TechnologyGrabs

The March/April 2017 issue of Popular Science was all about water. We covered the gamut, from how much of this essential liquid goes into the foods you eat, to what happens when you don't get enough of it, and how, in some areas, water is running out. That's why we were drawn to a simple and inexpensive invention called WaterSeer, which aims to pull moisture from the air without using any electricity, to provide clean drinking water to those in need. Unfortunately, it's not likely that WaterSeer could pull 11 to 14 gallons of water out of the air per day, as its makers claim. And there are a few other problems with it as well. It won't work in arid regions WaterSeer is supposed to work by blowing air into an underground chamber. During the daytime, ground temperatures are lower than in the air, and because cool air can hold less water than warm air, the idea is that water vapor will condense on the cool sides of the chamber, clean and ready for drinking...

After SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket exploded while being fueled for a test fire in September, the company said it would be launching again by November. It appears the skeptics were right: It's now November, and SpaceX rockets still aren't flying—though the company is making progress. CEO Elon Musk says the company has identified the cause of the September explosion, and the Falcon 9 could be fixed and flying by mid-December. Yesterday Musk explained to CNBC why it took so long to get to the bottom of the explosion: “It was a really surprising problem. It’s never been encountered before in the history of rocketry.” The problem has to do with some super-cold oxygen reacting with the carbon fiber composites within the fuel tank. The Falcon 9 rocket flies by combusting liquid kerosene with oxygen. Because there's no oxygen in space, the rocket needs to bring its own. To pack in as much fuel as possible, most rockets cool oxygen gas until it's liquefied; Sp...

Cast iron is strange mixture of incredibly durable and unusually delicate—especially for a cooking implement. The metal is physically sturdy, but also highly reactive, which means even a droplet of water sitting in your cast iron pan can leave a rust spot. To protect that nice black surface, you must coat it with a thin layer of hardened oil, a process called seasoning. To get a well-seasoned pan, you oil the inside of the cooking surface and then heat it until the fat polymerizes, repeating the process to build up a protective layer. Polymerized oil is more like a plastic than a fat, which makes it hard and resistant to sticking. By heating the whole pan to a high enough temperature, you permanently bond the oil to the raw iron. In this form, it protects the metal from air and food. Modern pans, unlike the vintage stuff, almost always come pre-seasoned. That’s a huge convenience, but it also means most people don’t have to learn how to season their cast iron up front. S...

I love podcasts, you love podcasts, your grandma probably loves podcasts. Looking for some science fiction you can enjoy while your eyeballs do stuff that isn't reading? Great. Read on. If you're looking for some science fact podcasts instead, we've got you covered. Limetown Remember that time when everything on the radio wanted to be "Serial"? Limetown got it right. Follow a reporter as she revisits the mysterious disappearance of every inhabitant in Limetown, an idyllic little community built around a mysterious scientific research facility. The mind-melting sci-fi in Limetown comes in on such a slow burn that a lot of people don't realize they're listening to a fictional story until a few episodes in, which makes it feel a lot more compelling than a story that's schlocky right out the gate. Don't worry: You'll be biting your nails and making tinfoil hats by the time you get to the final episode. The Message The first offering ...

Order something from Amazon, and if the right conditions align—you own a recent Chevy or Volvo, for example—a delivery person could find your car, remotely unlock it, and plop your package inside. The new service is part of a system called Amazon Key, which already allowed customers with a smart lock and security camera to receive deliveries inside their homes. Now, the same idea extends to your home on wheels. It’s easy to see why the straight-to-trunk service would appeal to both Amazon and its customers. Would-be package thieves can’t easily nab a box out of your car, and the system can deepen a consumer’s relationship with Amazon. An office worker who orders something could have the item placed directly in their vehicle in the lot outside, and have it skip the trip through the mailroom to their cubicle, for example. Someone on a road trip could receive their bulk beef jerky order straight to their car parked in front of the hotel. But it also highlights how important it is ...