Popular Mechanics US
The DIYer's Guide to Ladders
WHILE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN HUMAN beings made a conscious effort to leave the ground, one possible clue about that timeline comes from cave paintings discovered in Spain in the 20th century.
9 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
A BLUEPRINT OF THE HUMAN BODY
MAKE A LIST OF ANIMALS as distantly related to humans as possible, and sea anemones would likely be near the top.
2 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
A STONE VIKING FACE
Graduate student Katie Joss from the University of the Highlands and Islands Archaeology Institute dug up a piece of limestone from a former Viking settlement and found a face carved into the stone.
1 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
A Cell-Sized Elephant
EVER SINCE THE POPULARITY OF 3D printing skyrocketed in the midaughts, people have been manufacturing everything from chocolate to rocket fuel-and that list now includes a microscopic elephant inside of a living cell. Technology has really leveled up since 2005.
1 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
Minivans
MINIVANS ARE MAKING A COMEBACK, and that's kind of surprising, as they're some of the most polarizing vehicles on the road and have always been built with a function-over-form ethos.
1 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
THE SAND THIEVES
Sand is the hidden architecture of our modern world—but it's running out. Global mafias are stealing this precious resource from right beneath our feet, and they're willing to kill for it.
10+ min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
Our Shifting Poles
EVER SINCE WE STARTED constructing them, man-made dams have come with unintended consequences.
2 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
5 WAYS TO KEEP YOUR GENERATOR IN WORKING ORDER
IF YOU HAVE A GAS GENERAtor, use ethanol-free gas treated with fuel stabilizer, and maintain a full tank when not in use; keep a gas can full of stabilized fuel on hand during peak disaster season.
1 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
A WEIRD (AND FREE!) SOUND SYSTEM HACK
THERE ARE SO MANY VARIABLES TO how a room's dimensions, a building's construction, the placement of furniture, and the materials of that furniture affect the sound of speakers and subwoofers that there's no way to offer a one-size-fits-all, \"put it here\" maxim for the absolute best subwoofer sound quality.
1 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
HOW TO UNCLOG A SINK
IF YOUR SINK IS CLOGGED AND PLUNGING fails to clear the blockage, look to your P-trap (or simply, “trap”) before calling a plumber.
1 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
The Hot Blob Headed for New York City
GERMAN METEOROLOGIST ALFRED Wegener proposed the theory of continental drift more than a century ago, in 1912.
2 min |
January / February 2026
Popular Mechanics US
3 WAYS TO FIND A STUD WITHOUT A STUD FINDER
There is a noticeably hollow sound when you knock on the space between the studs versus when you knock on drywall that has a stud behind it.
1 min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
THE YEAR IN BIG SHOES: FIDJI SIMO TAKES THE REINS
SAM ALTMAN HAS LONG BEEN THE FACE OF OPENAI. SO WHO'S THE NEW CEO HE PUT IN CHARGE OF ALL HIS PRODUCTS?
10+ min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
Bang for Your Buck
It's possible to scale horological heights without breaking the bank. Meet WIRED's top 10 bargains.
3 min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
DECISION TIME
Do you go all in on one pricey, luxe watch or assemble a swarm of budget timepieces? Let's crunch the numbers.
7 min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
The Worst Thing About AI Is That People CAN'T SHUT UP ABOUT IT
A plea from WIRED's top boss: Say less.
3 min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
Parents Fell in Love With Alpha School's Promise. Then They Wanted Out
The Al-powered school was supposed to revolutionize education. But not every student thrives without teachers.
10+ min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
THE YEAR IN BIG DATA: ALEX KARP GOES TO WAR
PALANTIR'S CEO IS GOOD WITH ICE AND SAYS HE DEFENDS HUMAN RIGHTS. BUT WILL ISRAEL AND TRUMP EVER GO TOO FAR FOR HIM?
10+ min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
COMFORT OBJECT
Ruby survives on affection, not utility.
4 min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
SLEEP DREAMS
Margaret Thatcher, who was known for sleeping only four hours a night, is often credited with saying \"sleep is for wimps!\" But sleep is actually work. Putting down the phone, setting aside personal or political worries-these require discipline. True relaxation calls for training.
4 min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
SPIT ON, SWORN AT, AND UNDETERRED: WHAT IT'S LIKE TO OWN A CYBERTRUCK
WIRED spoke to seven Tesla Cybertruck owners about their most controversial purchase and why they're proud to drive it.
3 min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
THE YEAR IN BIG DREAMS: ZOHRAN MAMDANI MAKES HIS MOVE
POLITICIANS HAVE BEEN NOTABLY BAD AT SOCIAL MEDIA. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE GOOD AT IT AS A CANDIDATE-AND THEN, PERHAPS, AS A LEADER?
10+ min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
THE MANY SIDES OF Ed Zitron
He's one of the loudest voices of the Al haters-even as he does PR for Al companies. Either way, the multi-platform British tech writer has your attention.
10+ min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
The Cure
A year ago, 250 million people were using ChatGPT every week. By February, that number rose to 400 million. Now it's 800 million. Of those, untold legions are confessing their innermost secrets to Al. This is the story of two humans-and their bots-on the very edge of therapy's new frontier.
10+ min |
January / February 2026
WIRED
THE YEAR IN BIG BREAKS: EJAE TOPS THE CHARTS
KIDS EVERYWHERE KNOW HER VOICE—IF NOT HER NAME. HOW DID A FORMER K-POP TRAINEE WORK HER WAY INTO GLOBAL SUPERSTARDOM?
10 min |
January / February 2026
Scientific American
Phages Caught Sleeping
Bacteria use hibernating viruses to immunize themselves
2 min |
December 2025
Scientific American
Discerning Dogs
Some dogs can sort toys by function like human children do
2 min |
December 2025
Scientific American
Gas Busters
An experimental protein grabs carbon monoxide before it latches on to blood cells
2 min |
December 2025
Scientific American
Small Acts of Joy Bring Big Gains
A community science project finds that modest reminders to find joy in the day can have benefits on a par with those of more ambitious well-being interventions
5 min |
December 2025
Scientific American
A Little Heartbeat Irregularity Can Be Good
Milliseconds of variability, now detected by fitness watches, can improve well-being
4 min |