Your immune system has one job: to protect you. And most of the time, it does that job like a pro. 

But occasionally it gets a bit overzealous, even paranoid. It mistakes harmless, even wonderful things—flowers, peanuts, cats—for threats, and attacks them (and you—mostly you) with a senseless, chaotic vengeance.

For most allergy sufferers, this might mean giving up a few tasty foods, staying inside during high pollen counts, or rehoming the cat—or, more realistically, the person allergic to the cat. But for a tiny number of people, the immune system decides to take aim at one of the most essential substances on earth: water.

Yes, it is possible to be allergic to water. And the condition is even stranger than it sounds.

“Imagine not being able to go into the pool, or the lake, or the ocean,” says dermatologist Dr. Amir Bajoghli, who has treated a patient with this rare condition. “My patient also has to take much faster showers, as you might imagine. It definitely interferes with quality of life.”

Yes, you can be allergic to water

The medical term for an allergy to water is aquagenic urticaria, a form of hives. The condition is so rare that only an estimated 100 to 150 cases have ever been reported. However, researchers believe many more cases go undiagnosed: When a patient comes in complaining of hives, “it could be water” is probably not the first thing that leaps to mind.

“Honestly, a lot of general physicians aren’t even aware of it,” says Bajohgli, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine. “It’s rare, and it’s not on their radar.”

Although scientists don’t fully understand exactly how aquagenic urticaria works, they believe water itself isn’t the culprit. Rather, it appears that certain people’s skin responds differently to water contact, setting off a reaction in the skin’s outermost layer. This triggers the body’s mast cells (immune cells that sound the alarm during allergic reactions), which releases histamine, the troublemaking chemical responsible for allergic responses. 

Within minutes of water touching the skin, a person with aquagenic urticaria will develop raised, intensely itchy welts. The reaction typically lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, and the longer the exposure, the more severe the symptoms.

You can still drink water, but sweating can be a problem

Interestingly, and luckily, aquagenic urticaria does not interfere with the body’s need for life-sustaining hydration. In other words, drinking water is fine. When water is swallowed and processed by the gut rather than absorbed through the skin, it doesn’t trigger the same immune response, Bajoghli says.

“The gut, just like the skin and the lungs, is one of the first forms of defense,” he says, “but in this case, somehow, it’s not eliciting the response in the gut the way it does in the skin.”

Bajoghli notes that some patients with aquagenic urticaria do react to their own sweat, although his patient does not. Sweat, he explains, involves an entirely different biological process than external water making contact with the skin.

Scientists believe an unidentified substance in the skin may be triggering this reaction, although much remains unknown. 

“It’s still, medically, for us, a mystery,” he says.

How to test if you’re allergic to water

For better or worse (mostly better), water is inescapable. Because of its ubiquity, and also because aquagenic urticaria is something of a medical unicorn, it often takes a while for patients or doctors to connect the dots. 

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Once it occurs to the patient and provider that water could be the culprit, diagnostic testing is fairly straightforward. It typically involves applying water-soaked compresses to the skin and waiting. In most positive cases, symptoms appear within five minutes, although the test can take up to 30.

“We wait 30 minutes before we call it negative,” Bajoghli says.

The importance of very quick showers

So, what is life like for a person whose body treats H₂O as a sworn enemy? For Bajoghli’s patient, an active teenager involved in sports, the condition reshapes even the most basic daily routines. Among other things, this means really fast showers. 

“When he showers for about two minutes, the symptoms are more subdued and milder in nature,” Bajoghli says. “If he takes a longer shower, they’re more severe and they persist longer.”

The good news is that aquagenic urticaria is unlikely to cause a major allergic reaction. It is, however, chronic; patients should not expect it to resolve on its own.

Treatment options do exist, however. Bajoghli’s patient takes an antihistamine called cyproheptadine, which reduces symptoms enough to make that two-minute shower manageable. Timing is important: taking the antihistamine about an hour before water exposure helps maximize its effectiveness.

For patients who need more relief, Bajoghli says a newer drug called omalizumab has shown promise.

For now, the mechanisms behind aquagenic urticaria, including the identity of the substance—or antigen—that triggers it, remain poorly understood, and that knowledge gap makes it difficult to develop more targeted treatments.

“We’re really looking forward to finding out what that antigen is,” Bajoghli says, “and hopefully one day solving this.”

In Ask Us Anything, Popular Science answers your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the everyday things you’ve always wondered to the bizarre things you never thought to ask. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

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The babies are growing up. Since hatching in early April, Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets have sprouted new feathers, developed keen vision, and now, they’re practicing some vital grownup skills. Sandy and Luna can be seen engaged in lively wing-flapping sessions. While it might look a little awkward, the movement helps the chicks develop their pectoral muscles, an essential step in learning to fly.

“It [also] helps them learn the ‘wingspan’ of their own bodies so they don’t hit the nest walls or their siblings,” Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBVV), the non-profit group that maintains the eagles’ livestream, explains. But don’t expect them to fly away anytime soon. The chicks are only about six weeks old and fledging won’t happen until 10-14 weeks of age. Last year, Sunny and Gizmo each fledged around 13 weeks.

Viewers might also notice the pair stomping around their nest. Again, the eaglets aren’t exactly graceful, but this behavior is important. Bald eagles are raptors, or birds of prey, so learning how to hunt is essential to long-term survival. “This is an instinctual behavior to ‘pin’ prey down,” FOBBV explains. “Because they are top-heavy at this age, stomping helps them find their center of gravity as their legs grow longer and stronger.” Although, yes, they do occasionally stomp on each other’s toes.

You can tune into the 24/7 livestream of Jackie, Shadow, Sandy, and Luna on YouTube.

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Jackie and Shadow’s 2026 babies: Everything you need to know

It’s been another roller coaster nesting season for Jackie and Shadow, a pair of internet-famous bald eagle parents living in San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California. After two of their eggs were destroyed by ravens in January, Jackie and Shadow laid two new eggs that have successfully hatched.

Chick 1 hatched on April 4 at 9:33 p.m. PDT, while Chick 2 followed on April 5 at 8:30 a.m. Their large nest in Big Bear Valley east of Los Angeles is livestreamed 24 hours a day by nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) and has captivated millions. 

On May 1, FOBBV announced the chicks’ names: Sandy and Luna.

How long will the chicks stay in the nest? 

Chicks usually stay in the nest until 10 to 14 weeks of age.

What challenges do the eaglets face?

Before leaving the nest, the chicks face threats from other birds of prey, including hawks, ravens, other eagles, and owls. Inclement weather can also present challenges for the chicks. In 2025, a March snowstorm resulted in the death of one of Jackie and Shadow’s three chicks.

During fledging, only 70 percent of eaglets survive. One of the greatest threats is from cars that can injure or kill the birds while they scavenge for food on roadkill. 

Who are Jackie and Shadow? 

The pair first got together in 2018 and successfully raised chicks in 2019 and 2022. However, their eggs failed to hatch in 2023 and 2024. Only 50 percent of eagle eggs successfully hatch, so this pair has already beaten the odds.

What happened to Jackie and Shadow’s 2025 eaglets?

In 2025, Jackie laid three eggs that all hatched in early March. On March 13, a strong snowstorm dumped up to two feet of snow and battered the nest with strong winds. Only two of the chicks were visible on the live cam when the storm passed by the next morning. FOBBV later confirmed the passing of one of the chicks. The two surviving chicks were later named Sunny and Gizmo after 54,000 names were submitted by fans.

What happens after chicks fledge? 

Young eagles usually fledge–or leave the nest and fly–when they can flatten their wings and have feathers capable of flight. This typically occurs when the birds hit 10 to 14 weeks of age. Males also tend to take their first flight a little sooner than females. 

According to FOBBV, fledglings from Southern California have been spotted as far south as Baja California, as far north as British Columbia, and as far east as Yellowstone National Park.

About 70 percent of bald eagles survive the fledgling stage. FOBBV does not tag their eagles, so it’s not possible to follow the chicks’ journeys after they flee the nest.

Can I help Jackie and Shadow?

Yes. Environmental groups are currently fundraising $10 million to protect Jackie and Shadow’s foraging area from development. Learn more at SaveMoonCamp.org.

The post Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets practice stomping and flapping appeared first on Popular Science.

Your Google account likely stores a lot of important information, from your home address in Google Maps and your work emails in Gmail, to family pictures in Google Photos and personal conversations in Google Chat. You don’t want anyone else gaining access to that data—and nor does Google.

To minimize the chances of anyone else accessing your account, Google has created a Security Checkup tool that you can use in any web browser. It takes you quickly and simply through a security audit, warning you about potential issues without overloading you with settings and menu screens.

If you’re logged into Google in your web browser, you can get to the Security Checkup tool from this page. Alternatively, you can find it from your Google account page, by clicking Security and sign-in (the Checkup should appear at the top).

Devices and sign-ins

The Security Checkup will alert you to pressing problems that have been identified, but you can work through each section in turn, whether or not there are related issues. To start, you can see the devices that you’re currently signed into Google on under Your devices. It will also list their location, operating system, and when you last used them.

If there’s anything you don’t recognize here, or there’s a device you no longer have, you can disconnect it from your account remotely. It’s best to err on the side of caution here—if you accidentally disconnect a device that is actually genuine and that you are still using, the worst that’s going to happen is you’ll need to sign in again on that device.

Then we’ve got the Sign-in and recovery section. This contains crucial information about how your account is accessed, so make sure everything here is in order, and up to date. For example, you might be asked to confirm your backup email address and phone number, which will be crucial (and trusted) communication channels for Google to use should you somehow get signed out of your account.

Many devices now use passkeys, where you use something like a PIN code or a fingerprint scan to access your accounts. You can also see a list of passkeys you’ve set up here—and again, as with the list of devices, passkeys can be revoked if you see something that might be a problem (such as an authorization you don’t recognize).

Then you have the Your saved passwords section. If you’re using Android and Google Chrome to save login credentials to your Google account, then the stored passwords will appear here. Google will warn you if any passwords have been repeated or aren’t strong enough (usually because they’re not long or complex enough).

Browsing and activity

The Safe Browsing section of the Security Checkup is specifically for users of the Chrome browser, and gives you extra, proactive protection against dangerous websites and extensions. However, it also requires a greater level of data sharing with Google (so it can check your activity), and can feel restrictive for those who feel confident recognizing threats themselves—so the choice is yours.

Open Recent security activity, and you see a detailed list of all security-related activity on your Google account across the last 28 days. This will include activity such as devices you’ve signed in on, or deleted data you’ve recovered (something a hacker could potentially attempt to do). If anything here looks suspicious, you can alert Google.

Under Your third-party connections, you can see apps, sites, and services that have some kind of connection to Google. Maybe you use your Google credentials to log into them, for example, or they’re utilities that you use to manage your Google Photos account. Google-made smart home devices may also appear here.

The rules are the same as they are with connected devices: If you see anything that shouldn’t be there, you can break the link. The app or site in question will no longer have access to your Google account and its data. If you need to use it again, you’ll need to reapprove the connection. It’s a good idea to regularly review this list, to make sure older services that you no longer regularly use have been removed.

The final part of the Google Security Checkup is Gmail Settings, and from here you can view and make changes to email accounts you’ve blocked, and email accounts you’ve connected to. If you see anything that’s not right, you’re able to make changes. And with that done, your security checkup is complete—and your Google account should be significantly more secure than it was before.

The post If you use Google accounts, it’s time to do a free security checkup appeared first on Popular Science.

Social media is widely considered to be bad for one’s mental health, at least anecdotally. However, it can have some positive impacts, such as videos of animals chewing food very loudly. What could possibly be better than a closeup of an animal’s snout as it crunches on a carrot? 

This week, zoos around the United States have been using social media to highlight one particularly cute muncher—tree kangaroos. Ahead of World Tree Kangaroo Day on May 21, conservation organization AZA SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction): Tree Kangaroo of Papua New Guinea is inviting organizations working with tree kangaroos to compete in this year’s International Tree Kangaroo Crunch-a-Thon. 

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In the aptly-named competition, participants posted videos on Instagram and/or Facebook of their tree kangaroo eating something. The competition categories are Most Likes, Most Views, and Judges’ Choice, and winners will be announced on May 17, Australian Eastern Standard Time. 

The organizers even provide crunchy food recommendations: bell peppers, celery, romaine hearts, snap peas, green beans, cucumbers, and zucchini—with the caveat that the last two vegetables might not have the best crunch. 

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“In partnership with the AZA Tree Kangaroo SAFE program, we’re participating in the Tree Roo Crunch-a-Thon to help shine a spotlight on this endangered species,” reads a social media post by Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village featuring three munching, pink-nosed brown and white tree kangaroo. “Our Zoo is home to three Matschie’s tree kangaroos – a species of tree kangaroo native to the cloud forests of Papua New Guinea.”

Tree kangaroos are 14 species in the Dendrolagus genus, the sole arboreal kangaroo group. They are herbivorous marsupials with bushy tails, and usually have long arms and padded back feet. Tree kangaroos live in parts of Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea’s rainforests. The Golden-mantled tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus) is among the world’s most endangered mammals and only lives in a small area of Papua New Guinea. 

In the words of the Crunch-a-Thon organizers, “let the crunching begin!” 

The post Watch adorable animals compete for best chewer in 2026 Crunch-a-Thon appeared first on Popular Science.

Rare earth minerals are crucial for defense tech, and now the U.S. can stockpile its own supply.

Bamboo may feel like an easy landscaping win because it’s a fast-growing privacy screen that can turn a plain yard into a lush retreat. But then a few shoots start popping up in random places all over your yard. Before long, they’re pushing through flower beds, lawns, and even neighboring yards. What looked like a landscaping dream can quickly become a problem.

Stories of runaway bamboo have gone viral online, with some homeowners spending thousands trying to remove it. So, is all bamboo invasive? Not exactly. Some species grow in slow, manageable clumps, while others spread aggressively underground through fast-growing stems. The key is to identify what kind of bamboo you’re dealing with and act before it takes over.

How to Identify the Type of Bamboo Growing in Your Yard

Not all bamboo behaves the same way. There are two main categories: running and clumping. Both are members of the grass family Poaceae, but unlike the soft turf grasses in your lawn, bamboo grows thick, woody stalks called culms. Species range from small, groundcover-like plants to towering varieties that reach nearly 100 feet in height.

Running bamboo

There are many species of running bamboo, but they all behave in a similar way: they spread aggressively underground through fast-moving rhizomes. The species that causes the most trouble for homeowners in the U.S., especially across the Southeast, is Phyllostachys aurea, better known as golden bamboo. It’s considered one of the most invasive bamboo species in North America.

Running bamboo rhizomes can travel surprisingly far from the original plant before sprouting new shoots. Those rhizomes store energy for the plant, which is why simply cutting down visible stalks rarely solves the problem. Left unmanaged, running bamboo can rapidly colonize your entire yard and neighborhood.

Clumping bamboo

There are also several species of clumping bamboo, though they tend to behave much differently from running varieties. One popular example is Fargesia robusta, which is often grown for its cold hardiness and more manageable growth habit. No matter the species, clumping bamboo generally grows slowly outward in tight clusters rather than spreading long distances underground.

That makes clumping bamboo easier to control and far less likely to become a neighborhood-wide problem. While it still spreads through rhizomes, the underground stems remain compact and close to the parent plant rather than racing across a yard.

Get Expert Advice

If you can not tell by visual cues alone, no worries. Take photos of shoots, leaves, and stalks, and contact your local county extension offices to help identify the species. Extension experts can often confirm the type. Although you can try using plant ID apps, keep in mind they aren’t always accurate; they can still be useful starting points.

Why Bamboo is so Difficult to Remove 

What makes bamboo so frustrating to eliminate is its massive underground network of rhizomes, which fuels its growth. These root-like stems spread beneath the soil in multiple directions, storing energy and sending up new shoots far away from the original plant. In running bamboo species, that underground web can quietly expand for months before homeowners realize how far it has traveled.

What about just mowing it regularly or cutting it down? That may temporarily weaken the plant, but it can also trigger fresh shoots as the rhizomes tap into their stored energy reserves. That solution only works on the surface. Even small fragments left behind in the soil can regrow into entirely new plants.

In warmer regions like the Southeast United States, invasive bamboo has become such a persistent issue that some municipalities now regulate where it can be planted. Fully removing established bamboo often requires repeated digging, cutting, or chemical treatment over months or even years.

How to Remove Bamboo

If bamboo has started spreading through your yard, the good news is that you probably do not need heavy machinery immediately. The bad news is that waiting too long can turn a manageable project into a years-long battle. The right removal method depends on how large the infestation is, how long it has been growing, and how much labor you are willing to take on.

Method 1: Manual removal

This method works best for small or early infestations. The goal is to dig out as much of the underground rhizome network as possible by cutting down visible stalks and removing the thick stems beneath the soil. 

The biggest advantage is that it does not require herbicides and can permanently eliminate smaller patches if done thoroughly. The downside is that it is extremely labor-intensive, and even small rhizome fragments left behind can resprout later. Because of that, manual removal requires ongoing monitoring. Homeowners need to check the area for months and quickly remove any new shoots before the bamboo has a chance to recover and spread again.

Method 2: Cutting and starving the plant

This method is best for long-term control and ongoing maintenance rather than quick removal. It works by repeatedly cutting down new shoots before they can grow leaves. Without leaves, the bamboo cannot photosynthesize efficiently, which slowly drains the energy stored in the underground rhizomes. The advantage is that it avoids herbicides and can weaken even large patches over time. The downside is that progress is slow and often requires multiple growing seasons. If you miss even a few cutting cycles, the bamboo can recover and continue spreading.

Method 3: Herbicide treatment

This method is best for large, established patches that have spread beyond easy digging. Glyphosate-based herbicides are commonly used because the plant can carry the chemical from actively growing leaves down into the underground rhizome system. The advantage is that herbicides can help weaken dense infestations that would be difficult to remove by hand alone. The downside is that complete removal usually requires repeated applications rather than a single treatment.

Chemical control also comes with tradeoffs. It is important to follow local regulations, avoid spraying near waterways, and consider the potential ecological impact before using herbicides as part of a removal strategy.  

Method 4: Professional removal

This method is best for severe infestations, especially when established bamboo has spread beneath fences, patios, driveways, or neighboring properties. Professionals may use excavation equipment to remove large underground rhizome networks and install root barriers to help prevent the bamboo from returning. The biggest advantage is that it can fully address infestations that are too extensive for most homeowners to manage on their own. The downside is cost, as professional removal can quickly become expensive, particularly when excavation or property repairs are involved.

The post How to remove bamboo from your yard appeared first on Popular Science.

One scientist has proposed an experiment that would truly open the door to this wild possibility.

A breakthrough study found that a hallucinogenic compound best known for altering the mind has surprising rejuvenating effects across the body.