It takes more than the best solar deck lights to create a lively ambiance in a home’s outdoor spaces. Cultivating our area’s native plants and observing the local wildlife is a joy that all humans should experience. If you’ve ever picked up a pair of birding binoculars, then you’ll know that birds are among nature’s most fascinating creatures—their chirps, hops, preening, and flight are all a delight to witness.

Birds, like most animals, spend significant amounts of time looking for food. While wild birds don’t depend on your seed, if you want to attract the widest variety of birds possible, picking up one of the best bird feeders is an excellent idea. Here’s how to set up the correct bird feeder for your area.

You can’t attract what isn’t there. One of your first steps should be figuring out what birds are actually in your area.

Just as we have maps to track the quality of our environment, there are also great surveys of environmental conditions and habitats for birds. You can use eBird Explore to find a list of what’s in your region or to check and see if your pre-existing favorite species is in your area. The site also has photos and sound recordings for various birds you might encounter. Audubon’s online Guide to North American Birds lets you sort birds by general region as well.

Audobon

Of course, you don’t necessarily want everything to be so digital, as there’s something magical about viewing your birdfeeder with a book in your hand and your phone tucked away inside. For this, you may want to consult the National Audubon Society Birds of North America (2021) or one of the many regional field guides by Roger Tory Peterson of which the Peterson Field Guide to Feeder Birds of Eastern North America may be of particular interest.

Kaytee

If your favored local birds are mostly of the seed-eating type, you’re in luck, as they’re some of the easiest birds to work with when it comes to a bird feeder.

Unfortunately, bird feeders don’t magically spawn the perfect seed blend as needed. You’ll need to buy your own, and there’s a surprising array to choose from:

• All-Around Blends: Blends like Kaytee’s All American Wild Bird Food Seed are surprisingly versatile and are a great place to start.
• Regional Blends: Some bird seed bags, such as Wagner’s Eastern Regional Wild Bird Food are made with regional birds in mind, but they aren’t necessarily going to be that much higher in value than your all-around blend.
• Fruit and Nut Blends: Bird seed bags such as Kaytee’s Nut & Fruit Wild Bird Seed include more than just the basic seed. Bird Watching Daily suggests fruit for species like woodpeckers and warblers, and nuts for birds like American robins, blue jays, and magpies. The fact is, a lot of birds benefit from extra fruit and nuts, but some are even more drawn to it than others.
• Black Oil Sunflower Seeds: The all-black sunflower seeds, such as those found in Wagner’s Black Oil Sunflower Seed Wild Bird Food are rich in fats and oils, making it a sort of “superfood” for birds. 

Wagner’s

Find a cool, dry, sealable place to store your new seed, such as a clean bucket. Small openings will bring pests like moths faster than you can believe, and moisture can cause your seeds to grow mold. Stored properly, bird seed will last significantly longer than it takes your birds to eat it.

Now you have the seed, but where should your birds feed? If at all possible, you will want your bird feeder set up in a place where you can get a great view of it.

Nature Gear

If you want to passively enjoy your local birds from your home office, nothing can beat the Nature Gear Window Bird Feeder, which we consider to be one of the best window bird feeders for its high-quality acrylic, simple suction setup, and all-clear construction. Whether the birds are outside of the feeder or inside it, you’ll get a great view of all of the action. The bird feeder is set up easily, too, as you just need to apply it to a reachable window with a simple suction cup.

However, if you don’t have a suitable window, this one won’t be for you. But don’t fret, because you can still get a quality bird feeder camera to catch the action. These work in a manner similar to dash cams—lying dormant most of the time, waking out of their slumber to take a quick picture or short video clip when a bird (or pesky squirrel) is present.

You may consider getting the Bird Buddy, one of our overall favorites. It can capture slow-motion videos of your birds, take pictures, and help you identify birds by species. You can even name your favorite birds that come back again and again, and it’ll alert you when “Bill” or “Birdo” stop by for a snack. Who knows, you may even capture an award-winning funny animal photo.

Bird Buddy

Ultimately, if you’re willing to clean your bird feeder, you can pick any feeder. However, there are several factors to consider, including climate, environment, and the other species present in your area. In the next sections, we’ll cover more specific issues.

Bird feeders with “awnings” or interior parts are surprisingly effective if you live in a Northern climate. Plenty of birds, such as chickadees or cardinals, set up a sort of permanent residency in even the most due North of states, not fleeing for the winter.

In these areas, your bird feeder can be a good source of food—use a mix with high-fat black oil sunflower seeds for the best results.

Seed isn’t good if it gets snowed on and frozen in, however. That’s why you may wish to try a birdhouse feeder or feeder with an awning, such as a Kingsyard Birdhouse Bird Feeder or even this wooden bird feeder that somewhat resembles a picnic pavilion. These devices will keep snow, and sometimes rain, out of your feeder.

Kingsyard

Everyone knows that hummingbirds are some of the weirdest flying creatures we encounter frequently. They have creative methods for flying through tight spaces, can hover in the air as precisely as a helicopter, and switch flight directions in the blink of an eye. We’ve even recorded them taking dives at 9Gs. But all of this incredible movement takes a special kind of fuel: Liquid fuel, or at least some liquid food.

You can’t dispense hummingbird food with a traditional bird feeder. Additionally, it isn’t very wise to set it out in a bowl—hummingbirds like to feed from flowers, and easily accessible sugary water in a bowl will attract ants and pests instead of the delightful creatures you’re trying to set up your feeder for.

Instead, you’ll need a dedicated hummingbird feeder. Our favorite is the Perky Pet 8116-2, which, despite the clunky name, has a rather elegant design. Its four feeding ports have a flower-like design on a base with a brushed copper finish. The red coloration is pretty and will attract hummingbirds, which have no sense of smell. All you’ll need to do is pour the food in, screw on the bottom tightly and set it up where you like best.

Broadly speaking, we can classify birds as perchers and clingers. Perchers use horizontal bars like tree limbs, power lines, and the edge of a bird feeder to stand still, grasping their stationary spot from above. Clingers have a more claw-like grasp and are adept at grabbing onto the sides of trees, usually to scavenge for insects or, in the case of woodpeckers, to hunt for food in trees.

As you might guess from their reasoning for holding onto trees’ sides, clingers aren’t the biggest seed birds in the world. However, that doesn’t mean they shun seed altogether. A common example is the tufted titmouse, which eats a large combination of nuts, insects, fruit, suet, and even seed. Woodpeckers have also been known to go after seeds occasionally.

So, if you do happen to see birds clinging to trees in your area, or your bird guide suggests there are some in your area, a bird feeder that accommodates them makes a lot of sense. The Perky-Pet Red Cardinal Bird Feeder is a great choice for this, as it has a side net for clingers and a rim for perchers, giving you a chance to attract even more of your local birds.

Perky Pet

When setting up a clinger-accessible bird feeder, you’ll likely be pouring in quite a bit of seed at once. If your seed mix contains a lot of proso millet (the tiny, lightly colored, round seeds), you’ll likely make a small mess as many will pour through the openings in the cling mesh. Be sure to fill outside and away from your garden, as you won’t want these seeds growing in it. (You should plan your chaos garden, as weird as that sounds.)

Owls largely eat rodents, a guest you likely don’t want to encourage. As a result, there isn’t really a bird feeder set up for owls that’s going to make sense for the vast majority of people. That doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything to entice owls into your neck of the woods, however.

Many people find success with owl houses, such as the Screech Owl House. These are essentially giant-sized birdhouses with extra ventilation, but can make a very cozy home for your local owl with some luck. The Owl Research Institute recommends filling these homes up about halfway with wood shavings, as owls don’t nest in quite the same way as nesting birds do.

Mobkye

Despite what intuition might tell you, you don’t explicitly have to hang a bird feeder for it to work. There are obviously the suction cup bird feeders that we mentioned above, which technically aren’t hanging, but you can also place the bird feeder on an outdoor table or stake it into the ground. In fact, you can skip the bird feeder altogether if you like; birds have no reservations about eating seed from between the blades of grass in your lawn.

However, in many cases, a hanging bird feeder is preferred. It keeps the birds safe from predators like cats and makes it more difficult for squirrels to nab food that’s not intended for them.

But how should you set one up? Too high up and it’ll be an absolute chore, not to mention more dangerous than necessary, every time you need to climb the ladder to add more bird food and clean out your feeder. Instead, aim for around head and shoulder height. You’ll still probably want to add something to keep squirrels out of the feeder, and cats have a pretty high vertical leap. This all being said, your birds should be quite safe, as birds tend to be skittish and highly aware of their environment.

As for the hanging method, cheap metals and attractive twine ropes may initially look appealing, but you’ll want a rust-proof chain or hook for the long haul. Look for materials like galvanized steel, polycarbonate plastic, or even treated cedar wood for a long-term solution. Avoid getting too fancy here, as you’ll want to be able to take the bird feeder down periodically for cleaning purposes.

As the suggestion of an “owl house” suggests, getting a good look at birds can go beyond setting up a bird feeder, breaking out the binoculars, and settling into the patio furniture. Beyond installing birdhouses, there are many things you can do to increase the chances of birds exploring your yard, such as planting fruit-bearing bushes, keeping your trees healthy, avoiding cutting tree limbs for vanity purposes, setting up a solar birdbath, and providing compost and mulch to encourage earthworms. Don’t let setting up your bird feeder be the end stage of your newfound hobby, but rather the beginning.

The post How to pick the right bird feeder and feed for your area appeared first on Popular Science.

You may scoff at the idea of dog vitamins, but they can provide essential supplements your pooch needs that you won’t find in their normal food. While regular kibble (and the occasional scrap of human food) may be delicious to the dog, it doesn’t always provide the most healthy dietary balance your pooch requires. Leading a healthy, happy life goes hand-in-hand—or paw-in-paw—with a well-balanced diet. We’ve chosen the Zesty Paws 11-in-1 Bites as our best overall pick, but every dog is different.

As with humans, dogs have some basic vitamin and nutrient requirements that their bodies need to process in order to be in good health. These may include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, B-complex vitamins, calcium, folic acid, and phosphorus. Fortunately, these vitamins are generally included in any dog food labeled “complete and balanced.” That said, sometimes it may be necessary to complement your pup’s meals with extra pet vitamins and supplements, particularly if you feed your pooch homemade food or a raw diet. Here are a few of the best dog vitamins and supplements, formulated to help your pet live a long and thriving life.

• Best overall: Zesty Paws 11-in-1 Bites
• Best powder: Wholistic Canine Complete
• Best for puppies: Nutri-Vet Multi-Vite Chewable Supplement for Puppies
• Best for seniors: VetriScience Canine Plus Senior Multivitamin
• Best for all ages: NaturVet All-in-One Dog Supplement

Zesty Paws is a reputable, NASC-approved brand that has created this 11-in-1 bite to help aid your dog with joint support, heart, gut and immune function, skin health, antioxidant support, liver and urinary tract health, and brain function. Ingredients include cranberry, curcumin, glucosamine, a gut health blend, omega 3 fish oil, and more vet-approved nutrients. Each Zesty Paws container provides 90 chews in an inviting chicken flavor, so your pup will likely think these dog vitamins are a tasty treat. An Amazon bestseller, this is one of the best dog vitamins you can find on the market.

This organic dog vitamin is ideal for all dog ages and contains many vitamins, minerals, prebiotics and probiotics, digestive enzymes, fatty acids, and antioxidants created with your dog’s long-term health in mind. Certified by the NASC and made in the U.S., this multivitamin comes from organic products free of any by-products, synthetics, GMOs, or artificial flavoring. It promotes softer skin and a thicker coat, improves allergy symptoms, and boasts a great source of protein. Sprinkle the appropriate amount of vitamin powder in your dog’s food and you should see results in a few short weeks. 

The Nutri-Vet Multi-Vite chewable puppy vitamins are liver-flavored, meaning it can also be used as a treat while in puppy training mode. This product contains the full spectrum of minerals and vitamins to promote a healthy life and has been developed by veterinarians to help build strong bones and teeth, fight infection, support the nervous system and brain function, and help joint and immune health. Plus, at only $10.99, you’re paying about $0.18 per chewable, which is good news for your wallet.

These vitamins for dogs come in duck-flavored chews that are not only delicious, but also gentle on your senior friend’s mouth and gums. When dogs age, it becomes even more important to care for their immune systems. The VetriScience Canine Plus Senior Multivitamin does just this with a perfect mix of antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, as well as selenium, all proven to help fight cell damage, boost the immune system, and keep your dog’s disposition sharp.

Made for furry friends of any age over 12 weeks, this dog vitamin features 4-in-1 support and utilizes a resealable jar for continued freshness. Your dog will appreciate the many improvements in his joints and digestion, as well as healthier skin and a shiny, thick coat. Plus, NaturVet is an FDA- and NSAC-audited manufacturer, meaning you can feel at ease knowing the company is safe, regulated, and reputable.

Choosing a dog vitamin doesn’t have to feel like a difficult task, but there are some important factors to keep in mind. First and foremost, discuss with your veterinarian which vitamins and minerals will most benefit your dog’s specific health needs if any. If you are concerned that your dog has been exhibiting any recent health declines or new behavioral issues, you may want to ask your vet to run some tests. They may recommend a supplement for a particular vitamin deficiency, to complement a homemade or raw diet, or to provide extra support if your dog has mobility, skin, and coat, or cognitive issues. Once you have a comprehensive understanding of which types of vitamins and minerals may best aid your pup’s health, it then makes sense to choose one of these dog products.

When researching dog multivitamin brands, you’ll want to ensure they are reputable, with clear labeling of ingredients, health certifications from sources like the NASC (National Animal Supplement Council), and can provide proof of clinical studies of their products. Avoid brands that promise a solution to a medical issue, because vitamins are only health aids, not complete fixes. The best dog vitamins come in many different forms—chews, powders, pills, drops—so consider what will be easiest for you to administer and for your dog to ingest. Finally, make sure that you are only giving your dogs vitamins that have been formulated for canines. Human vitamins are specifically formulated for people and, as a result, may be toxic to your pet, so do not use them as if there were dog supplies.

With so many dog supplements to choose from, your pet store bill can start to add up. Instead of buying multiple products that offer one or two vitamins or minerals per container, you and your pup may be better off opting for a multivitamin. So. Much. Easier. 

For some dogs, anything in pill form will have them lunging for the door. If your dog just can’t get on board with a vitamin in capsule or pill form, you may want to try out a powder instead. Dog vitamin powders contain many of the same multivitamins as you’d find in a pill, but are sold in a powder pack, generally by the pound. Depending on your dog’s size and weight, you’ll have to adjust the dose according to the product’s specifications, but vitamins in powder form should last you and your pup a while. A powder dog vitamin formula should be super easy to give to pets as you can mix it in with their food, so they’ll barely notice their mealtime has been enhanced by some incredible dog supplements.

Generally speaking, dog vitamins are quite affordable, costing just a few cents per pill or per serving when you break down the economics. That said, the products listed below have been specifically chosen based on and target dog age. Coming in at less than $13 for a pack of 60 vitamins—or less than $0.20 per vitamin—these dog supplements will be easy on the wallet and positive for your pooch’s well-being.

You should always check in with your veterinarian before giving your dog anything new to ingest, whether that be multivitamins or food. Chances are there will be no problem and your vet will give you the OK, but they can also help you identify and understand which types of vitamins and minerals your dog will benefit from most.

Generally speaking, the most important vitamins and minerals for dogs include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, B-complex vitamins, calcium, folic acid, and phosphorus. There are plenty of other vitamins for dogs that can boost overall health and well-being, too. Most essential vitamins are already found in pet food labeled “complete and balanced,” but be sure to check with your vet to see if your dog has any specific deficiencies that could be supported via a multivitamin.

To boost your dog’s immune system, giving them a daily multivitamin is a great option. Once you’ve confirmed it is safe for your pet by speaking with your vet and researching the product’s ingredients and brand reputation, you can determine the right type of immune support. Most products will show results within a few weeks. 

The saying “health is wealth” is not only true for people, but also for our furry friends. As pet owners, we want our dogs to feel safe, healthy, happy, and sharp for as long as possible. By complementing a balanced diet with specifically formulated dog multivitamins, you’ll be setting your dog up for success. And given the abundance of high-quality, trustworthy, and comprehensive vitamins for dogs available today, you can feel good about giving your pooch a tasty, veterinarian-approved treat each day.

The post The best dog vitamins to keep your pooch healthy appeared first on Popular Science.

I don’t know about you, but I’m someone with a bad habit of misplacing my phone, losing the remote, and forgetting my glasses on top of my head. This bad habit has led to a number of Uber cancellations, missed flights, and perhaps even an argument or two about my tardiness to events. If you’re anything like me, let’s be honest with each other, we can’t keep living like this.

The solution? Fortunately, I have that figured out. Since investing in a MagTap Ultra Slim Tracker Card, I haven’t lost my keys, wallet, or phone in months! And now’s your chance to try it out for a low, low price of $23.99 (reg. $59.99). 

The MagTag tracker is a sleek and reliable device that can easily be discreetly integrated into various items and accessories, such as wallets, backpacks, luggage, and more. It’s even designed with a keyring hole, so you can attach it to your keys or a work lanyard. Plus, it offers real-time tracking anywhere in the world, so you can follow your items from Apple’s Find My app.

Once, I almost forgot my wallet at the TSA—luckily, I had a MagTag. I got an alert before I walked too far away. Its instant updates and loud location beeping make it hard to truly forget anything these days.

I don’t even have to worry about charging it, either. A single charge can last up to 5 months, and it connects to any Qi wireless charger.

All my days spent stressing over where my things were are over. Now, that extra time is spent getting a few more minutes of shuteye. So, join me and bask in the glory of always knowing where your valuables are. Grab a MagTap Ultra Slim Tracker Card for $23.99 (reg. $59.99) while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

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MagTag Ultra Slim Tracker Card – Works with Apple Find My App

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The post Constantly losing things? This $24 tracker might help appeared first on Popular Science.

Already a popular summer destination, Italy will be even busier this summer since 2025 is a Jubilee year. Millions of people will travel to Rome to participate in this cultural and spiritual celebration. Whether you’re heading to Italy for the Jubilee pilgrimage or a classic Euro summer trip, get the most out of it by connecting with locals in their first language. With Babbel Language Learning, access lessons in 14 languages, including Italian, Spanish, and French. Use the exclusive StackSocial discount code LEARN40 to get lifetime access for only $129.99 (regularly $599).

It can seem intimidating to try to learn a new language before a trip, but Babbel developed its lessons to maximize cognitive benefits. A team of researchers at City University of New York assessed Babbel’s Spanish course and found that “users with no knowledge of Spanish acquired knowledge equivalent to one semester of Spanish in 15 hours.”

Babbel’s bite-sized lessons teach practical vocabulary and phrases in 10-15 minute lessons that you can easily fit into your daily commute, lunch break, or as you wind down before bed. Plus, your progress syncs across all devices, so you can access Babbel on your phone, tablet, or computer without having to repeat lessons. You can even download lessons to access when you’re offline, so you can use your lengthy flight to Italy to brush up before the festivities.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages)

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In addition to convenient lessons that easily fit into your schedule, Babbel has AI-powered conversation partners that help you test your skills in situations you might come across abroad, without the pressure of talking to a real person. Advanced speech recognition technology also helps to perfect your accent.

Secure a lifetime subscription to all languages with Babbel for just $129.99 with StackSocial’s exclusive code, LEARN40, and get the most out of your international trips this summer.

The post Traveling to Italy during the Jubilee Year? Learn Italian and 13 more languages with Babbel appeared first on Popular Science.

The idea of having a portable printer may seem unnecessary at a time when most important documents can be easily scanned, signed, and sent digitally. However, having a printer that won’t take up much space is still incredibly valuable for those few times each year when you need a hard copy of an important contract or item for your tax return. Portable printers also come in handy if you’d like to have physical copies of your most precious/incriminating photos instead of leaving them on your phone or social media sites. While smaller than full-sized printers, many of our recommendations have similar specs, including the ability to print wirelessly from your smartphone or computer. If you get a battery-powered model, you can even literally bring it with you to print anywhere, though the use cases for this are admittedly very limited. The best portable printers—like our best overall, the Canon PIXMA TR160—will be there when you need them, but out of sight when you don’t.

• Best overall: Canon PIXMA TR160
• Best splurge: HP OfficeJet 250
• Best for photos: HP Sprocket Studio Plus
• Best ultra-portable: HP Sprocket Panorama
• Best battery-powered: Epson WorkForce WF-110
• Best budget: KODAK Step Wireless Mobile Photo Mini Color Printer

Our portable printer recommendations are based on a mix of hands-on testing and research. We evaluated printers based on their overall size and whether they were designed for mixed use (printing anything) or a specific use case (printing photos). You’ll have to accept the limitations of portable printers—slower print speeds and limited page size support chief among them—but these downsides are mitigated by how convenient they are to use. Our recommendations support wireless printing (a must-have feature for any printer as far as we’re concerned), and there’s even a model that can print and scan documents and photos.

There’s nothing like the tactile feel of printed photos, whether you need them for work, like playing human photobooth at a party, or just want to share vacation shoots quickly. Prepared to print from locations both near and far? These portable printers cover a wide range of use cases and price points.

CANON

• Full-sized prints
• Can run on battery power
• Compact & durable design

• So-so for photo printing

• Size: 12.7 x 7.3 x 2.6 inches
• Weight: 4.5 pounds
• Battery power: Yes (Optionally)
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB

Canon’s PIXMA TR160 is the updated version of our previous top pick (the Canon PIXMA TR150), and it retains everything we liked about the earlier generation while adding a few niceties. This inkjet can still print full-sized documents and photos up to 9 ppm B&W/5.5 ppm color, hold up to 50 sheets of paper at a time, and be set up and operated directly from the printer itself without the need for an app. The TR160 supports the latest version of Apple’s AirPrint wireless printing standard, as well as the Canon PRINT app, and Mopria’s Print Service, which allows you to print items stored in the cloud. 

The 1.44-inch screen is now a monochrome OLED display rather than an LCD, so it’ll look nicer. Most importantly, you can still connect this printer to an optional battery pack to operate it remotely. Canon opted to retain the five-color hybrid ink system of the TR150, so expect perfect-looking text, but printed photos that may appear slightly muted. We’re also disappointed that this newer printer doesn’t support dual-sided printing, which would have given it an even greater advantage over its competition. 

That said, this is still the most fully featured portable printer you can get, especially for its price. The Canon PIXMA TR160 is small enough to fit in a bag, but powerful enough to replace a full-sized printer completely.

Brandt Ranj / Popular Science

• All-in-printer
• Print size legend
• Color touch screen

• Not as portable as other recommendations

• Size: 14.96 x 7.8 x 3.6 inches
• Weight: ‎6.51 pounds
• Battery power: Yes
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB

If you can get over its $400 price tag, you won’t find a more feature-complete portable printer than HP’s OfficeJet 250. Setting up the OfficeJet 250 only took a few minutes and didn’t require us to download the HP Smart mobile app, though you have the option to use that software if you’d prefer. Instead, we opted to use the OfficeJet 250’s touchscreen to input our Wi-Fi password and run through any initial calibrations. We experienced no technical hiccups with this printer after its initial setup. It maintained a solid connection to our Wi-Fi network and was always recognized by multiple computers running macOS. The OfficeJet 250 is larger and heavier than our other recommendations, but this is also the only model that can scan and copy in addition to printing.

The OfficeJet 250 printed up to nine pages of text or one full-sized color image per minute in our tests. That’s speedy for a printer that isn’t plugged into a wall, and especially impressive given that it creates 8.5 x 11-inch prints just like a traditional all-in-one office printer would. Text looked sharp, and we were especially pleased with the quality of our color print, which was vibrant even on regular printer paper. It may not be called out as a photo printer, but the OfficeJet 250 can be used that way in a pinch—though we recommend having proper photo paper on hand. While we opted to test the printer using 8 x 11.5-inch prints, you can adjust the OfficeJet 250 to accommodate B5, A5, and 4 x 6-inch printer paper.

The photos and documents we scanned looked very good, and only took a few seconds to show up on our computer. You can use HP’s scanning software, but we opted to use the Preview app that comes pre-loaded on macOS. Our scans weren’t quite at the same level as HP’s premium home printers, but that’s to be expected given its more compact size. The only technical feature we found ourselves missing when using this printer was double-sided printing. Outside of that missing feature, we could happily use the HP OfficeJet 250 as our only printer. If you’ve wanted an all-in-one printer but have limited desk space, travel between a couple of offices, or even want to take a personal printer with you when working abroad, HP’s OfficeJet 250 is worth its high cost.

• Impressive print quality
• Clever compact design
• Fast prints

• Requires an A/C adapter

• Size: 5.45 x 8.5 x 3.9 inches
• Weight: 3 pounds
• Battery power: No
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi

We chose HP’s Sprocket Studio Plus as the best portable photo printer and stand by that recommendation here. The Studio Plus’ design feels well thought out, especially its print tray, which sits on top of the printer and then attaches to the front with a satisfying click when you’re ready to print. A trio of LEDs on its front side indicates whether it’s powered on, connected to Wi-Fi, and encountered a problem when printing. All three functions are helpful to see at a glance.

Setting up and managing the printer requires HP’s Sprocket App, which is available on iOS and Android. Once installed, it’ll find and connect your device to the printer over Wi-Fi. You have the option to give the Sprocket app access to your entire photo library or a selection of your favorite shots. Printing on the Sprocket Studio Plus is refreshingly straightforward. You’ll begin by placing the included photo paper inside the printer’s print tray and clicking it in front of the printer’s body. Then, select a photo from the Sprocket app and hit print. The printer will pop out a 4×6 in under a minute.

The Sprocket Studio Plus’ compact size is its biggest strength—It’s easy to take the photo printer to a party and have people send prints to it as mementos, but you will be limited to 4×6 prints. That’s a common size for photos, and the Sprocket Studio Plus is easy to stash in a bag when you go on a trip, but you won’t have the option to print an 8 x 10. That’s not a dealbreaker, and we can still highly recommend picking one up. If it’s photos you’re most interested in printing, this is your best value.

It’s also worth noting that this is a dye-sublimation printer, which doesn’t use traditional ink; therefore, the prints won’t smudge if you pick them up immediately after they’re finished.

• Solid color reproduction
• Wide aspect ratio
• Bluetooth connectivity

• Very small prints

• Size: 5.5 x 3.25 x 3.13 inches
• Weight: 1 pound
• Battery power: Yes
• Connectivity: Bluetooth

HP’s Sprocket Panorama has most of the features we liked about Studio Plus, but in a significantly smaller form factor. Setting up the Sprocket Panorama requires downloading the HP Sprocket app, allowing you to pair the printer with your iOS or Android device over Bluetooth. Bluetooth allows you to print to the battery-powered Sprocket Panorama anywhere, not just when connected to a Wi-Fi network. This feature is one of the main reasons we’ve chosen Sprocket Panorama as the best battery-powered portable printer. The other reason is that you can fit this printer in a small bag—or even a cargo shorts pocket.

The big tradeoff of choosing an ultra-portable printer is the size of your prints. You’ll end up with a photo that’s just two inches wide, which means you’ll see a lot less detail compared to a larger mains-powered printer. True to its name, you can print a photo that’s nine inches wide. Though our photos were small, we were pleased with how well the Sprocket Panorama’s prints looked, especially the vibrancy of the colors, and there was no denying how cool it looked for it to slowly come out of its front slot. It looked like a tongue beginning to stick out, and slicing the photo with a physical button on top of the printer was also fun. The amount of time it took to create a print depended on its size, but all of our prints took under a minute from start to finish.

If you take a lot of panoramas, this portable printer’s biggest drawback won’t matter much. One feature the Sprocket Panorama shares with the larger Studio Plus is the use of zero-ink technology, which means you can handle its prints immediately without the risk of smudging.

Epson

• Full-sized prints
• Battery is included
• Also supports an external battery for longer use

• Price

• Size: 9.1 x 12.2 x 8.5 inches
• Weight: 4.6 pounds
• Battery power: Yes (internal and optional external)
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB

If you plan on using your portable printer out in the field, you’re going to need one that runs on battery power and won’t conk out halfway through the day. Epson’s Workforce WF-110 can deliver because you can run it off two batteries instead of one. The printer has a built-in battery, but you can purchase a second battery separately to further extend its runtime when you’re off the grid. Having a second battery will add to the printer’s already high price tag in this category, but you’re getting a feature the others can’t match. That said, be sure to bring either a USB-C cable or a phone that can create a wireless hotspot for your computer and printer, if you want to take advantage of their wireless printing capabilities.

The WorkForce WF-110 was designed with productivity in mind. It’s another full-sized portable printer, which means it can print on 8.5- x 11-inch sheets of paper. This is necessary if you’re meeting clients and need to work out last-minute details of a contract before printing it out for them to look over and sign. It’s a little larger than our top recommendation, but not by enough to be too noticeable. You can still take the WorkForce WF-110 in a backpack, or comfortably take it to and from a car. It supports wireless printing, and you can set it up or move through its settings by pushing buttons on the printer itself and using its 1.4-inch color screen. If you require absolute portability from your printer and don’t mind spending some extra money on spare batteries, Epson’s WorkForce WF-110 can’t be topped.

• Ultra-portable
• Battery powered
• Bluetooth connectivity

• MicroUSB charging

• Size: 3 x 5 x 1 inches
• Weight: .55 pounds
• Battery power: Yes
• Connectivity: Bluetooth

If you’d like the freedom to print your photos anywhere but don’t want to spend more than $70, Kodak’s Step is the right portable printer for you. The pocket-friendly battery-powered printer connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth using Kodak’s iOS or Android app and can spit out up to 30 2- x 3-inch prints on a single charge. The Step uses the same zero-ink technology as HP’s portable printers, which means you can touch your prints immediately without the risk of them getting ruined. Our only complaint with this portable printer is that it needs to be recharged using a MicroUSB cable rather than USB-C. This means you’ll likely need to bring an additional cord with you, which can be a little annoying if you’re taking it on vacation. That doesn’t impact the Kodak Step’s performance, so it can be easily forgiven.

There are many factors to consider when deciding which portable printer is right for you. Below are the factors we considered most important when writing this guide:

The word “portable” is ultimately subjective. Still, our largest recommendation is just over a foot long (this is necessary for making full 8.5- x 11-inch prints), under eight inches deep, and under four inches tall. This is remarkably small for a fully featured all-in-one printer, which can easily be two to three times deeper and taller. Our smaller printer is under five inches deep, three inches wide, and one inch tall, which is practically pocket-friendly.

If you’re going to be taking your portable printer out of the house, weight is a critical factor to keep in mind when choosing the best one for you. Our heaviest portable printer recommendation clocks in at six and a half pounds, while the lightest is just over half a pound.

Some of our portable printers can run off a battery, meaning they’re portable rather than just physically small. This is a neat feature, but you must remember to keep the battery charged for it to work. We’d recommend keeping a power cable around, just in case.

All of our portable printer recommendations support wireless printing over either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Many of the printers above can also be connected to a computer using a USB cable if you’d prefer.

Yes. All printers require ink to create prints.

It depends on the printer. Portable photo printers that we recommend use special paper, while the larger general-use portable printers in this guide can use standard paper.

A portable printer is worth it if you don’t have a lot of space in your home office or absolutely have to print when you’re away from your desk.

This depends on its size and feature set. Our recommendations range in price between $400 and $70.

Yes. All of the portable printers we’re recommending can print in both monochrome and color. This is most important when printing photos, but can be useful if the documents you’re working on have a lot of charts. Be mindful that pages with a lot of color will consume more ink and may take longer to print.

The answer depends on the type of portable printer you get. Some models were designed for the sole purpose of printing photos, and they’re very good at their job. The general-purpose portable printers in our guide can still be used for photography, but may not have the accurate color reproduction you’d get from using a photo printer. If you do choose to print photos from those printers, be sure to use photo paper to get the best results.

• Best overall: Canon PIXMA TR160
• Best splurge: HP OfficeJet 250
• Best for photos: HP Sprocket Studio Plus
• Best ultra-portable: HP Sprocket Panorama
• Best battery-powered: Epson WorkForce WF-110
• Best budget: KODAK Step Wireless Mobile Photo Mini Color Printer

Portable printers, especially models designed for photography, are becoming increasingly more performant with the release of new generations. They’re proof that there’s still a need to keep physical copies of photos and documents around, whether you’re looking to give someone a thoughtful gift or need to get business done. It’s most impressive that you can choose a printer like Canon’s PIXMA TR160 to get a fully featured, portable printer without having to compromise on any features. That model can even be taken with you on the road and recharged using the same cable as a MacBook Pro. A portable printer’s size alone may be enough to convince you to keep one in the house just in case. And you’ll be the hero when a legal document requires a physical signature or a less tech-savvy family member needs a picture from your wedding.

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

Imagine traveling more than 600 miles from the only home you’ve ever known, to a mountain ridge you’ve never been to. It’s nighttime, completely dark, and you don’t have a map, GPS, compass, or sextant to guide you. Could you make it?

If you were a Bogong moth (Agrotis infusa), this epic journey would be a standard part of your life cycle. In fact, you’d do it twice in one year. The endangered, drab beige, nocturnal insects fly across Australia’s southeastern corner from points inland to caves nestled in the Australian Alps, near the coast, where they retreat to escape the summer heat. During spring migration, recently hatched and newly mature moths move from the breeding grounds they were born in, to the distant, unfamiliar caverns. In autumn, after months of dormancy spent clustered on cave walls, they reverse course. 

Despite having brains smaller than a grain of rice and teeny eyes to match, they manage to hit their geographic targets en masse. A new study offers insight into how. Bogong moths follow the stars, using the night sky as a navigational aid, according to a study published June 18 in the journal Nature. In addition to being guided by Earth’s magnetic field, like many migratory species, the stars provide the insects with a backup, “stellar compass” to light the way. 

Birds and humans are known to navigate via the stars. A 2024 study even suggests dung beetles rely on the Milky Way to help them stay on a straight course over short distances. But the new findings represent the first time an invertebrate has been shown to use the sky to direct a long distance migration, says Kenneth Lohmann, a biologist at the University of North Carolina who wasn’t involved in this study. Lohmann researches animal ocean migrants, like sea turtles and salmon, and authored a viewpoint article published alongside the new study. “I liked [the research] enough that I offered to write a perspective,” he tells Popular Science. “I found it remarkable that an insect with a very tiny brain was capable of achieving these astounding navigational tasks. …The results strongly suggest that the moths inherit the ability to guide themselves using the stars.”

For a human, the moth’s journey would be “the equivalent of circumnavigating the Earth twice, without any instruments apart from your own senses,” Eric Warrant, study co-author and a neurobiologist at Lund University in Sweden, tells Popular Science. That moths can manage such precise travel “puts me in awe,” he says. 

The new paper builds on research from 2018, where Warrant and many of the same colleagues found that moths rely on Earth’s magnetic field to guide them, in combination with some unknown visual cue. Now we know what the clue is: stars.

[ Related: Why do birds migrate? Scientists have a few major theories. ]

To parse the importance of the sky for moth wayfinding, the team started by shaving a small bare patch on dozens of captured insects’ thoraxes, just between the wings. “You have to remove the scales, because moths are very hairy creatures,” says David Dreyer, lead study author and also a neurobiologist at Lund University. Then, Dreyer and his team glued tungsten wires in place, and tethered each moth (one at a time) to a small scaffolding set-up that recorded the insects’ attempted flight direction and intensity five times per second. 

In an initial control experiment, they collected migrating moths near the cave site in autumn and placed each tethered moth inside a clear plastic enclosure on top of a hill outside, with the night sky in full view and access to Earth’s magnetic field. As expected, the moths directed their flight north-northwest– aiming towards their breeding grounds, even when trapped unnaturally beneath scaffolding. 

In subsequent experiments, repeated in spring and fall, they moved their flight simulator indoors, to a lab specially equipped with a device to block out magnetic fields. There, the team put over 100 moths to the test. First, they recorded migrating moths’ flight directions with no coherent magnetic guide and no visual stimulation, underneath a black felt tent. The moths were totally disoriented, flying every which way at random. 

Then, they fashioned the felt tent into something similar to a miniature moth-sized planetarium. The scientists added a projection screen at the top and showed a realistic version of what the moonless night sky outside would look like at the time of the experiment. When given the sky, but still deprived of magnetic information, the moths overwhelmingly flew in the correct, migratory direction according to the season: north-northwest in fall, southwards in spring. If the sky projection rotated, the moths shifted their trajectory to match. “Moth after moth after moth that we put under the sky, when we knew that there was no other cue they could be using… flew consistently in the direction that they needed to fly in at that time of year to reach their destination,” says Warrant. “That was quite amazing.” 

Of course, there were exceptions. Some moths seemed “completely freaked out” by the whole set-up, Warrant explains. But the mean trajectory of all the insects’’ many flights was significantly aligned with the theoretical migration path. 

In additional tests, the moths were shown a projection of randomized, mixed up stars, not corresponding to the actual sky. Again, they became disoriented, firming up the hypothesis that the cosmos offer a key visual signal.

Finally, it was time for insect neurosurgery. The researchers inserted extremely thin pulled glass and silver wire electrodes into neurons in three areas of the 28 different moths’ brains. “It’s like pushing a thin pin into your arm,” says Warrant of getting the improbably small electrode in contact with the axon of a single moth neuron. 

The team initially restrained the moths while showing them a sky projection and recorded the subsequent neural activity. When the sky indicated the moths were oriented in the proper migratory direction, electrical  activity in neural regions related to vision, navigation, and steering all peaked. In another simulation, the moths were shown an artificial cue meant to mimic the bar shape of the bright milky way viewed from the Southern Hemisphere. This cue, alone, seemed to be enough to stimulate a similar brain response. 

“The experiments were carefully controlled and well thought out,” says Lohmann. “I thought they yielded very clear results,” he adds– that the stars are sufficient to help Bogong moths navigate migration. 

Most migratory animals seem to depend on several sensory cues to aid in their journeys, Lohmann notes. “It’s very common for animals to have more than one way to maintain a consistent heading,” he says. For instance, the sea turtles he studies use Earth’s magnetic fields, but also the direction of waves and potentially the sun. 

The moths are no exception. When you’re doing high stakes, long distance travel, having a secondary GPS makes sense. Clouds can obscure the sky, while solar storms and terrestrial anomalies (like a large iron deposit) can distort the planet’s magnetic field. 

“It’s a great idea to have a backup compass when one stuffs up for whatever reason,” says Warrant. “Nature is way more clever than we are, so evolving two compasses like this just makes everything much more robust.” 

Yet with two compasses in hand, confusion and questions still remain. It’s unclear how the navigational neural circuits work together, if one type of directional cue is more important than another, and how a relatively simple animal can decode complex visual stimuli. Warrant and Dreyer hope to tease out more answers in follow-up studies. 

Hopefully, the moths persist long enough for us to unravel their celestial secrets. The species was added to the endangered species list in 2021, after it experienced a 99.5 percent population decline amid massive drought. 

The post Migrating moths can read the stars appeared first on Popular Science.

You already know it before you open it: it’s another rejection email. That word, “unfortunately,” just pisses you off at this point. But maybe it’s a sign that it wasn’t meant to be. Maybe it’s time to explore something new altogether.

A field that is actually hiring (and not just posting applications online) is cybersecurity, and something that may sound appealing to you is hacking. Yeah, there are people out there getting paid to hack companies and networks—legally—to help discover vulnerabilities before the bad guys do. Our $19.99 online ethical hacking training bundle is the perfect way to get started (reg. $140).

The cool thing about ethical hacking is that it’s a skills-first field. Many professionals are self-taught, and certifications, not college degrees, are often what help you land a job. This training bundle includes seven training courses that you can access across your lifetime, meaning they’re completely self-paced and you can refer back to materials at any time.

Start by working through 22 hours of material—you choose the order of what to learn:

• How to test and secure websites, wireless networks, and servers
• How to use tools like Kali Linux, NMAP, Metasploit, and Burp Suite
• How to automate tasks with Python and streamline your workflow
• How to recognize and defend against social engineering and human-based attacks
• How to identify vulnerabilities and exploit them safely in penetration testing scenarios

And while no bundle can turn you into an expert overnight, this one gives you the exact building blocks that many pros use to launch their careers. Once you have a handle on the basics and pursue related certifications (separate from these courses), you can target jobs like:

• Penetration tester
• Bug bounty hunter
• Network security analyst
• Information security specialist
• Cybersecurity consultant

In a job market that can feel impossible right now, cybersecurity stands out as a field that’s still hiring—and one where skills, drive, and curiosity matter more than formal degrees.

Get lifetime access to these ethical hacking courses for $19.99 (reg. $140). That’s less than $3 per course.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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The 2025 Ethical Hacking Bundle for Beginners

See Deal

The post If you’ve applied to 1,000+ jobs with no results, this is your next move appeared first on Popular Science.

What happens at college? Loud late nights, spilled drinks, clumsy sprints to class, outdoor work sessions, all staples of the college experience. So why would anyone in their right mind send an expensive computer to an environment that seems designed to pulverize it?

Whether you’re off to school next semester or shopping for a student on their way, that fancy-pants expensive computer might not be the best fit. Instead, go for something lightweight, functional, and cheap enough to replace in a pinch. This MacBook fits the bill. It has solid RAM (8GB), a good processor (1.8 GHz), and a low price (on sale). Pick one up with free shipping for $199.97 (reg. $999).

This MacBook is affordable, but it’s no slouch. The 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor is more than enough to handle assignments, papers, research, and video streaming without bogging down. Paired with 8GB of RAM, multitasking between browser tabs, Word Docs, and spreadsheets is smooth and simple.

Storage is handled by a 128GB solid-state drive, giving you enough space for coursework, music, photos, and the random downloads that tend to pile up during a semester. Since it is an SSD, you also get faster boot times and quicker file access, which comes in handy during those last-minute study sessions.

The 13.3-inch widescreen display offers a crisp resolution of 1440×900, making video lectures, Netflix breaks, and Zoom meetings look clean and clear. It also supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, so connecting to campus networks or syncing with other devices is easy.

Battery life is another big plus for student life. With up to 12 hours of use on a full charge, you can get through a long day of classes, study groups, and library sessions without having to hunt for an outlet.

While this MacBook Air is refurbished, it has been tested to ensure full functionality. The A/B rating means it may show minor cosmetic wear, but it comes with a 90-day warranty for peace of mind.

For a limited time, you can still get a MacBook Air on sale for $199.97.

No coupon needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change

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Apple MacBook Air 13.3″ (2017) 1.8GHz i5 8GB RAM 128GB SSD Silver (Refurbished)

See Deal

The post This is the computer I’d give to a college student appeared first on Popular Science.

An ice maker can seem like an unnecessary indulgence until you check the freezer and find that you’ve forgotten to fill up the ice cube trays (again). At that moment, you either have to wait for a batch to freeze, run to the store, or settle for a room-temperature drink. And when the humidity is high, none of those choices sound appealing. This isn’t just frozen water; this is the foundation of refreshment, and on a sweltering day, it can’t wait. An ice maker can resolve that problem in under 10 minutes, and you can make extra cubes to store in the freezer, preventing this from happening again. This appliance will occupy a relatively small amount of space on your countertop and can be easily stored in a cabinet when you’re not using it. The best ice makers—like our best overall, the GoveeLife Smart Countertop Ice Maker—will provide a convenient way to keep all your drinks cool during the spring and summer months, and become a part of your party preparation before guests arrive.

• Best overall: GoveeLife Smart Countertop Ice Maker
• Best smart splurge: GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra
• Best portable: Antarctic Star Countertop Ice Maker
• Fastest machine: Whynter IMC-491DC
• Best budget: EUHOMY Countertop Ice Maker Machine

Our ice maker recommendations are based on a mix of hands-on testing and extensive research. We ensured that our recommendations could produce a sufficient amount of ice in a relatively short period, while also focusing on ice shape and size, as well as water tank capacity. We also factored in price, which is a concern with any appliance purchase.

Whether you’re a cocktail-slinging home bartender, a morning smoothie type, or don’t want to leave the house to get a bag of ice to fill the cooler during the summertime, these unitasking gadgets do their job flawlessly. Whether you prefer a countertop pellet producer or bullet-shaped ice in bulk, one of these machines is right for you. And they’ve got us excited to share our nuggets of wisdom and water so you can appreciate the satisfaction, the uniform refreshment of proper ice maker output.

• Multiple ice cube size settings
• Alexa and Google Home support
• App control

• Ice basket was a little hard to remove

• Size: 12.32 X 8.74 X 12.6 Inches
• Speed: 6 minutes per batch
• Price: $159.99

GoveeLife’s Smart Countertop Ice Maker has a lot going for it, and our tests proved it justified a place on your countertop. Its all-silver aluminum frame looks gorgeous in person, and setting it up took only a couple of minutes. You can run the machine by pushing clearly labeled buttons on its top side, which allow you to turn it on, select your preferred ice cube size, and run its cleaning cycle, or by using Govee’s iOS or Android app. You can even hook it up to run via voice commands through Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant. In our tests, we stuck to using the manual controls, which worked very well.

In our tests, this ice maker produced ice every eight minutes or so, which is slightly longer than Govee claims, but not by much. We observed a noticeable difference between small, medium, and large cubes, which mostly came down to their thickness. The ice maker produces hollow, bullet-shaped cubes rather than solid ice nuggets, so be mindful if you’re particular about your ice shapes. GoveeLife claims its ice maker can be used with non-pulp beverages, allowing you to make solid cubes of different drinks that won’t dilute your beverage as they melt.

We didn’t encounter any major technical difficulties during our time with this ice maker, but found it could be a little challenging to locate the handles of its basket when the machine had been running for a few cycles. This isn’t a deal breaker, but something to watch out for if you pick the ice maker up.

Brandt Ranj / Popular Science

• WiFi and voice control
• Side tank is easier to fill
• Stainless steel construction

• Price

• Size: 17.5 X 13.43 X 16.5 Inches
• Speed: 10 minutes per cycle
• Price: $629

If you’ve already committed to making a totally comprehensive smart home, GE’s Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra is the ice maker for you. It’s the ultimate tool for making ice at home, and while its $629 price is steep, it’s completely justified. The fit and finish of the Opal 2.0 XL are immediately apparent—it’s a large and heavy appliance—and fits in with the GE Indoor Smoker and Stand Mixer.

Once you’ve connected it to your home WiFi network, you can engage all of the ice maker’s controls and even schedule it to turn on at a specific time through the Opal Profile app on iOS and Android. You also have the option to hook it up to Alexa or Google Assistant to operate it totally hands-free.

What separates the Opal 2.0 from other ice makers with similar features is its design. Its stainless steel construction is premium, and little touches, like having a detachable water tank on the side of the machine, make a big difference in how easy it is to use. Additionally, the Opal 2.0 produces irresistibly crunchy nugget-shaped ice rather than hollowed-out bullet-shaped cubes (up to 38 pounds in 24 hours).

If the GE Profile Opal 2.0 didn’t have smart features, it’d still be one of the most premium ice makers we could recommend. These additional functions take the machine to the next level, making it a must-have splurge in any smart kitchen.

Antarctic Star

• Makes ice as quickly as our top recommendation
• Small size
• Price

• Barebones design

• Size: 11.22 x 8.66 x 11.73 Inches
• Speed: 6 Minutes per cycle
• Price: $74.99

If you need ice, but don’t have a lot of counterspace to spare, Arctic Star has you covered. Its Countertop Ice Maker is a little smaller than our other recommendations, but it can make as quickly as our top choice. The ice maker produces bullet-shaped ice cubes in a single size and comes equipped with a handle, allowing you to carry it to different parts of your kitchen. It’s a barebones machine, which means it doesn’t have a timer or multiple cube size settings, but it can beep at you when its tank needs water, or its ice chest is full. A drain plug on the side allows you to flush out water from the tank if you don’t use it all, or when you select its cleaning setting.

While its slightly smaller size and handle have earned it the portable pick slot in this guide, it’s also tied (currently) with our budget recommendation on price. This makes it a good choice if you’re unsure about whether a dedicated ice maker is worth the investment. Antarctic Star’s Countertop Ice Maker will produce nine cubes every six minutes, won’t take up too much room in your kitchen, and won’t cost you very much. It’s an entry-level model that doesn’t have any frills, but can still get the job done.

Whynter

• Can make up to 49 pounds of ice per day
• Allows you to hook it up to a water line
• Self-cleaning feature

• Takes up more space on a countertop
• Expensive

• Size: 17 x 14 x 16 Inches
• Speed: 2.7 pounds of ice per hour
• Price: $288

If your ice needs tend to be higher than usual, you’ll need a machine that can keep up with your consumption. Whynter’s IMC-491DC can make nearly twice as much ice as our top recommendation, and it’s incredibly easy to use. The only decisions you’ll have to make are the size of your cubes (small, medium, or large) and whether to set the machine on a timer. You’ll need to keep refilling its tank to ensure it keeps producing cubes, but it’s pretty hands-off besides that. Whynter says the ice machine can produce 49 pounds of ice per day, which is over half a pound every 15 minutes. You can set this appliance’s timer between 30 minutes and 18 hours, allowing you to be relatively hands-off when using it. Once you’re done, you can run the IMC-491DC’s cleaning function to get out any germs that may have accumulated. 

Most ice makers require manual refilling of the water tank, but this model offers the option to connect directly to your water line. This is especially useful if you want to set a longer timer and don’t want to keep refilling the tank throughout the day. Using the ice maker’s cleaning function will shoot water out of its side-mounted drain, which you should put in the sink before using the setting. The only major downside to using this ice maker is that it’s larger and more expensive than most of our recommendations. This makes sense when you consider its speed and how much ice it can make, but it may give you pause. Still, if your ice-making needs are great, Whynter’s IMC-491DC will meet them.

• More compact size
• Built-in handle
• Price

• Lower capacity

• Size: 11.57 X 11.42 X 8.74 Inches
• Speed: 6 minutes per cycle
• Price: $76.49

If you need a low-cost, compact ice maker that’s easy to move around, you can’t go wrong with this model from EUHOMY. It’s smaller than all our other ice maker recommendations, and while that means it can hold less ice, the tradeoff is worth making given its sub-$80 price tag. In fact, EUHOMY says its appliance can make ice in six minutes, which means it’s faster than any other ice maker in our guide.

The machine only has a single button, which powers it on and off. There are no options to change the size of its cubes, but the button can be used to engage the ice maker’s cleaning mode. While it doesn’t have any bells and whistles, this ice maker does have a built-in handle for easy transport, and it can be detached when not in use. LEDs will shine if you need to add water to the ice maker’s tank and when its chamber is too full, which are handy visual indicators that it’s time to address an issue.

If you’ve been curious about ice makers, but haven’t wanted to spend a lot of money to see whether or not they’re a worthwhile investment, this is the best option for you.

There are many factors to consider when shopping for an ice maker. These are the ones we thought were most important when picking the best machines to keep enough water frozen so that your good times continue to flow:

When picking up a countertop appliance, it’s essential to ensure you have sufficient space to accommodate it, whether it’ll be a permanent fixture or an occasional tool. All of our ice makers will take up more space than a typical blender, but far less room than a smart oven. If you have enough room on your counter for a stand mixer, you’ll be able to accommodate an ice maker.

The main purpose of using an ice maker over ice cube trays is its ability to get ice into your glass a lot more quickly. Our recommendations vary in speed, but all of them will begin to produce usable ice in under 10 minutes. If they’re left running for 24 hours (assuming you continually refill their water tank and keep ice from overfilling their inner chamber), you can get several pounds of ice.

We’re conscious of the fact that an ice maker, like any countertop appliance, can get very expensive. We’ve done our best to accommodate the widest possible cost spectrum.

Using an ice maker will yield identical results, but you can increase the quality of your ice by using purified water, which may have a more neutral taste.

No. Ice makers require roughly the same amount of power as similarly sized countertop appliances. Their energy draw will depend on how often you run them and for how long.

Not necessarily. You have control over how much water you store in the tank, so be mindful of capacity when deciding which one to get.

This depends on its size and speed. Our recommendations range in price between $76 and $500.

This will vary by model, but most at-home ice makers can make hollow, bullet-shaped ice cubes in two or three sizes. Some specialty machines can make bullet ice cubes, which are smaller and denser.

Yes, provided you use water that’s free from contaminants, and clean out their container regularly. Some ice makers have built-in filters and dedicated cleaning functions, which you should run after every use.

• Best overall: GoveeLife Smart Countertop Ice Maker
• Best smart splurge: GE Profile Opal 2.0 Ultra
• Best portable: Antarctic Star Countertop Ice Maker
• Fastest machine: Whynter IMC-491DC
• Best budget: EUHOMY Countertop Ice Maker Machine

An ice maker is one of the most affordable appliances you can purchase that can make a significant impact in your kitchen. You never know when you’ll need to grab a few cubes for your cocktail, and going without can be tedious or ruin the drink. An unexpected benefit is that you’ll end up reclaiming the freezer space you use for ice cube trays. Not everybody is lucky enough to have a fridge with a built-in ice maker, which is what makes having a standalone model so appealing. The best ice makers will work quickly, relatively quietly, and save you from frustration at least a few times per year.

The post The best ice makers for 2025, chosen by refreshment enthusiasts appeared first on Popular Science.

“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.” — Rachel Carson

Carson’s words reflect something surfers have long understood: the ocean is an endless promise of possibility of mystery, euphoria, power, beauty, play, and perfection. In other words, “stoke.” 

Perhaps, for you, the perfect wave is the one that sparkles most at the ocean’s edge during golden hour. Or the one you remember simply because of who was sitting beside you when you observed it—even if the wave itself collapsed into mush. Or the one that you dove through with your cousins while growing up, because its big, curling shape left just enough room to slip through, clean and laughing, before the white water crashed.

For those who chase and study the waves most eagerly—surfers—its something both technical and deeply felt. The shape, the speed, the feeling of being fully present, and of sensing a complete in synchronicity with the ocean.

To the untrained or unadmiring eye, perhaps a wave is just a moving wall of water. But to oceanographers, engineers, and any whose soul is intertwined with the sea, it’s a shape full of meaning, sculpted by the mathematics of our planet. 

And a perfect wave doesn’t just happen. Beneath the magic and beauty lie the physics in action. Its perfection is born from a precise combination of wind speed, swell angle, and the contours of the seafloor, also known as bathymetry.

But ask 50 surfers what makes a wave “perfect,” and you’ll get 50 different answers.

So what really forms a perfect wave—and is that perfection mathematically measurable, or something entirely personal?

“I don’t know if perfect waves really exist,” says Cliff Kapono, a professional surfer and PhD chemist at the MEGA Lab, a nonprofit focused on ocean conservation. “But for me, finding perfection in many types of waves is always worthwhile.”

The foundation for any wave begins far out at sea, where energy builds and travels across vast distances before finally shaping. By the time a wave has reached the coastline, it carries with it an imprint of its long journey.

Waves along California’s coast, for example, often originate from storms in the North Pacific, particularly during the winter months. These storms can generate powerful swells that travel thousands of miles across the ocean before arriving at the shore. For instance, these particular swells traverse approximately 2,100 nautical miles to reach the coast. Given that swell speed is roughly proportional to the swell period—the time, in seconds, between successive wave crests—a swell with a period of 14 seconds would take about 100 hours to cover this distance.

Similarly, swells generated in the Southern Hemisphere, such as those from storms near New Zealand, travel over 5,000 miles to reach Southern California. These long-period swells, with periods ranging from about 12 to 18 seconds, can produce waves up to 15 feet in height upon arrival.

These long journeys across the ocean shape the energy and timing of the swells, but it is the underwater landscape—the bathymetry—that ultimately molds how these waves break once they reach shore.

As both a scientist and as a Native Hawaiian, whose ancestral knowledge is rooted in reading the ocean, bathymetry is Kapono’s favorite factor to study. He’s now working to map 1 million reefs by 2030, with the help of citizen scientists across the globe.

Rising and warming seas, coastal erosion, and development threaten this delicate cadence of forces, with grave implications for surfing. A 2017 analysis of the California coastline found 34 percent of the state’s breaks could be lost to climate change by 2100.

These shapes and contours of the seafloor directly influence how a wave forms and breaks. As ocean swells travel over underwater features like reefs, sandbars, and rocks, the changing depth causes the wave to slow, rise, and shape itself. This underwater landscape determines whether a wave will peel gently, curl tightly into a tube, or crash unpredictably. In essence, the seafloor acts as a blueprint for the wave’s size, speed, and rideability.

Kapono considers ride length, ease of entry, maneuverability, and the thrill of tube riding among the key elements that make a wave ideal. While many variables contribute to what surfers perceive as perfection, he pays particular attention to the seafloor. In his experience, the best waves often occur under light, offshore winds of less than 10 knots, which create smooth, predictable surfaces for carving and control. 

But optimal conditions vary greatly depending on location. A reef break like Pipeline, for instance, tends to perform best with a west-northwest swell of around 11 feet and a 17-second period, paired with light east-southeast winds and minimal sand on the reef to expose the hardened ocean floor.

Yet, those same ideal conditions can also make Pipeline one of the world’s most dangerous waves—a tradeoff many surfers choose to avoid. For some, Kapono notes, smaller and safer setups, like the sand-bottom breaks in Oaxaca, Mexico, are more appealing. Waves at Barra de la Cruz, for example, are shaped by long-period southern swells and light winds from the north. The quality of these waves depends on how offshore sand accumulates and aligns with the direction of a rider’s path down the line.

From an anthropogenic perspective, Kapono points out that crowding is a major factor—some surfers prioritize solitude over textbook conditions. Water quality, often shaped by nearby human activity, also plays a role in how enjoyable a wave feels. And ultimately, what defines a perfect wave is subjective: it depends just as much on the board under your feet as on the shape of the wave itself.

“For me, every type of wave has perfection, it just comes down to finding the right tool needed to find it and then learn what environmental conditions support this discovery the best. Swell height, period, direction, wind and bathymetry will change,” says Kapono, “but finding the right combination to one’s favorite wave is what keeps us surfers searching.”

This story is part of Popular Science’s Ask Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

The post What’s the formula for the ‘perfect wave’? appeared first on Popular Science.

I had a power tool die on me over the weekend. It was old and put in years of good work, but it’s time was up. As sad as it is to see a trusty tool give up the ghost, it’s always fun to go buy a new one. Right now, Lowe’s has its Craftsman Days sale going on, which means tons of Craftsman tools and tool boxes have deep discounts and even buy-on-get-one deals. Some of these deals include a free tool up to $129 in value, so make sure to choose a free “gift” before you check out.

Craftsman

If you’re looking to start your tool collection, refresh your kit, or give someone a fantastic gift, this six-tool combo is a great way to do it. The kit includes the most essential tools for demolishing parts of your house and then rebuilding it better than ever. It offers an impact driver, a drill, an oscillating tool (for smaller precision cuts), a reciprocating saw, a circular saw, and a flashlight. You also get a pair of batteries that work across all the tools. The whole kit comes in a sturdy bag so it’s easy to lug around.

This kit usually costs $300, or $50 per tool, but the sale knocks a full $100 off the price tag. This system is based on 20V Max batteries, so they’re not wimpy department store tools that will break with a single use. The kit also isn’t loaded with fluffy stuff that you don’t need like a jobsite radio or other non-essentials.

Craftsm

If you’re committing to the Craftsman battery system, you’re going to want some extras. This $99 pair of batteries includes a 4Ah cell and a 2Ah cell that works across the company’s entire lineup. It also includes a fast charger. When you buy this package right now, Lowe’s will include a free tool. You can choose from:

• Handheld angle grinder
• Circular saw
• Drip-free caulking gun
• Power tire inflator
• Random orbital sander
• Reciprocating saw
• Oscillating tool
• Cordless car vacuum
• Hedge Trimmer
• Bluetooth shop radio

Craftsm

While these free tool sales typically concentrate on common power tools, Lowe’s has thrown in some battery-powered yard tools as well. This kit comes with a powerful string timmer and leaf blower, as well as a burly 5Ah battery. When you check out, you can choose a free too, including an extra battery, a powerful shop fan, a 2-gallon shop vacuum, a flashlight, or a bluetooth job site radio.

• CRAFTSMAN V20 20-volt, 20-in Push Battery Walk Mower with (2) 5 Ah Battery Included $329 (includes free trimmer or blower)
• CRAFTSMAN V20 20-volt max 10-in Straight Shaft Battery String Trimmer 2 Ah (Battery Included) (Charger Included) $99 (includes free power tool)
• CRAFTSMAN V20 20 -Volt 2 -Pack Lithium-ion ( 4 Ah 6 Ah Battery and Charger) $149 (includes free power tool)
• CRAFTSMAN V20 20 -Volt 2 -Pack Lithium-ion ( 4 Ah 2 Ah Battery and Charger) $99 (includes free power tool)

• CRAFTSMAN V20 20-volt Max 2-Tool Power Tool Combo Kit with Soft Case (2-Batteries and Charger Included) $99 (was $149)
• CRAFTSMAN VERSASTACK 230 -Piece Standard (SAE) and Metric Mechanics Tool Set with Hard Case $99 (was $199)
• CRAFTSMAN V20 20-volt Max 1/2-in Keyless Cordless Drill 1 -Batteries Included $59 (was $79)
• CRAFTSMAN V20 RP 20-volt Max Variable Speed Brushless 1/2-in Drive Cordless Impact Wrench $149 (was $164)
• CRAFTSMAN V20 RP 20-volt Max 7-1/4-in Brushless Cordless Circular saw $129 (was $142)
• CRAFTSMAN OVERDRIVE 64 -Piece Standard (SAE) and Metric Mechanics Tool Set with Hard Case $69 (was $119)

• CRAFTSMAN 2000 Series 52-in W x 37.5-in H 10 -Drawer Steel Rolling Tool Cabinet ( Red) $399 (was $529)
• CRAFTSMAN 2000 Series 52-in W x 37.5-in H 10 -Drawer Steel Rolling Tool Cabinet ( Black) $399 (was $539)
• CRAFTSMAN 63-in L x 37.5-in H 9 -Drawers Rolling Black Butcher block Work Bench $649 (was $999)
• CRAFTSMAN 2000 Series 51.5-in W x 24.7-in H x 16-in D 8 -Drawer Steel Tool Chest ( Black) $299 (was $419)
• CRAFTSMAN 2000 Series 51.5-in W x 24.7-in H x 16-in D 8 -Drawer Steel Tool Chest ( Red and Black) $299 (was $419)
• CRAFTSMAN 2000 Series 26.5-in W x 37.5-in H 5 -Drawer Steel Rolling Tool Cabinet ( Black) $269 (was $329)
• CRAFTSMAN TRADESTACK 22-in W x 33.6-in H x 18-in D Black Plastic Rolling Tool Box $149 (was $209)

The post The Lowe’s Craftsman Days sale includes buy-one-get-one-free power tool deals appeared first on Popular Science.

Losing a leg or two is not always a big deal for spiders. If one of their eight legs gets stuck in a crevice or if molting goes wrong, the arachnids will simply cut off the limb just beyond the body joints. When they are young, the limb will regrow within a month. 

But what if a spider loses two or more limbs? Do they simply relearn how to live and run on six legs instead of eight? New research with Guatemalan tiger rump tarantula (Davus pentaloris) spiderlings indicates that they do not. Instead, they use a mash-up of different walking styles to compensate and can even move as quickly as they did before losing their limbs. The findings are detailed in a study published June 17 in the Journal of Experimental Biology.

In the study, biologists Tonia Hsieh, Brooke Quinn, and Sarah Xi from Temple University in Philadelphia adhered the front right and rear left legs of some spiderlings to a card. They waited for the young tarantulas to detach their limbs. Once the spiderlings detached, the researchers filmed the animals from above, capturing every detail of their footwork as they scampered away.

Next, the team allowed enough time for the tarantulas to regrow their limbs. They filmed the spiders running around with eight intact limbs, before encouraging them to shed their limbs again and filming their movements. They ended up capturing over 43,000 frames and more than 800 strides. For help analyzing and coding all of this footage, Hsieh, Quinn, and Xi teamed up with physicists Suzanne Amador Kane and Kris Wu from Haverford College in Pennsylvania, and mathematician Michael Ochs from The College of New Jersey. 

The united team found that immediately after losing their limbs, the tarantulas appeared to pick up running just as fast as they had before. The spiders also recovered their ability just as quickly after the second amputation. The major observed differences were splaying their legs wider, twisting their bodies slightly more to one side, and increasingly more weaving.

However, when the team took a closer look at the spiders’ footwork, they saw that the arachnids are remarkably adaptable. According to Hsieh, the spiders with a full set of eight legs alternate between having four feet—the first and third on one side and the second and fourth on the other–that are in contact with the ground at one time. In theory, six-legged tarantulas should have two options. They should either alternate between having four legs and two legs in contact with the ground, similar to limping. Or, they could alternate between using three legs touching the ground more similar to an ant.

In practice, the spiders in this study rarely followed these rules. The tarantulas with all eight legs sometimes left one leg lingering on the ground while the other four descended, or they raised the fourth limb early, leaving only three in contact with the ground. 

The spiders that were down two legs also alternated randomly between limping forward on two and running around like an ant on sets of three legs in order to keep moving fast. The tarantulas seemed to favor their hind legs. These limbs are mainly used for propulsion and keep them on the ground longer when down to six limbs.

According to the team, this indicates that tarantulas don’t just relearn how to run after losing limbs. They alternate between limping and running like ants instead, to just keep running around.  

The post Tarantulas adapt their running style after losing legs appeared first on Popular Science.

If you’re still running Windows 10 or using outdated software for work, school, or gaming, now’s the time to modernize. For just $45.97, you can grab lifetime licenses to both Microsoft Office Pro 2019 and Windows 11 Pro, a combined value of $428: no recurring fees, no subscriptions.

Microsoft is officially ending support for Windows 10 in 2025, which means no further security updates or new features will be available. That leaves your system vulnerable and limits what your machine can do. Upgrading to Windows 11 Pro extends your PC’s lifespan, along with next-gen tools to boost productivity and performance.

Windows 11 Pro includes Copilot, an AI assistant built into the OS that can help summarize emails, write content, adjust settings, and automate tasks. It’s always on hand to speed things up, especially helpful for work or multitasking.

It also delivers DirectStorage, AutoHDR, and improved memory management, providing gamers with faster load times, sharper visuals, and smoother gameplay. Features such as BitLocker, Remote Desktop, and Hyper-V are also included, making it ideal for professionals and power users who require more control and security.

This bundle also includes a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Pro 2019, with full offline versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and Access. Unlike Microsoft 365, there’s no subscription—just a one-time download and full access forever.

Whether you’re writing reports, organizing data, creating presentations, or managing emails, Office Pro gives you everything you need to work efficiently across any project.

Instead of juggling outdated apps or paying for multiple subscriptions, this bundle lets you upgrade your entire PC setup in one move. You’ll future-proof your system with Windows 11 Pro, stay secure after Windows 10 ends, and get professional-grade software for both work and play.

The all-in-one PC enhancer—Windows 11 Pro + Microsoft Office Pro for just $45.97

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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The All-in-One Microsoft Office Pro 2019 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle

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The post Breath new life into a PC with this bundle—Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro under $50 appeared first on Popular Science.

Running out of excuses not to write that book? Whether you’ve always wanted to preserve your childhood memories, document your years catering Hollywood parties, or share your knowledge of the best fishing spots in New England, YouBooks gives you a way to do it without writing a single chapter yourself.

This AI-powered platform helps you create nonfiction books up to 300,000 words using a blend of top-tier models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama. You don’t just get words on a page; you get structured, well-researched manuscripts that match your preferred writing style and tone. Just provide a brief description or upload personal notes, and YouBooks takes it from there.

Unlike ghostwriting services that charge thousands and keep the rights, you own everything YouBooks generates. That means you can self-publish to Amazon, hand out printed copies to family, or keep your story saved for future generations.

Your book is delivered in multiple formats—Word (.docx) for easy editing, EPUB for ebook platforms, PDF for sharing or printing, and Markdown for custom formatting. Whether you’re creating a memoir, instructional guide, or niche nonfiction title, YouBooks is built to support your vision.

• Describe your idea: Start with a short prompt or detailed description.
• Set your preferences: Choose tone, style, and upload research or notes.
• Let the AI write: Multi-AI collaboration generates a book up to 300,000 words.
• Download in multiple formats: Choose DOCX, PDF, EPUB, or Markdown.
• Own the results: You keep full commercial rights to sell or share your book however you want.

If you’ve got stories, insights, or advice to share, YouBooks turns your ideas into something shareable—just $49.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Youbooks – AI Nonfiction Book Generator: Lifetime Subscription

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The post From Amazon to memory lane: This AI writes your book so you don’t have to appeared first on Popular Science.

Let’s be real—subscriptions are everywhere. From streaming to software, everything wants a slice of your wallet every month. But not Microsoft Office 2024 Home. This is a one-time purchase with no recurring fees or hidden strings attached. For just $129.97 (normally $149.99), you get lifetime access to the essential Microsoft Office suite.

That means the full, install-it-on-your-computer, offline-friendly versions—not the stripped-down web apps or trial versions. Once you install it on your Mac or PC, it’s yours, and you don’t need to rely on the cloud or wait for slow browser-based apps to load. Even better, there are no “please renew your subscription” messages popping up when you’re just trying to finish your resume.

Microsoft Office 2024 brings a refreshed, modern interface with faster performance and better integration of AI-powered tools. Word now offers improved editing suggestions and a cleaner layout that makes formatting less of a headache. Excel gets smarter, too—with upgraded formula handling, dynamic arrays, and powerful charting tools that help make sense of your data, whether you’re budgeting or building a business model. 

There’s plenty to love about this updated suite, so check it out:

This version is compatible with macOS and Windows and licensed for installation on one device. You’ll get full functionality across the apps without the limitations that often come with cloud-only or “free” office tools.

And let’s not forget—this is the latest version, so it’s fully optimized for today’s hardware and operating systems. Whether you’re on a new MacBook Pro or a reliable Windows desktop, you’re getting smooth performance and long-term usability.

Tired of software that never really feels like yours? It’s time to change your relationship with your productivity apps.

Own this Microsoft Office 2024 Home lifetime license for your Mac or PC forever for $129.97 (normally $149.99), and actually get stuff done—without a monthly bill hanging over your head.

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Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC: One-Time Purchase

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The post Say hello to your favorite Office apps with this lifetime license, minus the annoying monthly fee appeared first on Popular Science.

For nearly two decades, balloons carrying highly sensitive atmospheric instruments have drifted more than 25 miles above one of the world’s most remote regions. The floating array is the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) experiment, a project overseen by an international group of researchers tasked with measuring some of the universe’s oldest and hardest-to-detect cosmic rays. Specifically, the team is hunting for neutrinos—particles with no charge that also possess the smallest known subatomic mass. But according to their recent report, ANITA has repeatedly picked up some truly weird signals that defy explanation.

“The [radio pulses] appear inconsistent with the standard model of particle physics,” the study’s authors wrote for the journal Physical Review Letters.

Neutrino signals are everywhere, and originate from high-energy sources like our sun, supernovae, and the Big Bang. Billions of the particles are passing through a space the size of your thumbnail at any given time—but that doesn’t make them easy to find. That’s because they generally don’t interact with their surroundings, meaning trying to find them is similar to searching for subatomic needles in a cosmic haystack.

“This is [a] double-edged sword problem,” Penn State University associate professor of physics, astronomy, and astrophysics and study co-author Stephanie Wissel said in a statement. “[But] if we detect them, it means they have traveled all this way without interacting with anything else. We could be detecting a neutrino coming from the edge of the observable universe.”

Neutrinos travel at nearly the speed of light, and tracing them back to their sources can offer more data than even some of today’s most powerful space telescopes. Wissel has spent years codesigning experiments to identify neutrinos, and that’s where systems like ANITA come into play. Once deployed, ANITA’s radio antenna balloons are pointed back down to the ice where there is very little chance of signal interference. Wissel and colleagues then wait for radio emissions as neutrinos interact with the Earth’s frozen surface.

The team is particularly focused on tau neutrinos. These are specifically affected by the Antarctic ice and subsequently release secondary subatomic particles called tau leptons during emission events known as air showers. Although invisible to the human eye, Wissel likens the showers to waving a sparkler in one direction as the sparks shoot away from it. Despite their infinitesimal size, physicists distinguish between ice and air shower emissions, identify particle attributes, and even trace them back to their origin site.

But that’s only if they obey the known laws of physics—and a handful of particles aren’t doing that in Antarctica.

“The radio waves that we detected were at really steep angles, like 30 degrees below the surface of the ice,” said Wissel.

Further calculations indicated the anomalies would have needed to pass through and potentially interact with thousands of miles of rock to get to them. This should mean that their signals were undetectable—and yet ANITA still flagged them. Researchers then cross-referenced these readings with other detector projects but didn’t find anything to help explain the data, leading them to classify them as “anomalous.” Although some experts have suggested the signals could relate to the universe’s elusive dark matter, there currently aren’t enough follow-up observations to explain the weirdness. But if nothing else, the team is pretty confident the signals aren’t their intended targets.

“It’s an interesting problem because we still don’t actually have an explanation for what those anomalies are, but what we do know is that they’re most likely not representing neutrinos,” she added.

Wissel’s team is currently designing a new aerial neutrino detector called the Payload for Ultrahigh Energy Observations (PUEO). Larger and more fine-tuned than ANITA, PUEO should be even better at flagging. In the process, it may also help to solve the identity of the physics-defying signals.

“My guess is that some interesting radio propagation effect occurs near ice and also near the horizon that I don’t fully understand… [but] we haven’t been able to find any of those yet either,” said Wissel. “So, right now, it’s one of these long-standing mysteries.”

The post Physicists can’t explain mysterious radio wave emissions in Antarctica appeared first on Popular Science.

We all dream — but why? As with many mysteries of the mind, science doesn’t have one neat answer. 

“You’ll get as many answers to the question ‘What is the purpose of dreaming?’ as there are dream psychologists,” says Deirdre Barrett, dream researcher at Harvard University and author of The Committee of Sleep. 

According to Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud, dreams offered vital clues to unresolved conflicts buried deep within our psyche. But Freud’s theory, introduced in his 1899 book The Interpretation of Dreams, sparked plenty of controversy. Critics argued that his dream interpretations were overly focused on sex, highly subjective, and impossible to verify—two analysts might offer entirely different readings of the same dream, with no objective way to know who was right.

In the decades since Freud, other scientists have offered alternative explanations for why we dream. One of the most prominent is the threat simulation theory, proposed by Finnish neuroscientist and psychologist Antti Revonsuo in 2000. According to this view, dreaming is an ancient biological defense mechanism. By simulating dangerous situations, our brains rehearse the skills needed to recognize and avoid threats—a kind of virtual reality training ground for survival. A 2005 study lent support to this theory by examining the dreams of Kurdish children exposed to war and trauma. Compared to non-traumatized Finnish children, these children reported more frequent dreams filled with severe threats, suggesting that their minds were practicing how to cope with danger.

But even the threat simulation theory is debated. A 2008 study comparing residents of high-crime areas in South Africa to those in low-crime parts of Wales found that South African participants, despite facing more real-world threats, actually reported fewer threatening dreams than their Welsh counterparts. This result challenges the idea that the brain uses dreams to simulate danger when exposed to trauma.

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Another theory suggests that dreams are simply a side effect of memory consolidation—the brain’s way of replaying and reinforcing new memories while we sleep. As the brain’s hippocampus and neocortex work together to file away fresh information, they may also blend it with older memories, creating the often strange mashups we experience as dreams.

Dreams may also help us process and manage emotions, especially negative ones, according to the emotion regulation theory of dreaming. Research focusing on recently divorced individuals experiencing depression found that participants who dreamed about their ex-spouses were more likely to show significant improvement in their mood one year later, particularly if their dreams were vivid and emotionally rich. Another study found that people who dreamed about stressful events they had experienced before sleep woke up feeling more positively about the events the next day, suggesting that dreams can help transform emotional distress into resilience.

Recent brain imaging studies support this idea. People who frequently experience fear-related dreams show reduced activation in fear centers of the brain during waking life, hinting that these dreams may serve as a kind of overnight therapy session, helping us better regulate our emotions when awake.

Ultimately, Barrett suggests that we may be asking the wrong question. “We’d rarely ask the analogous question: ‘What is the purpose of thinking?’” she says. Just as waking thought serves many functions—from planning to problem-solving to daydreaming—dreams likely do too. “The value of dreaming lies in its difference. It’s a distinct mode of thought—one that supplements and enriches our waking cognition.”

In fact, some researchers believe dreams offer a unique mental space for solving problems that stump us during the day. In this altered brain state, regions responsible for imagery become more active, allowing the mind to solve problems requiring visualisation. History is full of famous examples: Mary Shelley reportedly dreamed the central scenes of Frankenstein; German chemist August Kekulé envisioned the ring structure of benzene in a dream; and Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev dreamed his final form of the periodic table of the elements.

In the end, dreams may serve many purposes—or none at all—but they remind us that even in sleep, the brain never truly rests.

This story is part of Popular Science’s Ask Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

The post What’s the purpose of dreaming?  appeared first on Popular Science.

Taking a peek at the UV index to gauge how much sunscreen and protective clothing to wear is par for the course during the summer. But predicting just how bad mosquitoes might be is another story.

For visitors to the National Park unfairly voted the worst to visit due to its many mosquitoes, there is a way to anticipate just how bad these biters may be. The Mosquito Meter or “Skeeter Meter” at Congaree National Park near Columbia, South Carolina has six levels: All Clear, Mild, Moderate, Severe, Ruthless, and War Zone. 

Earlier this month, the park posted a warning to visitors on social media that recent flooding and rain in the state had left behind the ideal spots for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. The warm and humid air following these storms can also speed up the larvae development into adulthood. 

“These conditions have created the perfect storm for any brave visitors in the foreseeable future, a storm that is only combatted by what one of our employees calls ‘Congaree Karate,’” the park rangers wrote. 

With the Skeeter Meter and educating people about safely visiting Congaree, the park has embraced their reputation for mosquitoes instead of fighting it. At least 20 different mosquito species are found in this park, which includes the largest remaining intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the southeastern United States. The waters of the Wateree and Congaree Rivers carry vital nutrients and settlements into this forest, which supports the growth of these large trees. 

[ Related: What would a world without mosquitoes look like? ]

The stagnant water also creates the perfect mosquito nursery–particularly after the rain and flooding seen this month. Roughly 80 percent of the park lies within the Congaree River floodplain and floods about 10 times per year.

To protect wildlife and biodiversity in the park, it will not spray pesticides to control the mosquito population. Even with the Skeeter Meter, the park is clear about your chances of running into mosquitoes, “from mid-spring until mid-fall, you will encounter mosquitoes in the park.” Visitors are welcome to use their own insect repellent, but park rangers request that it be applied in the parking lots so as to not disturb the other wildlife. During a rare two-week synchronous fireflies event during May and June, visitors must only apply DEET-based products in designated areas  to keep it from harming these declining luminescent bugs. 

Even when not traipsing along the trails of a national park, wearing long sleeves, avoiding tall grasses and brush, and using an EPA-approved insect repellent is advised during summer months to prevent bites from both mosquitoes and ticks.

The post This National Park uses a ‘Skeeter Meter’ to inform visitors about mosquitoes appeared first on Popular Science.