Stories by Rachel Feltman

Rachel Feltman is former executive editor of Popular Science and forever host of the podcast The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week. She previously founded the blog Speaking of Science for the Washington Post.

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PlantsJune 7, 2024

Do Plants ‘Think’? We Might Not Know Enough about Consciousness to Be Certain

Zoë Schlanger’s new book The Light Eaters explores the surprising science of plant intelligence.

Rachel Feltman, Alexa Lim

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FoodJune 5, 2024

Snacking on Cicadas Can Be Sustainable and Delicious

Make the best of the “double brood” of cicadas with insect kimchi and tempura-fried bugs.

Rachel Feltman, Anaissa Ruiz Tejada

EnvironmentMay 31, 2024

Could ‘Pee-Cycling’ Help Clean Cape Cod’s Water?

A cost-effective pollution solution on Cape Cod could start in the bathroom.

Rachel Feltman, Barbara Moran, Kathleen Masterson, Madison Goldberg, Jeffery DelViscio

ConservationMay 29, 2024

You Can Protect Wildlife without Leaving Home

You don't have to venture far to make a difference for wildlife.

Rachel Feltman, Meghan Bartels, Madison Goldberg, Jeffery DelViscio

EnvironmentMay 24, 2024

Cape Cod Weighs Big-Ticket Pollution Solutions

Toxic algal blooms are forcing Cape Cod communities to consider expensive sewer and septic system projects.

Rachel Feltman, Barbara Moran, Kathleen Masterson, Madison Goldberg, Jeffery DelViscio

Social SciencesMay 22, 2024

Cooperation Is the Key to Surviving the Apocalypse

Cooperation theorist Athena Aktipis talks about zombies, game theory, go bags and more in her new book, A Field Guide to the Apocalypse.

Rachel Feltman, Anaissa Ruiz Tejada

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Public HealthMay 20, 2024

AI Is Getting Creepier, and Risky Cheese Is Getting Trendier

A rare geomagnetic storm lit up skies, eerie AI demonstrations and a cautionary word about raw milk.

Rachel Feltman, Kelso Harper

EnvironmentMay 17, 2024

Cape Cod Has a Big Septic Tank Problem

Cape Cod’s water is turning “pea-soup green”—and after decades of scientific detective work, we know why.

Rachel Feltman, Barbara Moran, Kathleen Masterson, Madison Goldberg, Jeffery DelViscio

MarijuanaMay 15, 2024

A Citrus-Scented Cannabis Compound Reduces Anxiety for Weed Users

New research into weed reveals how a lemon-scented terpene can ease anxiety without reducing the high.

Rachel Feltman, Allison Parshall, Alexa Lim

Artificial IntelligenceMay 13, 2024

The Internet Is Full of Deepfakes, and the Sky Is Full of Trash

Deepfake images, a delayed spaceflight, the troubles with space junk and a blast from our past.

Rachel Feltman

CultureMay 3, 2024

Introducing Science Quickly’s New Host, Rachel Feltman

Stay tuned for a new era of Science Quickly.

Rachel Feltman

AstronomyApril 10, 2024

Did the Eclipse Give You the Amateur Astronomy Bug? Here’s How to Get Started

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, a professional astronomer, talks about her own adventures in astrophotography—and offers tips and tricks for new amateur astronomers.

Clara Moskowitz, Elah Feder, Rachel Feltman

diagrams illustrating the causes and results of lunar and solar eclipses

AstronomyApril 5, 2024

It’s Not Just You: Three Times Eclipses Left Scientists ‘More or Less Agog’

Total solar eclipses have set the stage for major scientific advancements—everything from the discovery of helium to the testing of Einstein’s general theory of relativity.

Rachel Feltman, Clara Moskowitz, Lee Billings, Madison Goldberg