Scientists at Northwestern University may have figured out why walking on carpet in your socks, petting your furry friend, or rubbing a balloon on your hair creates static electricity. In a new study, ...

In this quick science demo, I show you how I make a pencil spin without touching it using a balloon and static electricity. I balance a colored pencil on a bottle cap, charge a balloon by rubbing it ...

Static electricity can be a small annoyance for humans—a zap when you touch a doorknob, your hair shooting up when you pull off a sweater—but for small organisms, it can be a lifesaver. Static helps ...

Add Popular Science (opens in a new tab) More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results.

In this quick science activity, I show how to make a bubble that seems to move like magic using static electricity. I mix water with dish soap, spread it on the table, then blow a bubble onto the ...

When you change your wardrobe for autumn and winter, many people suffer from discomfort such as itchy sweaters or itchiness ...

Static electricity shocks are more common in the winter because of the season's dry air. Friction between materials, like socks on carpet, builds up a static charge in low humidity. Using a humidifier ...

Mites who hitchhike on the beaks of hummingbirds use a surprising method to help them on their journey: electricity. These hummingbird flower mites feed on nectar and live within specific flowers for ...

At first glance, it’s a wonder that jumping parasitic nematodes exist at all. To reproduce, these minuscule creatures—roughly the size of a pinpoint—hurl themselves up to 25 times their body length to ...