping season can last through mid-May. Litters generally range from two to nine pups. 

According to the Wolf Conservation Center in South Salem, New York, only the breeding pair in a coyote pack is allowed to reproduce. The other pack members help with hunting, babysitting duties, and defending their territory. Bringing food back for the new litter is essential to their survival, but coyotes are opportunistic eaters. They will consume what is easily available to them, typically small mammals such as mice and squirrels and anything seasonally abundant like berries. 

However, most pups in the den will not survive to adulthood, partially due to vehicle collisions, lack of food, and other human impacts.

“They’re an incredibly adaptive species, and they’re very intelligent,” Kohl said. “But there is likely a limit. As urbanization increases and denning locations become more limited, it is going to put further pressure on the ability of these coyote populations to sustain themselves in these urban landscapes.”

Coyotes typically have litters of two to nine pups. All animals in the included images and videos are handled by trained wildlife professionals with legal permits. Image: UGA/University of Georgia.

While coyotes may have a bad reputation for spreading disease and eating cats and dogs, they fill important ecological roles, particularly in cities and more urban areas. In these ecosystems, they can be the top predator, keeping rodents and other small mammal populations in check. They will also eat native plants and disperse the seeds in their feces. Coyotes are also scavengers and will feast on roadkill and clean up the environment.

“Without an apex predator, ecosystems can get all out of whack,” Fink said.

How to protect coyotes and their pups

While coyotes pose little danger to humans and pets, they are wild animals and will be protective of their young.

To keep coyotes and their pups safe, keep dogs on leashes during walks and don’t investigate holes that could potentially be coyote dens. Coyotes will often attempt to lead humans away from their dens if they believe they’ve been spotted rather than becoming aggressive. If you do see a coyote, avoid interacting with them.

“If you are close to a den, the parents may make themselves more visible, more noticeable,” Kohl said. “But that doesn’t necessarily mean that there’s something wrong with that coyote. It actually may be a behavioral ploy, so to speak, to try and get you to go somewhere else.”

Additionally, do not feed coyotes or run away from them. If you see one that appears sick or injured, report it to your local animal control office. 

The post Coyote pupping season is here. You can help keep them safe. appeared first on Popular Science.

Beulah Louise Henry was just nine years old when she came up with her first invention in 1896, a device that allowed a man to tip his hat without ever putting down his newspaper. 

By her death in 1973, at the age of 85, she’d come up with so many more—a doll with eyes that changed color with the press of a button, a sewing machine without a bobbin (a threaded spool that slowed down work because it had to be frequently refilled), a clock designed to help kids learn to tell time, and others—that the press even dubbed Henry “Lady Edison.” 

Her ideas, she once told a reporter, were “messages from a guiding spirit.”

Beulah Louise Henry’s early life

Henry grew up a daughter of fortune in Raleigh, North Carolina. Her father Walter was a prominent lawyer and orator. Her mother, who was also named Beulah—a common tradition in the late 19th century—was a homemaker and the daughter of the state’s former governor. 

After high school, Henry went on to Elizabeth College, a short-lived, private Lutheran school for women in Charlotte. Henry hadn’t yet graduated when, in 1912, she received her first patent for a device she’d dreamed up while there: a vacuum ice cream maker designed to use both a motor and a hand crank (since electricity was still patchily distributed in those days), as well as minimal ice (which wasn’t widely available until the freezer came about a few decades later).

Female students at Elizabeth College gather to play a game of tennis in 1903. Image: Public Domain

Henry tried and failed to sell her “ice cream freezer” in Memphis, where her family had moved. But the city’s retailers and manufacturers had no interest in the apparatus. 

That same stony resistance stymied Henry’s next attempt at commercial success, a parasol with a snap-on cover that could be changed to match a woman’s outfit. Sometime around 1920, the family agreed to relocate to New York where their daughter’s ingenuity might be better appreciated. 

In Manhattan, Henry hoofed through the city’s streets and into its clattering manufacturers’ workshops day after day, trying to drum up interest in her interchangeable umbrella. But it was to no avail. They not only failed to see the invention’s potential, they told her the design was irreparably flawed, that it would be impossible to pierce the umbrella’s metal ribs with the snaps needed to hold the parasol cover in place.

How Henry’s tenacity led to her first commercial success

There were—and still remain today—both implicit and explicit biases against women inventors and some of the types of inventions they created, explains Kara Swanson, professor of law at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. While, unlike many women of her time, Henry had both the financial resources and at least some of the educational background required to develop her snap-on parasol, the technological advancement was one whose commercial viability the men that staffed patent and manufacturing offices struggled to envision.

Henry, however, “was obviously strongly motivated,” says Swanson. After multiple rejections to build the parasol prototype she needed to sell her invention commercially, she eventually gave up and made it herself. By the mid-1920s, Henry had managed to secure the necessary patents and successfully licensed her umbrella for sale. Displayed in the windows of the department store Lord & Taylor, it sold like hot cakes.

How Beulah Louise Henry transformed into “Lady Edison”

Henry didn’t have to live out of hotels but like many upper-middle-class New Yorkers in the 1920s and ‘30s, she chose to for the sake of convenience. The mid-priced stays in Midtown gave Henry, a woman always brimming with new ideas, easy access to the patent attorneys, model makers, and retailers her entrepreneurship required. 

Despite never marrying or having children, Henry could see the potential the market in children’s toys held. Her next inventions captured the kiddie entertainment zeitgeist of the early-20th-century, including a realistic doll with a built-in radio, a water floaty anchored by inflatable swans, and a variety of different ways of sealing and covering air-filled balls. 

In January 1925, Henry debuted her “Radio Rose” doll. The doll had a loud speaking unit in her bisque skull, the bell of an eight inch horn in her chest, and a complete self-contained three tube radio set in her dress. The radio doll made its first broadcast at the Gimbel Brothers Department store in-house 500W radio station, WGBS. Image: Underwood Archives / Contributor / Getty Images Underwood Archives

These toys, along with a variety of devices used primarily by women—a special attachment that allowed typists to create a duplicate of a document without getting their hands dirty, an industrial sewing machine that made two parallel rows of stitching for stronger and more durable seams, and others—were Henry’s specialty. As advances geared towards women and children, it may have been harder for Henry to secure patents than it would have been for inventions geared towards men. Once they made it into stores, however, commercial success was almost a given. 

“Think about who was doing the daily shopping,” says Swanson. “Women were in the department stores, clothing stores, notion stores (shops specializing in sewing accessories), grocery stores.” 

Even more expensive items like dishwashers and washing machines that most early-20th century women would not have been able to buy without the assistance of a husband or father, were still advertised to them. “Manufacturers understood that women were very involved in purchase decisions,” she says.

Henry, herself, was the model of a new kind of independent woman. She worked late and danced later, her hair fashioned into a stylish bob. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, even during the Great Depression, the inventor and her team at the Henry Umbrella and Parasol Company and, later, the B.L. Henry Company, turned out an average of more than two patents a year. 

“I invent because I cannot help myself,” Henry once said. Astonished by her prolific output, reporters drew the parallel between her and the New Jersey inventor of electricity. The moniker “Lady Edison” stuck with her for the rest of her life.

Henry’s eccentric lifestyle and invention empire

By the 1940s, the now middle-aged Henry was a public figure. She was considered proper and respected—if not somewhat eccentric. The suite of rooms she rented at the Hotel Seville on 29th and Madison Avenue was known to smell of incense and have a revolving door through which numerous pet birds, turtles, and a cat named Chickadee passed. She stationed a telescope by the window to gaze at the night sky.

After World War II, during which Henry joined the effort working at a machine shop, she returned to the inventing game with a slew of new ideas: Milka-Moo, a plush toy cow that spurted milk; a toy dog that consumed real food; an inflatable interior compartment that made dolls lighter weight and easier to clean; a device that continuously basted a roast with juice.

Beulah Louise Henry poses with her latest invention, a doll with an inflatable interior compartment that could be easily bathed. Image: Public Domain

Henry was granted her final patent, the 49th, for a new type of “direct and return” envelope in 1970. She’s believed to have come up with more than twice that many inventions over the span of her life, half of which never made it to the patent stage. Still, says Swisher, “it was rare for any inventor to [acquire so many patents],” regardless of their gender. 

It was another 36 years before Beulah Louise Henry finally shed her reputation as the female version of Thomas Edison. In 2006, she was recognized for her own brilliant mind by the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

In That Time When, Popular Science tells the weirdest, surprising, and little-known stories that shaped science, engineering, and innovation.

Related Stories

Windshield wipers’ overlooked female inventor

The forgotten story of the woman who invented the dishwasher

Pilates started in a WWI internment camp

4 times drinking coffee was illegal—or even punishable by death

The post Inventor Beulah Louise Henry’s unstoppable rise to becoming ‘Lady Edison’ appeared first on Popular Science.