A judge’s ruling is forcing the temporary suspension of Charlottesville, Virginia’s zoning code, reports Erin O’Hare in Charlottesville Tomorrow.

The judge ruled that the city has to throw out its new zoning ordinance and revert to its old zoning rules — but the void leaves the city without a zoning code at all. “In response, the city stopped accepting or processing zoning and development applications “until further notice,” according to Charlottesville Community Engagement.” It’s unclear what this means for projects that have already been approved under the new code.

The lawsuit was filed by several residents who opposed the newly approved zoning ordinance, and the ruling was issued after lawyers for the city failed to meet a filing deadline. According to a spokesperson for the city, “Since this interruption was based not on the merits of the actual ordinance itself, we are confident the City Council will have the opportunity to ensure the bold zoning provisions will again be enacted to guide future development of the City.”

• Charlottesville
• Zoning
• Development
• Zoning Codes

A team of ancient literature experts have deciphered a Mesopotamain text that was missing for over 1,000 years. Etched on clay tablets, the Hymn to Babylon describes the ancient megacity in “all of its majesty,” and gives new insights into the everyday lives of those who resided there. The text is detailed in a study published in the journal Iraq.

Founded in Mesopotamia around 2,000 BCE, Babylon was once the largest city in the world. Babylon’s ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 52 miles outside of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad. At its height, the city was a cultural hub that inspired written works that still form part of our global heritage today. A religious text called the Enuma elish or Babylonian Epic of Creation details the creation of the universe and the rise of Marduk, the city’s chief god. The Code of Hammurabi is one of the oldest surviving legal frameworks, and includes the concept of “innocent until proven guilty.”. 

Babylonian texts were primarily composed of an ancient writing system called cuniform on clay tablets. Most of these tablets have only survived in tiny fragments. One of the goals of a team from the University of Baghdad in Iraq and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany has been to decipher and preserve hundreds of cuneiform tablets included in the Sippar Library. This collection of texts was uncovered in the Temple of Shamash in the ancient city of Sippar, Iraq. Legends also say that Old Testament hero Noah hid tablets in Sippar before boarding his ark when the floodwaters came.

[ Related: 6,000-year-old Mesopotamian artifacts linked to the dawn of writing. ]

In the Electronic Babylonian Library Platform, study co-author and Assyriologist Enrique Jiménez is digitizing all of the cuneiform text fragments that have been discovered around the world. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), he is piecing together fragments that belong together. 

“Using our AI-supported platform, we managed to identify 30 other manuscripts that belong to the rediscovered hymn – a process that would formerly have taken decades,” Jiménez said in a statement. 

With these additional texts, the team was able to completely decipher this ancient hymn of praise. In it, they found some new insights into Babylonian urban society and believe that the Hymn to Babylon was very widespread.

“The hymn was copied by children at school. It’s unusual that such a popular text in its day was unknown to us before now,” Jiménez said. The song of triumph–or paean–likely dates back to the start of the first millennium before Christ and is made up of 250 lines.

“It was written by a Babylonian who wanted to praise his city,” said Jiménez. “The author describes the buildings in the city, but also how the waters of the Euphrates bring the spring and green the fields. This is all the more spectacular as surviving Mesopotamian literature is sparing in its descriptions of natural phenomena.”

One of the exciting new discoveries includes new information regarding Babylonian women–many were priestesses. The hymns also describe the inhabitants as being respectful to foreigners.

The lines below are from a newly discovered hymn, describing the river Euphrates. The city was located on the riverbanks at the time. 

The Euphrates is her river—established by wise lord Nudimmud—

It quenches the lea, saturates the canebrake,

Disgorges its waters into lagoon and sea,

Its fields burgeon with herbs and flowers,

Its meadows, in brilliant bloom, sprout barley,

From which, gathered, sheaves are stacked,

Herds and flocks lie on verdant pastures,

Wealth and splendor—what befit mankind—

Are bestowed, multiplied, and regally granted.

Continued advances could potentially lead to better translations of this ancient celebration of a great city. 

The post Babylonian text missing for 1,000 years deciphered with AI appeared first on Popular Science.

Despite their bee-like appearance, hoverflies are all buzz, no bite. The harmless insects, more closely related to midges than wasps, imitate their distant stinging cousins with stripes, high contrast colors, and narrow waists. In theory, the “flies in wasps’ clothing” use this strategy to ward off would-be predators, without having to pay the cost of evolving venom and an appendage to inject it. But in practice, it’s an open question how well the tactic works. 

The quality of hoverfly mimicry can vary– from detailed disguises to the insect equivalent of slapping on a pair of cat ears for a Halloween party. Evolutionary biologists have long questioned why it is that some hoverflies bother with such inaccurate impersonations, and why poor mimicry persists in populations. 

New research offers a possible explanation. Even questionable copycats can trip up certain predators like spiders and praying mantises, according to a study published July 2 in the journal Nature. In contrast, other predators are tougher to trick. Using unconventional methods, the researchers showed just how good birds are at distinguishing wasp mimics from the real sting, and what particular traits make the difference.

The team created intricate, 3D printed models of hypothetical insect chimeras to explore the whole range from 100 percent wasp to fully fly. Across four experiments with wild birds, domestic chicks, and invertebrates, they observed how different potential predators responded to a variety of artificial mimics. 

It’s “a novel way to ask questions that have been discussed in the literature a lot, but not very rigorously tested,” Tom Sherratt, an evolutionary ecologist at Carleton University in Ottawa, tells Popular Science. Sherratt wasn’t involved in the study, but co-wrote an accompanying News & Views piece about the research. “I thought it was a really nice paper,” he says, “they had a great idea for these 3D printed insects.” 

Most prior research of mimicry uses real insect specimens or crude stimuli, like colored squares, to examine predator response. But those approaches come with limitations. Either the cue is rudimentary and it’s difficult to evaluate outcomes, or  “you’re restricted to only what’s in nature,” Christopher Taylor, lead study author and an evolutionary biologist at the University of Nottingham in England, tells Popular Science. In contrast, 3D printing opened up an entire world of possibilities. Taylor and his colleagues were able to finely tune each of the models used across their experiments with the desired mix of features, and better assess the importance of some changes over others. 

They found that great tits (Parus major), a common species of European songbird, have a hyper discerning eye. After a short period of training, the wild birds were able to pick out most of the fake wasps. They could also readily discern between the “jack of all trade” mimics that mix traits from different targets and models of actual, stinging insects. Taylor and his many co-authors further found that color and size were the most critical aspects of successful mimics, over shape and pattern, in trials with recently hatched domestic chickens. Finally, they discovered that crab spiders and praying mantises are much more easily put off by inaccurate wasp mimics than birds, offering an explanation for why evolution has guided some flies to invest in half measures. 

“In some situations, but not all, [poor mimics] persist because they can get away with it. They don’t need to be super accurate in all respects in order to fool a predator–with the caveat that it depends on what their main predators are,” explains Taylor. 

In other words: If your main threats are other insects or spiders, appearing unappetizing and potentially dangerous is a lower lift. If you’re particularly tasty to birds, you’ll probably have to try harder. 

[ Related: Scientists discover how some flowers mimic the smell of death. ]

To reach that conclusion, the scientists began by conducting 3D scans of real wasps and flies, and then using those digitized insects to construct fake ones. They printed plastic versions of the real insects, fly/wasp hybrid variants ranging from 25 to 75 percent similarity, hybrids between two different species of real wasps, and versions of the wasp/fly chimeras where color, size, shape, or pattern were the focus of the hypothetical mimicry.

In their first experiment, the scientists presented wild great tits with puzzle grids made up of small lidded dishes. On top of each was one of their 3D insect models. Beneath the fly or fly hybrids, the researchers placed a tasty mealworm. Nothing was placed in the wasp containers.. Over weeks of observation, they recorded what order the birds approached containers in. After a short period of teaching the tits that flies advertised a treat while wasps advertised wasted time, the birds readily separated even convincing fly mimics from wasps. The birds significantly favored the fly and fly hybrid boxes over the wasp boxes, according to the findings. 

The team also verified that what the birds learned from the figurines would apply to the real thing by running a trial where some of the plastic critters were swapped with pinned, dead insects. They found that the birds associated the real flies with food and the real wasps with less likelihood of reward.  

In another experiment, they conducted similar trials, but with 3D models of two different species of wasp and  hybrids spanning the gap between both. They found that the birds were easily able to tell the difference between the insect models, and readily learned that the plastic replicas of the true wasps had no food to offer, while the hybrid “mimics” were worth foraging for.

Then, Taylor and co presented baby chickens with different versions of hypothetical wasp mimics, to tease out which traits were the most important for keeping predators at bay. After food reward training, they timed how long it took for the chicks’ to attack or examine the insect models. When the insect models were yellow and black or accurately sized to match a common wasp, the birds delayed pecking for longer. Wasp-like patterns and shapes, on the other hand, were less of a deterrent. 

In their invertebrate trials, the team placed jumping spiders, crab spiders, and praying mantises in an arena with a series of 3D printed insects, one at a time, spanning from full fly to true wasp. In the presence of the plastic wasps, the researchers administered a “punishment” to most of the test subjects by prodding them in the abdomen. With and without training, the mantises and crab spiders showed a significantly different response to the flies than to the wasps, and were much more cautious of lesser intermediate mimics than the birds had been. Jumping spiders, which have better vision than many other invertebrates, were better able to tell hybrids and true wasps apart. 

On their own, each of these experiments “would be good papers,” says Sherratt. “But the fact that we’ve got all of them under one roof is what I think really helps make this paper quite interesting and imaginative.” 

[ Related: This spider pretends to be an ant, but not well enough to avoid being eaten. ]

Though imaginative, 3D printing does come with limitations. For one, the plastic insect figurines are purely visual cues. They can’t replicate the behavior, sound, or chemical aspects of an actual, living hoverfly or wasp, notes Taylor. It’s quite possible these less printable features might be part of how predators pick their meals and learn to avoid unpleasant experiences. Then, there’s the fact that the birds in the study were trained and tested on a reward/no reward basis. In nature, the risk of picking on a wasp isn’t just that you might miss a meal, it’s also that you could be hurt, says Sherratt. Under those higher stakes conditions, birds in reality might be less willing to approach wasp mimics than they were in the experiments. 

Still, the study is an “ambitious” foray into a new frontier of biology research, Sherratt says. He imagines scientists using similar methods to explore sexual selection and other forms of mimicry. 

Taylor hopes their approach for exploring imagined adaptations allows for clearer answers about why and when species settle into a long-term form.

 “It feeds into this larger question about evolution,” he says. “You see a broad range of adaptations in nature, but how well-adapted does a particular species need to be before it kind of reaches the peak?”. 

The post Flies disguised as wasps can’t fool birds appeared first on Popular Science.

What’s the weirdest thing you learned this week? Well, whatever it is, we promise you’ll have an even weirder answer if you listen to PopSci’s hit podcast. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week hits Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere else you listen to podcasts every-other Wednesday morning. It’s your new favorite source for the strangest science-adjacent facts, figures, and Wikipedia spirals the editors of Popular Science can muster. If you like the stories in this post, we guarantee you’ll love the show.

By Kelley Heyer (creator of the Apple Dance!) 

Most people who are allergic to cats aren’t reacting to the fur—they’re reacting to a protein in cat saliva called Fel d 1. And now, researchers might have found a way to reduce that allergen at the source with the help of a surprising ally: chickens. It turns out that when chickens are exposed to cats, they produce antibodies against Fel d 1 and pass them into their eggs. 

Feed those antibody-rich eggs to a cat, and—at least according to one 26-week study partially funded by Purina—the cat’s levels of the allergen go down. Essentially, the cat becomes less allergenic to humans. It’s not a permanent fix (yet), and no, you shouldn’t start feeding your cat raw eggs, especially with bird flu in the picture. But the idea that food could make cats safer for allergic animal lovers is a big shift from the usual focus on treating humans themselves. If it pans out, this research could make life a lot easier—and less congested—for cat lovers with allergies.

By Lauren Leffer 

Researchers just showed humans a color we were never supposed to see. It’s called Olo, and it was revealed using a new system called Oz that stimulates individual photoreceptor cells in the eye with lasers. Normally, we perceive color through a combination of input from three types of cone cells—each tuned to short, medium, or long wavelengths of light. But because of how these sensitivities overlap, there’s no natural wavelength that activates just the “medium” cones—so there’s a whole theoretical range of color that’s invisible to us.

With the Oz system, researchers mapped individual participants’ retinas down to the cellular level and precisely targeted only their medium cones, essentially creating a new, artificial color input. The result was an unnaturally vivid green-blue shade that all five test subjects described in strikingly similar ways. They called it Olo, after the numerical coordinates of the stimulation pattern: 0 on short-wave cones, 1 on medium, 0 on long.

Beyond the novelty of a new color, this method could help scientists study colorblindness and perception. It could even help them simulate entirely new forms of color vision. For now, the tech is bulky and experimental, but it offers an exciting glimpse into how our sense of reality might be expanded—one cone cell at a time.

By Rachel Feltman

Four British climbers recently managed to speedrun Mount Everest—in just five days—thanks in part, they say, to a noble gas. They trained in hypoxic tents for months to simulate high-altitude conditions and took helicopters to skip parts of the usual two-month climb, which is all par for the course for folks trying to climb the summit on a tight schedule. But 10 days before their summit push, they did something extra: they were sedated and dosed with xenon gas. This noble gas, once used as anesthesia, is now rumored to increase red blood cell production and protect the brain at extreme altitudes.

The climbers pulled off their quick trip, which was part of an effort to raise money for charity. But experts say there’s no solid evidence that xenon actually improves performance, and mountaineering purists are crying foul. The World Anti-Doping Agency has banned xenon in sports, and although mountaineering isn’t formally regulated, the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation recently put out a statement poo-pooing its use. Meanwhile, Everest continues to be a magnet for controversy—from elitist tourism and ecological damage to increasingly extreme summit strategies.

Maybe the real question isn’t whether we can keep finding new ways to climb Everest, but whether we should. 

The post Allergic to cats? Chickens could help.  appeared first on Popular Science.

Some stars are so primed for greatness that they blow up twice. For the first time, a team of astronomers have found direct visual evidence of a star that met its fiery end by detonating two times. The team using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) found this double explosion in the centuries-old remains of a supernova designated as SNR 0509-67.5. They found patterns that confirm its star suffered two explosive blasts. The findings are detailed in a study published July 2 in the journal Nature Astronomy and offers a new look at some of the universe’s most important explosions. 

The majority of the universe’s supernovae are the explosive deaths of massive stars. One important supernova variety comes from an unassuming source–white dwarfs. These celestial bodies are the small, inactive cores left over after larger stars–similar to our sun–burn out of all  their nuclear fuel. White dwarfs can also produce what astronomers call a Type Ia supernova.

“The explosions of white dwarfs play a crucial role in astronomy,” said Priyam Das, a study co-author and PhD student at the University of New South Wales Canberra, Australia. “Yet, despite their importance, the long-standing puzzle of the exact mechanism triggering their explosion remains unsolved.”

A great deal of our knowledge of how the universe expands rests on understanding Type Ia supernovae. These types of supernovae are a primary source of Earth’s iron–including the iron pumping around in your blood right now. 

Type Ia supernovae generally start with a white dwarf that is one star in a pair. If the other star orbits close enough, the dwarf can steal material from its partner. In the most established theory behind Type Ia supernovae, the white dwarf grabs matter from its companion–until it reaches a critical mass. Then, it’s time for a single, great, fiery explosion. However, recent studies have hinted some Type Ia supernovae may be better explained by a double explosion that is triggered before the star reaches this critical mass.

[ Related: Astronomers find spiraling stars heading towards a rare cosmic explosion. ]

The supernova in this new study–SNR 0509-67.5–is roughly 160,000 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Dorado. The astronomers describe a new image they took with data from the ESO’s VLT that proves this hunch about double explosions was correct. Some Type Ia supernovae explode through a “double-detonation” mechanism rather than just one. In this new model, the white dwarf forms a blanket of stolen helium around itself. Helium is a chemical element that can become unstable and ignite. If that happens, the initial explosion generates a shockwave that travels around the white dwarf and inwards. This triggers a second detonation in the core of the star, which ultimately forms the supernova.

Previously, there has been no clear, visual evidence of a white dwarf undergoing a double detonation. Astronomers have predicted that this process would create a distinct pattern or fingerprint seen in the supernova’s still-glowing remains. They theorized that this clue would be visible long after the initial explosion, partially because the remnants of such a supernova would have two separate shells of calcium.  

Astronomers have now found this kind of calcium fingerprint in a supernova’s remains. According to Ivo Seitenzahl, a study co-author and nuclear astrophysicist from Germany’s Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, these results show “a clear indication that white dwarfs can explode well before they reach the famous Chandrasekhar mass limit, and that the ‘double-detonation’ mechanism does indeed occur in nature.” 

The team detected these calcium layers–shown in blue in the image–by observing supernova remnant SNR 0509-67.5 with the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on ESO’s VLT. The findings provide strong evidence that a Type Ia supernova can feasibly occur before its parent white dwarf reaches a critical mass.

Type Ia supernovae are also important for astronomers because they behave in very consistent ways and have predictable brightness–no matter how far away they are. This level of consistency helps astronomers measure distances in space. While using Type Ia supernovae as a cosmic measuring tape, astronomers discovered the accelerating expansion of the universe. The team behind this groundbreaking discovery was awarded the Physics Nobel Prize in 2011. Studying how these supernovae explode will help us understand why they have such a predictable and consistent brightness.

“This tangible evidence of a double-detonation not only contributes towards solving a long-standing mystery, but also offers a visual spectacle,” said Das, describing the “beautifully layered structure” that a supernova creates. “Revealing the inner workings of such a spectacular cosmic explosion is incredibly rewarding.”

The post Massive ‘double detonation’ spotted by astronomers for the first time appeared first on Popular Science.

Let’s face it: Your phone’s built-in sound sucks, so you need a portable Bluetooth speaker. Sure, everything is relative, and those phone speakers are amazing compared to what, say, a 2005 flip phone sounded like. But do we really want to justify our tech based on when people published think-pieces on how texting was the new hotness? No, we do not. So while we can admit you can hear musical cues right out of your pocket, if you want to feel the actual emotional resonance that makes the music special, the speakers on even the best smartphone, the best tablet, the best laptop … ultimately suck. But the best portable Bluetooth speakers—from the compact Bose SoundLink Plus to the more substantial Brane X, for example—do not suck, so we’re ready to help you select the right speaker for any situation.

• Best for the beach: Bose SoundLink Plus
• Best ultraportable: Tribit StormBox Micro 2
• Best for outdoors: Sony ULT FIELD 1
• Best waterproof: UE Wonderboom 3
• Best for smart homes: Sonos Roam 2
• Best for Android: Sony ULT FIELD 5 
• Best for party-goers and party-throwers: JBL PartyBox Encore Essential
• Best for (viewing) parties: EarFun UBOOM L
• Best battery life: Tribit StormBox Flow Bluetooth Speaker
• Best for control freqs: Marshall Kilburn III
• Best for bass: Brane X
• Best value: Soundcore 3 by Anker
• Also worth considering: Klipsch Nashville, Detroit, and Austin

We test a lot of Bluetooth speakers throughout the year, giving us deep insight into what’s on the marketplace and what’s worth your money. Whether you’re looking for something budget or audiophile, chances are we’ve heard at least one model from whatever brand you’re considering. We combine these experiences with other users’ impressions, then top it all off with extensive research on what you should be looking for: IP rating, frequency range, battery life, Bluetooth range … we’ve got you! This lets us find the perfect balance of specs and special features from a fairly dense pool of possibilities.

From extreme durability to supreme connectivity, we’ve got you covered when it comes to the best portable Bluetooth speakers. Whether you’re always on the go or simply need something to take to the front porch, these speakers will deliver quality sound without any cables or wires weighing you down. 

Tony Ware

• Signature Bose sound and build, which means pleasing to the touch and ear
• Compact but kickin’
• Sand-proof, splash-proof, and it floats in case of accidental submersion

• Price
• Highs can get bright and bass a little loose if volume is pushed over 80 percent

• Battery Life: 20 hours
• Bluetooth: 5.4 with SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive
• IP Rating: IP67

Why it made the cut: The Bose SoundLink Plus portable Bluetooth speaker is styled for motion, tuned for emotion, with high cost being the primary shortcoming.

New for 2025, the $269 SoundLink Plus is built with a powder-coated steel grille and a shock-resistant chassis wrapped in color-matched silicone. And there’s just something tactilely addictive about the soft-touch skin of the agreeably transportable speaker. Don’t wanna grip it insulated water bottle style? There’s a rugged nylon rope loop on the right side, which you can slip around a couple of fingers or carabiner to a belt, pack, or pack belt, assuming you don’t consider the 3.29-pound weight a detriment. All of this comes with an IP67 rating, meaning the SoundLink Plus is dust-tight and is protected against temporary immersion—perfect to be poolside or for sitting on the sand. As for how it sounds, there’s warm vocal presence anchoring a soundstage with enough room for dynamic swings. Even busy tracks maintain a sense of clarity and composure. And low frequencies that punch above their weight class. For a closer look at the features that can soundtrack the summer and beyond, check out our full review.

• Price
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Powerbank
• Integrated strap

• Some distortion at loud volumes 
• Limited onboard controls 

• Battery Life: 12 hours
• Bluetooth Range: up to 120 feet
• IP Rating: IP67

Why it made the cut: Doubling as a portable charger, this compact speaker is a budget-friendly way to listen to your favorite tunes wherever the water takes you. 

The StormBox Micro 2 from Tribit is a super-compact portable Bluetooth speaker that is easily strap-mounted to your backpack, handlebars, and more. At roughly 4 x 4 inches with a rubberized, grippy bottom and durable, textured grill, and weighing just over 1 pound, its small size doesn’t get in the way of solid sound that packs a punch. It’s tiny but surprisingly mighty, with 10 watts of output power, a 48mm NdFeB driver, passive radiators, and XBass technology making for a pretty solid listening experience—up to 90 dB, which is plenty loud for outdoor listening. And it can even be paired with another Micro 2 for stereo sound anytime, anywhere. With an IP67 rating, you won’t need to worry about dust or water damage, and 12 hours of playtime will keep you in business during an out-and-back. And just in case you’re more than a bike frame’s distance from the Micro 2 (or need more juice for another quick adventure), it uses Bluetooth 5.3 to connect to your device with a range of up to 120 feet and charges with an included USB-C cable. 

Also worth a shot is the $30 LG Xboom Go XG2T, a pint-sized party speaker with an integrated cord that wraps around the speaker so it can easily attach to just about anything.

Brandt Ranj / Popular Science

• Angled drivers
• Supports stereo pairing
• Doubles as a power bank

• So-so battery life

• Battery Life: 12 hours
• Bluetooth Range: up to 120 feet
• IP Rating: IP67

Why it made the cut: The ULT Field 1 can bring the bass to the great outdoors without forgetting the treble.

The ULT Field 1 is Sony’s latest entry-level Bluetooth speaker, and its audio quality and durability are both impressive, given its modest price. This is a mono speaker, but Sony has improved its audio fidelity by angling up its rectangular driver upward, so the sound is sent toward your head when it’s laid on its side. This makes a difference, as we could hear music more clearly during casual listening sessions at a desk. The other new audio feature is the inclusion of its “ULT” button, which enables deeper bass when pushed.

We mostly listened to music in the standard mode, as “ULT” mode doesn’t benefit every genre. Bass was never overwhelming or distorted but significantly enhanced. If you like music with prominent bass, however, this is a great benefit—hip-hop and R&B we listened to sounded the most natural with this feature enabled. Even without the boost, the Ult Field 1 has a pleasing default EQ, so bouncing from modern pop to classic rock to jazz didn’t faze it. You can tweak this speaker’s EQ in Sony’s “Music Center” app on iOS and Android if you want to futz with it yourself. Although it has a single driver, bass radiators on both sides of the speaker provide ample low-frequency oomph. If mono sound has got you down, you can also use Sony’s app to pair two ULT Field 1 speakers together for true stereo sound.

Sony made ULT Field 1 outdoor-friendly by outfitting it with a strap and designing it with an IP67 rating, meaning it’s dustproof and can be completely submerged underwater for several minutes without damage. If you take it to the beach or by the pool, you won’t have to worry about it getting splashed or rained on. The speaker’s soft exterior also absorbed shocks without getting damaged the handful of times we dropped it from a height of around three feet onto a hardwood floor.

Sony says the ULT Field 1’s battery will last up to 12 hours per charge, less than some rivals like JBL’s larger-but-still-comparable Charge 5, which offers up to 20 hours of playtime. This burrito-shaped JBL speaker weighs just over 2 pounds and measures 8.7 inches by 3.67 inches, which is small enough to stuff in a backpack. It delivers a rich, uncompromising mix with surprisingly impactful bass lines and clear vocals. Available in six colors, the Charge 5 has an IP67 rating, so you don’t have to worry about sand or spillage ruining your weekend away. PartyBoost mode allows you to pair with another (compatible) JBL speaker to support stereo sound (or up to 100 speakers in mono), and the built-in Powerbank will let you keep your phone charged, so you never need to stop the music. However, Sony’s speaker will still get you through a day of high-energy outdoor listening, and its battery issues won’t be an issue if you’re primarily using it for parties in your backyard.  

• Durability 
• Volume 
• Portability 

• Bass is a bit lacking
• No microphone 

• Battery Life: 14 hours
• Bluetooth Range: 131 feet
• IP Rating: IP67

Why it made the cut: The UE Wonderboom 3 continues to top our charts when it comes to portable, affordable, waterproof sound. 

Since being introduced in 2017, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom has been a tried-and-true favorite, one of the best Bluetooth speakers under $100 in any situation, thanks to its durability and sound quality. And the Wonderboom 3 continues that tuneful tradition, offering you an audio orb you can easily take with you—into the woods or the waves, to the beach or the bathtub. It comes in fun two-tone colors with a flexible handle at the top that can easily be attached to a backpack, belt loop, bike basket, or boat. It weighs less than 1 pound and measures just 4 inches tall, so you won’t be slowed down by bulk. The battery lasts a full 14 hours and produces 360-degree sound coverage that can reach up to 87 dBs—pretty impressive for a speaker this size. With an IP67 rating, the UE Wonderboom 3 is waterproof and dust-resistant (making it one of our favorite shower speakers). It also floats, which is one of our favorite features—you won’t need to get out of the water just to skip a track or pause the music when your portable Bluetooth speaker is bobbing alongside you.

In 2024, UE released WONDERBOOM 4, which does make some small but welcome tweaks to the speaker (USB-C charging, for instance) while keeping the same form factor. The WONDERBOOM 4 is now the $99 model, but the WONDERBOOM 3 is still a fantastic speaker, so it remains our pick if you can find it on sale and don’t mind keeping a microUSB cable around. The WONDERBOOM is our pick for the best palm-friendly floatable, but maybe you want something with even more … boom? If you dig the UE aesthetic and ultraportability is less of a concern, the company makes a range of recommendable portable Bluetooth speakers, including the admittedly more expensive EVERBOOM and EPICBOOM. But they bring a lot more bass and even more battery to the party, while remaining floatable.

Riding a bike and want a beat to help you keep pace? The MINIROLL straps to the handlebars, letting you hear Pitbull or turn-by-turn directions for $79.99.

Brandt Ranj / Popular Science

• Sonos users can “throw” music to their home system with the push of a button
• Trueplay system analyzes space and sound for optimal performance
• Small yet loud enough for a 75 x 50-foot backyard
• Stereo pairing

• Some of the cooler features only matter if you own multiple Sonos speakers 

• Battery Life: 10 hours
• Bluetooth & Dual-Band Wi-Fi
• IP Rating: IP67

Why it made the cut: The Sonos Roam 2 is a modest upgrade to an excellent-sounding, easily transported Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled speaker.

The original Sonos Roam impressed us with its audio quality and for supporting both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which is uncommon in most portable speakers, let along such a compact one. This second-generation model improves on its solid foundation in a couple of key ways. The first is that Sonos has outfitted the Roam 2 with a dedicated Bluetooth button; previously, you’d have to hold the power button for a couple of seconds to enable Bluetooth mode. Holding the power button for too short a time wouldn’t do anything, and holding it too long would turn the speaker off. This was our primary gripe with the Roam, and it’s been addressed perfectly. Now you take the speaker out of its eco-friendly packaging and it’s ready to go wherever, however you are. Additionally, Sonos color matched its logo with the speaker’s color, which is a small but welcome aesthetic change.

The Roam 2 sounds great on its own but is still a mono speaker. For true stereo sound, you can pair two Roam 2 speakers together on the same Wi-Fi network. The Roam 2 will seamlessly integrate with any speakers in your home’s Sonos system so that you can play the same tunes on this speaker and, say, its bigger brother, the Move 2, another one of the best waterproof speakers we love. In addition to playing music, you’ll be able to check the weather and send messages via Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri (it’s also compatible with Apple AirPlay 2, so you can have a more robust connection if you have an iPhone).

Once paired, this speaker will automatically connect to your phone and Wi-Fi when in range, so you won’t need to pause your playlist when you get home. It can last for 10 hours on a single charge, which you can replenish wirelessly by dropping it down on any Qi charger. The Roam also has an IP67 rating, meaning you can take it just about anywhere; it changes audio directionality based on vertical versus horizontal placement, and Trueplay tuning means it automatically adapts its EQ whether you’re in the backroom, backyard, or the backwoods.

Tony Ware

• ULT button for even more low-end
• Exceptional audio quality
• Great battery life for a portable party speaker

• Only select Android devices can take full advantage of this speaker’s full audio potential

• Bass driver size: 79 mm x 107 mm woofer
• Power source: Battery (up to 25 hours with party lighting off, closer to 10 when on)
• Expandable: Yes
• Connectivity options: Bluetooth
• IP rating: IP67

Why it made the cut: Sony’s ULT FIELD 5 builds upon a strong foundation from the previous SRS-XG300 (shown to the left above) and delivers exceptional sound—especially if your device supports the LDAC codec.

The first thing that draws your eye to the speakers is the logo—an opalescent SONY. The shimmering silver block letters aren’t subtle in the light, but they’re also not garish; it’s an iridescent reminder of product heritage that was absent from the previous generation. It’s also a nod to the prismatic ambient LED illumination that is another signature built into the ULT FIELD 5. The $329 ULT FIELD 5 speaker stands out by not trying so hard to stand out. Unlike the cylindrical form factor of the speakers it replaces, this is a rectangle with rounded-off edges—oblong and relatively restrained. You could sling it over your shoulder—and, thanks to a removable strap, you can sling it over your shoulder—and not worry about any strange looks.

What is striking about this premium midrange pick is the sound, which is anything but reserved. The ULT FIELD 5 array includes two tweeters and dual passive radiations, with larger drivers throughout. This differs from the dual-racetrack woofer configuration in the SRS-XG300 that the ULT FIELD 5 follows and that we still have for comparison (seen to the left below). Yet, the end result is a significant step up in terms of clarity and sound pressure. The ULT FIELD 5 can’t get as loud as the step-up ULT FIELD 7, but you still get a solid soundstage in an easily transported body.

Connected wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.2 (offering LDAC HD—nearly CD-quality—audio for compatible Android phones and digital audio players, while iPhone’s get AAC), it’s immediately noticeable even without ULT engaged that the slightly muffled character of the SRS-XG300 has been addressed. But it’s particularly audible on ULT1 mode, which is undoubtedly bright but still tight, sculpted in a way that’s not sacrificing the midrange at low to medium volume. Sit far enough back and there is a modicum of channel separation, but not true stereo effects. Of course, you’re buying this speaker for its bass-forward attitude more than its discrete details aptitude. Still, you have to push it pretty far for compression artifacts to overwhelm the surprisingly nimble layering, though you can boost any portable wireless speaker to brittleness if you try. Better to keep things at a reasonable listening level and use the Sony Sound Connect app, which features a 10-band EQ if you want more or less of a specific frequency.  

Maybe it’s the available excursion for the 79 mm x 107 mm woofer … the 8-pound ULT FIELD 5 is a little more of a thicc boi than the concave, barrel-shaped SRS-XG300 … but it’s still an easily portable Bluetooth speaker that offers good speed and precision to the bass considering its size. Moving to ULT2, you’ll want more distance from the speaker as it’s a sharper V-shape all about prioritizing punch—imaginative energy well-suited for outdoor activities rather than more relaxed listening. And the outdoors is a natural habitat for the ULT FIELD 5. With its IP67 rating—that’s waterproof and dustproof—and up to 25 hours battery life (with party lighting off, closer to 10 when on), the speaker gets a party going wherever you’re going. You can even link multiple speakers (up to 100) to play simultaneously with the touch of a Connect button (or configure a real stereo pair within the app). And the USB-C port found behind a rubber hatch can not only power the speaker but also charge external devices like smartphones, so the playlists never end. 

While it won’t hit the low-end highs of the best overall picks, the ULT FIELD 5 is the best-sounding midrange party speaker we’ve heard since the compact Bose SoundLink Max—and it’s at least $70 cheaper than that still excellent party pleaser.

• Punchy sound
• LED light ring
• Multisource (Bluetooth 5.1, aux cable, mic input)

• Bass can muddy mid-range a bit
• Not waterproof

• Battery Life: 6 hours
• Bluetooth Range: up to 110 feet
• IP Rating: IPX4
• Size: 10.87 x 12.87 x 11.54 inches, 13 pounds

Why it made the cut: If you’re looking for a compact kick you can transport quick, the JBL PartyBox line of speakers is a lot of flashy fun you can take on the run.

While JBL’s Flip and Charge series are perfect for lounging by the pool or enjoying more intimate get-togethers, the PartyBox line offers heftier but still handy party speakers with powerful audio and an entertaining light show for larger gatherings. The most lightweight addition to this trove of celebration-supporting speakers is the PartyBox Encore Essential. Visually an obvious little sibling of the $399 PartyBox 110, this little box with a big personality is the smallest and most affordable option in this bass-reinforced lineup, retailing for $299.95, making it an excellent choice for folks who want low-end they can take on the go. While it’s not the speaker to reach for on a relaxed, jazz-filled evening, the Encore Essential offers a 100W, 100 dB, 50Hz-20kHz frequency response—which translates to plenty of bounce to the ounce, making it a crowd favorite during a party. Adding to the fun are a mic input for karaoke (microphone sold separately), as well as six selectable patterns that dictate how the built-in LED light ring and/or strobe move or pulse in time to the music. And if your get-togethers grow, so can your sound—you can pair two Encore Essentials into True Wireless Stereo. Looking for something with deep bass but a less boxy profile? Check out the JBL Xtreme 4, with 24 hours of power, IP67, dual woofers and tweeters optimized by AI Sound Boost, and AuraCast for easy pairing—all on a convenient shoulder strap. (Check out our JBL Bluetooth party speakers guide for more recommendable options.)

• Video mode 
• Aux connection available 
• Stereo Pairing

• Short charging cable 
• Only available in black

• Battery Life: 16 hours
• Bluetooth Range: up to 50 feet
• IP Rating: IP67
• Size: 8.27 x 3.07 x 2.83 inches

Why it made the cut: A wide, rich sound that’s surprising for a speaker this size delivers a powerful listening experience at a reasonable price. 

The UBOOM L from EarFun is a budget-friendly Bluetooth speaker that delivers surprisingly impressive sound. While the texturized black grill, rubber trim, and raised buttons resemble its predecessors and contemporaries (like the Treblab HD77 or JBL Flip 5), its price:performance helps this under-$100 speaker stand out in the crowd. 

Out of the box, the UBOOM L feels durable and intuitively designed. A demure EarFun logo is located at the center, flagged by two rubber cylinders housing passive bass radiators measuring slightly over 2 inches. Tucked behind the grille are two front-facing, 14-watt 55mm drivers; at the back, under a thick rubber flap, is a USB-C charging port and an aux input; then, to top it all off, literally, are six rubber buttons—power, Bluetooth pairing, volume down, play/pause, volume up, and Sound Mode. An LED light above the final button lets you know which mode has been activated: Indoor or Outdoor. Next to the Sound Mode button is a tiny hole that houses a built-in microphone for hands-free calling. At the top of the control panel, you’ll see four white LED lights that indicate battery life, a simple yet often overlooked design feature for many Bluetooth speakers. Four lights mean the battery (which is rated at 16 hours) is more than 75% full, three mean between 75% and 50%, two mean between 50% and 25%, one means there is less than 25% left, and a single flashing light means there is less than 10% of battery life left, so it’s time to charge. 

Like most new speakers, the UBOOM L uses a Bluetooth 5.0 connection, which increases stability and range (up to 30m/100 feet). Pairing is easy and instinctual: simply turn the speaker on, press the Bluetooth button once, and select the speaker on your device’s settings. Pressing and holding the Bluetooth button will allow you to pair two UBOOM L speakers in a True Wireless Stereo pair, creating dedicated left/right channels that can expand the soundfield (and volume) and better serve larger parties. You can also hold down the Sound Mode button for two seconds, once the speakers are connected, to restore each UBOOM L as an individual stereo speaker but keep them connected and synchronized to one streaming device in case you want to share all you’re hearing with someone in another room. 

Pressing the Bluetooth button three times will toggle Video Mode on or off. Video mode supports lower-latency playback with lag reduced to 150ms and is an improved solution for sound when watching movies and TV shows from a laptop or smaller device. When Video Mode is on, a white LED indicator will pop on above the Bluetooth button. We should note that when Video mode is on, the Bluetooth connection range does get shorter, and you cannot use Video Mode during True Wireless Stereo connection. Though using the UBOOM L is generally very easy and efficient, it can be tricky to switch quickly between different Bluetooth settings and Sound modes; we found ourselves referring to the user manual more often than we would like.  

Though toggling the various buttons can be a bit of a rigamarole, the sound quality makes up for it. For a Bluetooth speaker under $100, you’ll certainly get bang for your buck. The UBOOM L was tuned by Austrian music producer Olaf “Oluv” Lubanski, who has also created a 45-minute companion video worth checking out. The mids and high-mids are particularly clean—guitar licks from any Devil Make Three song come through beautifully, and the vocals on “Highwomen” by The Highwomen are impressively clear. Snares and cymbals are crisp and sit well in the overall mix; all of the synths on Romare’s “Don’t Stop” are full and rich. 

Some users say they wish for more bass, which has some truth to it. The passive radiators don’t support frequencies lower than 65Hz, but we weren’t disappointed with a speaker this size. This low end on this speaker is undoubtedly present and well-defined, just not overwhelming thanks to the tuning and DSP involved. The only way to get truly vibrant sub-bass is with a larger unit; many small speakers disproportionately boost the lows and highs to pack a punch, which can end up distorting the mix. If anything, we appreciate that the UBOOM L knows its limits. Volume-wise, we heard up to 101 decibels, which is certainly enough to keep folks entertained and wake up your neighbors. While we mostly listened inside using Indoor Mode, triggering Outdoor mode boosts volume and bass to help lift your music above environmental noises. The UBOOM L is also rated IP67, which means if you use Outdoor mode in an appropriate al fresco setting, it is protected from dust, dirt, and liquids—it will even float if dropped in water, though we don’t recommend that if you want to preserve the sound quality.

Amanda Reed

• Doubles as a powerbank
• Integrated wrist strap
• Great bass

• No AUX input

• Battery Life: 30 hours
• Bluetooth Range: up to 100 feet
• IP Rating: IP67

Why it made the cut: All-day energy reserves and an IP67 rating stop high tides and power running low from crashing your party.

Not all portable speakers can face the elements for an extended time and come out unscathed. The Tribit Stormbox Flow is an exception. It’s IP67-rated, meaning it’s dust-proof and decently water-resistant. And it sports a 30-hour battery life—perfect for jamming all day at the pool or lakeside. All that protection doesn’t interfere with its performance, however. It doesn’t skimp on the lower end (the drum fill at the beginning of “Burning Down the House” by The Talking Heads was particularly pounding on the StormBox Flow). And the company’s XBass DSP (Digitial Signal Processing) technology boosts bass by 9 dB at the press of a button. You can also pair another Flow for double the volume with party mode, or customize the EQ via the Tribit app (for iOS and Android). The Bluetooth 5.3 connection is stable up to 100 feet away, meaning you can walk around sans fear of stopping the tunes. Stand the portable speaker upright for personal listening, or lay it flat for the whole house can hear. An included lanyard makes this speaker even more portable than it already is. And it only takes four hours to charge.

Tony Ware

• That bass
• That subbass
• Did we mention that deep, deep bass?

• 7 pounds
• Battery life on the low end because of the power needed for all that low end
• $499 Price

• Battery Life: 12 hours
• Bluetooth Range: up to 150 feet
• IP Rating: IP57
• Size: 7 x 9.3 x 6.1 inches

Why it made the cut: With the ability to hit 27Hz, true subwoofer bass, the Brane X is the best portable speaker if you want to kick the party up with low-end. 

The Brane X smart speaker uses a proprietary magnet structure to pack a true subwoofer in a small IP57 chassis. This high-excursion Repel-Attract Driver (RAD) driver and custom DSP pushes air that can rattle your chest in a speaker that can be carried in your hand. The three levels of rumbling reinforcement can rival much larger multi-driver options. Connectivity is via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (or a 3.5mm AUX port), so you can feed it lossless sources that deliver clear mids and highs to balance all that thundering bass. The Brane X isn’t flashy, but this premium pick makes an immediate impression if you want to step up to more low-end that doesn’t have to be wheeled in.

(And if you really want to push the sound pressure, consider the JBL PartyBox Stage 320, which is “portable” in the same way a large rolling suitcase is.)

Marshall

• Kicks out 36 watts of crunchy, punchy sound
• Tactile treble/bass controls
• Classic, stylish look with with signature guitar strap handle
• Auxiliary 3.5mm input
• Multi-host functionality for device switching
• Can act as a charging bank

• Transportable, but not the most compact
• “Multidimensional” sound means a backward-facing port, not wide stereo

• Battery Life: 50 hours
• Bluetooth Range: up to 30 feet
• IP Rating: IP54

Why it made the cut: With powerful sound in a well-crafted, roadworthy package, this speaker lives up to the Marshall name. 

A retro-chic look with an impressive sound, this $379 speaker from one of the premier brands in rock ‘n roll amplification boasts 50 hours of playtime with a quick-charge option, Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX (which delivers higher fidelity with compatible devices), a 30-foot connectivity range, and, best of all, adjustable analog EQ so you can customize how you want to feel those fiery licks. The Marshall Kilburn III performs well across all frequencies with a range of 52 to 20,000 Hz, delivering 36 articulate watts in a classically styled water-resistant 6.5-pound cabinet (complete with strap and ruggedized touches). Plus, a multi-host feature lets you connect two devices at once so you can take turns soloing. And charging is bidirectional, letting you top off your phone with a USB-C cable.

If the Kilburn III is a little bit outside of your price range or space constraints, you can still buy the Kilburn II, which sacrifices battery live and water resistance but only costs $289. Or check out the Marshall Emberton III, a smaller, IP67 (so truly waterproof) speaker that forgoes the onboard adjustable settings but delivers 30 hours of battery life powering a naturally balanced sound with just enough bite (and you can stack/sync multiples if you want to amp up the energy). 

Looking for a similarly retromodern aesthetic with smart speaker capabilities added in? The JBL Authentics 300 is a portable speaker with an updated, upscale ’70s vibe, onboard EQ knobs, but also voice assistant access.

• Excellent Battery Life 
• Sound Quality 
• Bass Up technology 
• Customizable EQ 

• Simplistic design
• Voice assistant capability is lacking

• Battery Life: 24 hours
• Bluetooth Range: Up to 66 feet
• IP Rating: IPX7
• Size: 6.9 x 2.4 x 2.2 inches

Why it made the cut: The Soundcore 3 is a well-rounded, budget-friendly Bluetooth speaker with an impressive 24 hours of battery life and the option to boost the bass without distortion. 

The Anker Soundcore 3 comes at a friendly $50 price without sacrificing sound quality. Play up to 480 songs (roughly 24 hours) on one charge supported by dual passive radiators, BassUp technology, and dual drivers with 100-percent titanium diaphragms—delivering extended highs and distortion-free lows, in stereo, no less. Choose from four preset EQ modes and link to other Bluetooth 5.0 Soundcore speakers using the Soundcore app, for an elevated experience. And, with IPX7 protection, your investment, while not substantial, will survive if you get caught in the rain, etc.

• Up to 24-hour battery life
• Can connect to up to 10 additional Klipsch speakers
• Reverse charging

• SBC Bluetooth only

• Battery Life: 24 hours (Nashville), 20 hours (Detroit), 12 hours (Austin)
• Bluetooth Range: Up to 40 feet
• IP Rating: IP67
• Size: 3.19 x 3.07 x 7.01 inches (Nashville), 13.1 x 4.68 x 4.2 inches (Detroit), 1.73 x 4.13 x 4.13 inches (Austin)

Klipsch’s Nashville (the foremost speaker in the picture above) is the mid-sized option in the speaker company’s “Music City” portable speaker series, and it delivers a lot for its small size. The speaker has a pair of 2.25-inch full-range drivers behind its signature copper logo and black grille—one front and one rear-firing so it can be enjoyed from any angle. The Bluetooth speaker’s drivers are augmented by a pair of bass radiators for cleaner low-end response. There aren’t any onboard tone controls, but you can tweak how the Nashville sounds using the Klipsch Connect app on iOS and Android if you’d like to dial in different frequencies or adjust its EQ to suit the music style you like listening to the most.

The Nashville supports Bluetooth 5.3, the latest, most stable version of the wireless audio protocol, though it only connects to smartdevices and computers via the baseline SBC codec. However, it supports a “Broadcast Mode” feature that allows you to connect it to 10 other Klipsch speakers, so we’re showcasing the entire lineup. Broadcast Mode works over Bluetooth, as the Nashville doesn’t support Wi-Fi audio streaming. Similarly, this speaker has no Aux input, meaning it’s Bluetooth or bust. We’re pleased that the Nashville has an IP67 rating, so it won’t get damaged when exposed to water or dust.

Klipsch says the Nashville supports up to 24 hours of music playback per charge, but the amount you get will depend on your listening volume and whether Broadcast Mode is engaged. The speaker charges via USB-C, and you can use its charging port to top up the batteries in your other devices by plugging them in. Using the Nashville as a power bank will deplete its battery a lot more quickly, but the feature is useful in a pinch.

Of course, none of this is worth a dang if the speaker ain’t got that twang. Luckily, the Nashville’s 60Hz to 20kHz frequency response is surprisingly robust for a speaker its size. The speaker maintains pleasingly throaty dynamics at 50 to 60 percent volume with minimal distortion, thanks to its DSP. Things start getting iffy above that, so if you seek volume and voluminous sound, look to the bigger $299 Detroit speaker (the elongated speaker in the image above). While the Detroit is true stereo, the Nashville’s playback is in mono; still, there’s a good sense of instrument separation, aided by some EQing in the app to bump tight bass and boost treble without tizziness. The Nashville is a speaker that can hold a note and hold up under the conditions of a pool party or beach bash. (And you can always pair two for discrete L/R channels.)

If you need an ultra-portable, highly affordable Klipsch speaker, The Austin (shown in the background above) is the one you’ll need. This personal speaker retains many of the looks and features that impressed us during our time with the Nashville and can last up to 12 hours per charge, which is great for a speaker conceivably fitting in a pair of cargo shorts. Despite its small size, Klipsch fit a 2-inch woofer and separate tweeter into its compact square enclosure. Even though the Austin is mono, you’ll get better separation between crisp high and rich mid frequencies than most single-driver ultra-portable speakers. The 10W 70Hz to 20kHz Austin will not be a suitable speaker system for a large space or a bass lover, but that’s not what it was designed for. Klipsch did outfit the speaker with a built-in strap, which you can attach to a bicycle’s handlebars or on a backpack. Don’t be fooled by any of these speakers’ size and price (ranging from $99 – $299). Klipsch spent time optimizing performance, so you won’t have a significantly diminished experience when listening to your tunes.

Choosing the best Bluetooth speaker for you can be a bit of a challenge; with all the options out there, it’s easy to spend hours scrolling. So, whether you want to blast a soundtrack for motivation or relaxation, we want to help jumpstart your journey. Before diving headfirst into the ever-expanding speaker market, consider size, durability, connectivity, battery life, volume, and cost. A truly great portable Bluetooth speaker will be able to fit your lifestyle and budget without sacrificing audio quality. 

While most wireless speakers are designed to be used on the go, that doesn’t mean they’re all ultraportable. There are many shapes, sizes, and weight options to choose from, so take some time to consider where and when you’ll want to jam out the most. If you’re merely traveling to the backyard or nearby park to listen, you can probably stand to stuff a larger speaker in a bag, or sling it over your shoulder. The same goes for road trips, car-camping, full-on van life, or beach vacations. You can get great sound, long-lasting batteries, and thumping bass from a speaker that starts at roughly the same size and weight as a water bottle. 

However, if you need something to help you push through that last mile on a bike path or hiking trail, you’ll want a smaller speaker that can easily attach to handlebars or a backpack. Luckily, several portable speakers weigh under 1 pound, the lightest of which comes in at 0.019 pounds. 

One common criticism of portable Bluetooth speakers is a lack of low-end support and distortion at high volumes (if you want some science as to the why, here are our primers on what makes up a speaker and how soundwaves work). While it’s true that portable systems can have trouble with handling sub-bass and high-decibel demands, there are a few models out there that are a cut above the rest.

If you’re after a party-pleasing sound, the bigger the speaker, the better. Larger units are generally more equipped to maintain consistent audio even as you turn the volume up, plus they have more room for well-designed subwoofers. A speaker with more woofers, as well as “bass radiators,” will do a much better job navigating the bump in the sonic roads. As for volume, check out the speaker’s specs and look for a maximum decibel level, notated as dB. If you are primarily playing music inside, 100 dB is the loudest you’ll want to go, and we’d be surprised if you even enjoyed listening at this level (it’s akin to a jet plane flying directly overhead). On the other hand, if you’re hosting an outdoor party with many people in attendance, you could think about increasing the volume to 115 dB, which is concert-level; music at this volume will cover a large area but you wouldn’t want anyone standing too close. Generally speaking, we are satisfied with Bluetooth speakers that maintain good sound quality at 85 dB for larger gatherings. 

Few things are more annoying than getting to your destination, cueing up your favorite playlist, only to see the dreaded low-battery LED flash demandingly. Luckily, the best portable Bluetooth speakers have long-lasting batteries. Speakers that boast batteries lasting between 10 and 30 hours are now more the norm than the exception. If you are going on a remote trip where charging isn’t an option and music is a necessity (I mean, when isn’t it), extended battery life is more important. We’re happy to report that these long-lasting batteries don’t mean large, bulky speakers—you can find reliable units at just about any size. And many of them also act as power banks so that you can recharge an important smartdevice in a pinch.

We have all been subjected to the terror that takes over when you accidentally spill your drink on a device, sending you scurrying for a bowl of rice and praying to the tech gods that your electronics survive. Luckily you can avoid all that fear and even embrace a little liquid with the best waterproof speakers. These durable units are particularly great for beach vacations, pool parties, or karaoke in the shower. To ensure your speaker can withstand a little splash, look for an IPX rating in its specs. 

IP stands for “Ingress Protection,” which tells you just how fortified an electronic device is against dirt, dust, and water. The first digit describes particle protection and the second liquid. For example, if a speaker has a rating of IP57, the “5” indicates it can keep out most dust and dirt particles, especially those over 1 millimeter in size, but it might be susceptible to large quantities of dust if exposed at one time. The “7” means you can submerge the device in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes before any damage occurs. If you see a rating that looks like IPX7, the “X” means no data is available for that substance. The higher the number, the more protected your speakers will be from whatever it indicates (dust or water), so you can listen to your preferred podcasts in the tub or bring your favorite sea shanties aboard a boat without worry. 

Alongside portability, we crave easy connectivity when it comes to the best portable Bluetooth speakers. You want to be able to quickly link your device without fretting over interference if you happen to walk a few feet away. Reliable portable speakers are equipped with Bluetooth versions 4.2 to 5.3, designed to bolster the consistent connection between smartphones and computers with fitness trackers, headphones, speakers, and more. They rely on Bluetooth’s efficient power usage and data transmission options for improved battery life and fewer streaming glitches. When selecting a speaker, make sure to pick a model that is Bluetooth compatible with your music-streaming device (for more on the different versions of Bluetooth and how it works, check out our primer). From there, you can think about additional connectivity features that would complete your ideal listening experience. Do you need a speaker that can stay connected to your phone from over 75 feet away? Do you want to be able to pair with another speaker for stereo sound? Are you looking to connect two devices at once so you can easily hand over DJ responsibilities? 

You might also want to consider a speaker that has additional options for creating a connection. Some of us still have a few old-school devices that need an analog aux cord, which some speakers can support, though this feature is starting to fade with the release of newer models. Others might want to pair their portable speakers with a home system, whether for high-fidelity audio or voice-activated commands. If this sounds like you, consider a model that is also equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity.   

Portable Bluetooth speakers run the gamut when it comes to price. Some of the high-end models top out at close to $300 to $450, though there are plenty of great picks out there in the more reasonable $100 to $200 range. You can even find quality speakers for closer to $50. As you start to go down in price, you might miss out on a few features like extra battery life, clear audio at high volumes, or truly booming bass. However, if you’re looking for a budget-friendly speaker, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice too much to find something that satisfies your needs. Just pay attention to all the information you can find about a particular model, including user reviews and product descriptions. 

The loudest portable Bluetooth speaker currently available is the SOUNDBOKS 4, one of our top picks for an outdoor party speaker because it can reach up to 126 decibels. However, it does weigh 34 pounds, so one could call its portability into question. At $999, this is one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers designed to provide literal concert-quality sound for various venues. 

The best portable Bluetooth speaker is relatively subjective, given each individual’s priorities. Still, we stand by the Tribit StormBox Micro 2, Soundcore 3 by Anker, and UE Wonderboom 3 as three of the best budget Bluetooth speakers under $100; for even more cost- and carry-friendly models, take a look at a JBL speaker like the palm-sized JBL Go 3. On the other end of the price spectrum, the Sony ULT FIELD 5—with its Sony strap and chromatic styling, LED accents, and LDAC codec—has the most style and fidelity.

While there isn’t a set amount of wattage that determines a good speaker, you can use this measurement to help assess volume output. Wattage typically determines how loud a speaker can get, but not the quality of the sound. Larger speakers with higher wattage can typically generate more volume, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be free of distortion. For more information regarding your speaker’s sound quality, investigate its frequency range and sound pressure levels, notated as SPL.

• Best for the beach: Bose SoundLink Plus
• Best ultraportable: Tribit StormBox Micro 2
• Best for outdoors: Sony ULT FIELD 1
• Best waterproof: UE Wonderboom 3
• Best for smart homes: Sonos Roam 2
• Best for Android: Sony ULT FIELD 5
• Best for party-goers and party-throwers: JBL PartyBox Encore Essential
• Best for (viewing) parties: EarFun UBOOM L
• Best battery life: Tribit StormBox Flow Bluetooth Speaker
• Best for control freqs: Marshall Kilburn III
• Best for bass: Brane X
• Best value: Soundcore 3 by Anker
• Also worth considering: Klipsch Nashville, Detroit, and Austin

While there may not be one portable Bluetooth speaker to rule them all, there are several excellent options out there, so long as you know where your priorities lie. The key to finding the best portable Bluetooth speakers for you is location, location, location—consider where you want to listen to music the most, and you can identify the perfect wireless speaker to soundtrack your favorite activities.

The post The best portable Bluetooth speakers for 2025, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

In 2024, Bose released the SoundLink Flex (2nd Gen) and SoundLink Max—two portable Bluetooth speakers engineered for sound that’s compact without compromise. New for 2025, The SoundLink Plus slots in between those models, offering an option smaller than their tailgate tank but bringing more than bike basket bounce. So, has Bose hit the swimming pool sweet spot—Goldilocks in a waterproof shell? Yes, so let’s look at why the Bose SoundLink Plus is perfectly poised to be your summer soundtrack’s wingman.

Tony Ware

Like the $399 SoundLink Max, the $269 SoundLink Plus (shown in front of a Max above and below) is built with a powder-coated steel grille and a shock-resistant chassis wrapped in color-matched silicone. And there’s just something tactilely addictive about the soft-touch skin, available in Black, “Blue Dusk,” or “Citrus Yellow” finishes. (Be warned, it’s a bit of a dust magnet, but easily cleaned.) 

At 9.1″ W x 3.94″ H x 3.4″ D, the Plus is agreeably transportable. Don’t wanna grip it insulated water bottle style? Instead of a handle on the top like the Max, there’s a rugged nylon rope loop on the right side, which you can slip around a couple of fingers or carabiner to a belt, pack, or pack belt, assuming you don’t consider the 3.29-pound weight a detriment.

Along the top, you’ll find power, pairing, shortcut, volume, and control buttons (though who isn’t using their phone for track and volume changes). On the back, there’s a single USB-C port for bidirectional charging. The 20-hour battery (which takes five hours to fill) can power your phone in a pinch, but you can’t send digital audio in, and there’s no aux port like on the Max. 

All of this comes with an IP67 rating, meaning the SoundLink Plus is dust-tight and is protected against temporary immersion. It can handle sand and rain showers, and even an accidental dunk in the pool because it floats, just not in a usable way. If submerged long enough, you can experience distortion till the speaker clears itself of water. And a water-detection sensor will alert you through a blinking LED that you shouldn’t connect power until the USB-C port is dry.

As for what you can expect from less aqueous audio …

So, the SoundLink Plus can take a splash. But it can also make a splash thanks to an unusual array of drivers: One 0.78-inch tweeter, one 2.5-inch mid/bass woofer, and a quartet of passive radiators. Yes, it’s a mono speaker, though you can pair two for stereo staging, as long as they are both the Plus model (mixing a Plus and a Max, which I tried, only works in synchronized mono Party Mode). But even one Plus can conjure rich audio with authority.

As with many Bose products (such as the QuietComfort Ultra ANC earbuds, which we love to travel with), warm vocal presence anchors a soundstage with enough room for dynamic swings. Even busy tracks maintain a sense of clarity and composure. Push the volume to 75 percent or beyond and the DSP can edge into brightness—but if your cookout is already raging, you won’t notice. What you will notice are low frequencies that punch above their weight class. While the attack and decay are somewhat truncated, the impact and expression are potent. This isn’t rumbling subbass, but it adds depth to an overall balanced presentation.

Want to tweak the tone? There’s a three-band EQ (Bass – Mid – Treble) in the minimalist app. Bluetooth 5.4 keeps your stream stable, offering SBC, AAC, and aptX Adaptive codecs for max compatibility. There’s no Wi-Fi, no microphone or voice assistant, no spatial audio. But multipoint (limited, in this case, to two points) allows playlist battles to be spontaneous and savage. 

The Bose SoundLink Plus portable Bluetooth speaker is styled for motion, tuned for emotion, with high cost being the primary shortcoming. Physically, it’s built like gear, not just another plastic gadget. Sonically, it offers shinily textured musicality. There’s no denying that if you want more controlled reproduction, you want the SoundLink Max. And if you want sheer entertainment value and volume, there are full-sized party speakers. But the Plus is robust in its own right, with all the Bose signature styling you’d expect for the price. And with the 15W power bank function, your phone won’t die before the vibe fades, so you can measure your summer by setlists and sunsets shared.

The post The new Bose SoundLink Plus portable Bluetooth speaker lets you thump hard, travel light appeared first on Popular Science.

Two years ago, a team of astronomers requested help from citizen scientists around the world for the Kilonova Seekers Project. Launched in July 2023, the endeavor tasks volunteers with parsing through all-sky survey images captured daily by telescopes on opposite sides of the planet known as the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO).

Within six months, Kilonova Seekers’ over 2,000 volunteers contributed more than 600,000 classifications to researchers, resulting in a total of 20 new discoveries. Now, astronomers have announced the project’s first major published find in Astronomy & Astrophysics: a brilliant exploding star observed in near real-time. Now known as GOTO0650, astronomers have determined the cosmic body is a cataclysmic variable star—one whose brightness increased by 2,500 times in just two days.

A cataclysmic variable star isn’t technically a single object. Instead, it’s a compact binary system composed of a white dwarf stealing matter from a nearby donor star. Occasionally, that matter reaches a critical temperature and density inside the gas disc encircling the white dwarf, resulting in a blinding burst of light and energy.

According to Kilonova Seekers Project co-lead and University of Warwick astronomer Tom Killestein, the discovery could easily have been missed among the many other night sky objects without the citizen scientists’ help.

“Remarkably, public volunteers identified this star as an object of interest within 3.5 hours of the image being taken by the GOTO telescopes,” Killestein explained in a statement, adding that the involvement from volunteers “didn’t stop there.”

“There was a huge follow-up response from the public,” he continued. “It was flagged for further observations from the Swift and Einstein Probe space observatories, and GOTO0650 was bright enough for amateur astronomers to take impressively high-quality observations of with their own equipment, which formed a key part of the paper and really [helped] us understand the object.”

Thanks to the quick response from volunteers, astronomers had enough time to collect a notably complete dataset on the star that included X-ray, UV, and spectroscopy measurements along with visual observations from amateur astronomers. From these, it appears that GOTO0650 is what’s known as a “period bouncer,” a rarely spotted cataclysmic variable star in its final state.

GOTO0650 is an exciting find for professional space observers, but for everyday Kilonova Seekers like Svetoslav Alexandrov in Bulgaria, it’s something else entirely.

“Traffic in Sofia, Bulgaria, is always awful during the mornings so I have to pass time on the bus somehow, and contributing to citizen science is an excellent way to do that,” he said, adding that he “literally screamed with joy” when he learned that his idle star searching would lead to a research paper co-authorship.

“I’m certain that people on the street raised their eyebrows when they saw me screaming and dancing, but I didn’t care,” said Alexandrov. “I knew I am a co-discoverer of something significant, and this was all that mattered.”

The post Rare cataclysmic exploding star spotted by citizen scientists appeared first on Popular Science.

A few years ago I upgraded from gas to induction. This sentence might confuse you. 

Gas stoves have a reputation as being the best, mostly because of marketing, so you might think I’m only saying I “upgraded” to induction because of environmental conviction. And I’ll admit using less energy motivated the switch (I like saving money) but efficiency alone is not why I’m saying that induction is better. 

No, I upgraded because induction is simply better at cooking food than gas. Induction stoves cook faster while producing less waste heat. Pots quickly get up to temperature, and you can adjust the temperature instantly. You can even clean up your stove right after cooking, because the surface itself doesn’t get hot. Induction is, to paraphrase Arthur C. Clarke, indistinguishable from magic. 

Now, it’s not technically magic. Induction stoves generate a magnetic field in order to induce heat directly in pots and pans. This means induction only works with ferromagnetic metals, meaning metals that interact with magnetic fields. Iron cookware, including stainless steel or cast iron, work fine; aluminum cookware does not work at all. The quickest way to find out is to try to stick a magnet to your pot—if it sticks, you can use it with induction. 

Once you’ve got the right cookware, induction works far better than both traditional electric stoves and gas. Here’s why. 

Gas stoves have a reputation for being fast, and it is true that they put out a lot of energy. But induction stoves make gas look downright slow by comparison. 

According to Consumer Reports, induction stoves can boil a pot of water 20 to 40 percent faster than the best gas stoves. Boiling water is seen as a proxy for how fast a stove can cook in general, meaning this is a pretty good way to compare the two stove types. 

The expression “now we’re cooking with gas” is hopelessly outdated. It should be “now we’re cooking with magnets.” 

Induction stoves use a lot less energy than gas ones, even though they offer better performance. This is because of the staggering amount of energy wasted by gas stoves. 

Gas stoves, according to the EPA, transfer energy with an efficiency of approximately 32 percent. That means most of the energy you use while cooking with gas doesn’t end up heating your food. Anyone who cooks with gas knows that the area around the burner, and even the room that burner is running in, can get quite hot quite quickly. That ambient heat is the almost-70 percent of energy wasted by gas stoves. It’s an even worse problem if you air condition your house, because then you’re also using energy to offset the heat you’re releasing into the room. 

Induction stoves transfer energy with around 85 percent efficiency, which is almost three times higher than gas. The effect is noticeable while you’re cooking—you basically don’t feel the same ambient heat while working over the stove. I find this a lot more comfortable, especially on hot days. 

Most people have an intuitive understanding that it’s not good to breathe in exhaust. Natural gas isn’t any different. Burning it releases nitrogen dioxide (NO2) among other gases, and those gases affect your health. A 2024 study published in Science Advances estimates the nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves accounts for 50,000 current cases of childhood asthma, which is about 12.7 percent of the total. That estimate has been called conservative because it doesn’t account for carbon monoxide, another by-product of gas stoves that is likely causing even worse problems. There’s also growing evidence that gas stoves emit the carcinogen benzene and other pollutants, even when they’re off.

There are ways you can offset the health risks of gas stoves. It’s a good idea to always have the hood vent on while cooking, which is not always an option if you’re a renter. You could open windows and run a fan (or even a portable HEPA filter) every time you cook. Or you can just switch to convection and never think about these gases again. 

As mentioned before, induction cooktops are cool to the touch after use, and they heat pots directly. This has a secondary safety benefit—if you forget to turn the burner off, there’s no risk of blowing up your kitchen by accident. Plus, since there’s no gas, there’s no chance of gas leaks, which is always a terrifying possibility for those renting older homes or apartments.

If you leave a gas burner on after removing the pot, it keeps burning, meaning there’s an open flame in your house that could catch something on fire. It’s also far too easy to leave a gas stove on without a flame being lit—a surefire recipe for making your kitchen into a danger zone. Traditional electric stoves also remain hot after you remove the pot. 

What happens when you leave an induction stove on and remove the pot? Nothing. No heat is generated unless there’s a pot there, meaning the cooktop remains cool. Most stoves turn off a little while after the pot is removed, meaning you’re not even using up any energy. It’s a small thing, sure, but if you’re forgetful (like me) it can reduce the risk of that forgetfulness. 

Now, there are a few downsides to induction stoves. The biggest one, for me, is that staying in any Airbnb with a gas stove is annoying because of how much I miss my induction stove. Another, arguably more important downside is that you might need to buy new pots and pans. That can sincerely be challenging, especially if you have emotional attachments to a cookware set that isn’t induction compatible. There’s a workaround here called an induction adapter, which is essentially a piece of induction-compatible metal you can put under your old pots. This is going to cook much slower than an induction-compatible pot but is worth keeping in mind. Induction stoves can also scratch easily, thanks to their glass cooktop, and some users may find they have a slight learning curve to get used to. There’s also the initial price of the unit if you’re a home owner. 

It’s faster, more efficient, pollutes your house less, and is a lot safer. Make the switch and you’ll be glad you’re cooking with magnets instead of gas.

The post Why induction stoves are better than gas appeared first on Popular Science.