Genetic Sequencing Human DNA from 5,700-Year-Old Chewing Gum

From a one inch wad of birch pitch, chewed and spat out by a hunter-gatherer referred to as Lola around the year 3,700 BC, scientists were able to piece together an entire genetic snapshot—which goes so far as to include the meal she ate that day. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications and represent the first time researchers “have been able to …

A Nuclear Reactor For The Future

As current nuclear plants grow outdated, researchers, founders, and developers eye the energy source’s inevitable evolution. Most notably, the next generation of nuclear reactors will be smaller—almost 1/100th the size of current models. One specific advancement, named the NuScale reactor, could be grouped in clusters and sealed within some sort of protective container to prevent the spread of nuclear waste should an accident occur. Perhaps …

Important Innovations From 2019

Parsing through the year’s most pertinent innovations proves especially difficult in 2019 as advancements were aplenty. From toothpaste that uses a new type of fluoride for the reversal of early onset tooth decay to a gaming platform that exists entirely in the cloud, the innovations on Popular Science’s list—which they’ve carefully formed through research and testing—permeate everyday life and signal the promise of a brighter …