The American popular science publication Popular Science (PopSci) will no longer be available as a magazine. This was reported by Recurrent Ventures, which owns PopSci, according to The Verge.
According to Katie Herbert, Communications Director at Recurrent Ventures, the publication should "evolve" beyond the magazine product.
“PopSci is a phenomenal brand, and as consumer trends shift it’s important we prioritize investment in new formats,” Herbert tells The Verge. “We believe that the content strategy has to evolve beyond the digital magazine product. A combination of its news team, along with commerce, video, and other initiatives, will produce content that naturally aligns with PopSci’s mission.”
Former PopSci editor Purbita Saha commented on the decision on her LinkedIn page. According to her, she is disappointed, angry, and shocked that a magazine that has adapted to change was shut down in a five-minute Zoom call.
Popular Science has been published since May 1872. For 151 years, the magazine has won numerous prizes and awards. In 2018, it switched to a quarterly format, and after 2020, it completely abandoned the print version.
PopSci will now continue to offer articles on its website, as well as a PopSci Plus subscription that offers access to exclusive content and archives from the journal.