T/science

How to Know When a Good Dog Has Gone Bad

Gov. Kristi Noem suggested that President Biden should have euthanized the family dog, as she did. Animal experts said that such an option should be a last resort.

Our Reporter on the Cicada Lifecycle

Two periodical cicada broods are appearing in a 16-state area in the Midwest and Southeast for the first time in centuries.

Was the Stone Age Actually the Wood Age?

Neanderthals were even better craftsmen than thought, a new analysis of 300,000-year-old wooden tools has revealed.

U.S. Seeks to Build World Pressure on Russia Over Space Nuclear Weapon

An American official said the United States had information undermining Russia’s claim that a device it is developing is for peaceful scientific research.

‘We Will Save Our Beef’: Florida Bans Lab-Grown Meat

Other states have also considered restrictions, citing concerns about farmers’ livelihoods and food safety, though the product isn’t expected to be widely available for years.

What Happens When NASA Loses Eyes on Earth? We’re About to Find Out.

Three long-running satellites will soon be switched off, forcing scientists to figure out how to adjust their views of our changing planet.

Maps of Two Cicada Broods, Reunited After 221 Years

Brood XIII and Brood XIX are making their first dual appearance since 1803.

China Launches Spacecraft to the Far Side of the Moon

If successful, the Chang’e-6 mission will be the first in history to return a sample from a part of the moon that we never get to see from Earth.

Larry Young, Who Studied the Chemistry of Love, Dies at 56

Professor Young’s experiments with prairie voles revealed what poets never could: how the brain processes that fluttering feeling in the heart.

Watch the Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower Reach Its Peak

The event will be active when the moon is just a sliver in the sky, but it is less easy to see in the Northern Hemisphere than other meteor showers.

Orangutan, Heal Thyself

For the first time, scientists observed a primate in the wild treating a wound with a plant that has medicinal properties.

Republicans Step Up Attacks on Scientist at Heart of Lab Leak Theory

A heated hearing produced no new evidence that Peter Daszak or his nonprofit, EcoHealth Alliance, were implicated in the Covid outbreak.

Mountain Goats Are Not Avalanche-Proof

The scene ends badly, as you might imagine.

What Makes a Society More Resilient? Frequent Hardship.

Comparing 30,000 years of human history, researchers found that surviving famine, war or climate change helps groups recover more quickly from future shocks.

Swimming Beneath Sand, It’s ‘the Hardest of All Animals to Find’

Indigenous rangers in Australia’s Western Desert got a rare close-up with the northern marsupial mole, which is tiny, light-colored and blind, and almost never comes to the surface.

Killer Asteroid Hunters Spot 27,500 Overlooked Space Rocks

With the help of Google Cloud, scientists churned through hundreds of thousands of images of the night sky to reveal that the solar system is filled with unseen objects.

Edward Dwight Aims for Space at Last

Six decades ago, Mr. Dwight’s shot at becoming the first Black astronaut in space was thwarted by racism and politics. Now, at 90, he’s finally going up.

From Baby Talk to Baby A.I.

Could a better understanding of how infants acquire language help us build smarter A.I. models?

Honeybees Invaded My House, and No One Would Help

Responding to fears of a “honeybee collapse,” 30 states have passed laws to protect the pollinators. But when they invaded my house, I learned that the honeybees didn’t need saving.

Even as He Faces Prison Time, Binance’s Founder Plans a Comeback

Since pleading guilty to violating money-laundering rules, Changpeng Zhao, who ran the giant crypto exchange Binance, has networked across the United States to set up his next act.

They Shoot Owls in California, Don’t They?

An audacious federal plan to protect the spotted owl would eradicate hundreds of thousands of barred owls in the coming years.

Ancient Female Ballplayer Makes Public Debut

The statue will be part of “Ancient Huasteca Women: Goddesses, Warriors and Governors” at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago.

Beth Linker Is Turning Good Posture on Its Head

A historian and sociologist of science re-examines the “posture panic” of the last century. You’ll want to sit down for this.

A Megaraptor Emerges From Footprint Fossils

A series of foot tracks in southeastern China points to the discovery of a giant velociraptor relative, paleontologists suggest in a new study.

Un poquito de tierra es bueno para tu salud

Coge un puñado de tierra o haz senderismo en un camino enlodado: puede beneficiarte en mucho, desde tu ánimo hasta tu microbioma.

Cicadas Are Emerging Now. How Do They Know When to Come Out?

Scientists are making computer models to better understand how the mysterious insects emerge collectively after more than a decade underground.

In Coral Fossils, Searching for the First Glow of Bioluminescence

A new study resets the timing for the emergence of bioluminescence back to millions of years earlier than previously thought.

Yellowstone’s Wolves: A Debate Over Their Role in the Park’s Ecosystem

New research questions the long-held theory that reintroduction of such a predator caused a trophic cascade, spawning renewal of vegetation and spurring biodiversity.

Daniel C. Dennett, Widely Read and Fiercely Debated Philosopher, 82, Dies

Espousing his ideas in best sellers, he insisted that religion was an illusion, free will was a fantasy and evolution could only be explained by natural selection.

Like Moths to a Flame? We May Need a New Phrase.

Over time researchers have found fewer of the insects turning up in light traps, suggesting they may be less attracted to some kinds of light than they once were.

Watch the Lyrid Meteor Shower Reach Its Peak

A nearly full moon could interfere with the shower during its peak. It is forecast to be active until near the end of the month.

The Magnetic Heart of the Milky Way

A new map of the center of the Milky Way galaxy reveals details of its magnetic fields

4 formas inesperadas de salvar a los koalas (que quizá funcionen)

Un grupo de científicos en Australia prueba distintas estrategias para proteger a uno de los animales más entrañables de su país.

Anne Innis Dagg, Who Studied Giraffes in the Wild, Dies at 91

She was believed to be the first Western scientist to study the animals in their natural habitat, but she struggled to overcome sexism in academia.

Your Brain Waves Are Up for Sale. A New Law Wants to Change That.

In a first, a Colorado law extends privacy rights to the neural data increasingly coveted by technology companies.

An 11-Year-Old Girl’s Fossil Find Is the Largest Known Ocean Reptile

When Ruby Reynolds and her father found a fossil on an English beach, they didn’t know it belonged to an 82-foot ichthyosaur that swam during the days of the dinosaurs.

This Lava Tube in Saudi Arabia Has Been a Human Refuge for 7,000 Years

Ancient humans left behind numerous archaeological traces in the cavern, and scientists say there may be thousands more like it on the Arabian Peninsula to study.

Get Dirty. It’s Surprisingly Good for Your Health.

Go on, grab a handful of soil or hike a muddy trail: It can benefit everything from your mood to your microbiome.

Comet Pons-Brooks Is Having Its Last Hurrah

Soon, this devil-horned comet won’t be visible for another seven decades.

In Australia, ‘Cats Are Just Catastrophic’

Feral cats take a heavy toll on the world’s wildlife, especially Down Under. The solution? Smarter traps, sharpshooters, survival camp for prey species, and the “Felixer.”

NASA Seeks ‘Hail Mary’ for Its Mars Rocks Return Mission

The agency will seek new ideas for its Mars Sample Return program, expected to be billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule.

James Dean, Founding Director of NASA Art Program, Dies at 92

He arranged for artists to have access to astronauts, launchpads and more. “Their imaginations enable them to venture beyond a scientific explanation,” he once said.

A Surprising Shadow Was Created by the Total Solar Eclipse

An ascending jet’s contrail over Montreal added to the wonder of last Monday’s eclipse.

Four Wild Ways to Save the Koala (That Just Might Work)

To protect Australia’s iconic animals, scientists are experimenting with vaccine implants, probiotics, tree-planting drones and solar-powered tracking tags.

Should We Change Species to Save Them?

When traditional conservation fails, science is using “assisted evolution” to give vulnerable wildlife a chance.

Biotech Exec Gets 7 Years in Prison for False Claims About Rapid Covid-19 Test

Prosecutors said Keith Berman falsely claimed he had invented a blood test that could detect Covid-19 in 15 seconds. His lawyer said he had put “genuine effort” into developing such a test.

What Makes Tiny Tardigrades Nearly Radiation Proof

New research finds that the microscopic “water bears" are remarkably good at repairing their DNA after a huge blast of radiation.

No ‘Hippie Ape’: Bonobos Are Often Aggressive, Study Finds

Despite their peaceful reputation, bonobos act aggressively more often than their chimpanzee cousins, a new study found.

Computer Theorist Wins $1 Million Turing Award

This year’s honor will go to Avi Wigderson, an Israeli-born mathematician and theoretical computer scientist who specializes in randomness.

Peter Higgs, físico que descubrió la ‘partícula de Dios’, muere a los 94 años

El bosón de Higgs lleva su nombre. Es un elemento clave del modelo estándar, que encapsulaba todo el conocimiento humano hasta el momento sobre las partículas elementales.

She Dreams of Pink Planets and Alien Dinosaurs

Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University, hunts for aliens in space by studying Earth across time.

Ancient Foxes Lived and Died Alongside Humans

Extinct foxes and other animals were an important part of early South American communities, a new study has found.

How the Solar Eclipse Affected Eid Timing

Some Muslim communities rely on a centuries-old method to determine when Ramadan ends: a crescent moon. That method was harder to follow this year.

Peter Higgs, Nobelist Who Predicted the ‘God Particle,’ Dies at 94

The Higgs boson was named for him. It was a key element of the Standard Model, which encapsulated all human knowledge so far about elementary particles.

Herbert Kroemer, 95, Dies; Laid Groundwork for Modern Technologies

He shared a Nobel Prize in Physics for discoveries that paved the way for high-speed internet communication, mobile phones and bar-code readers.

Algún día, la Tierra tendrá un último eclipse solar total

La Luna se alejará lo suficiente de la Tierra como para dejar de obstruir completamente el Sol. Pero predecir cuándo ocurrirá plantea numerosos desafíos.

¿Fiordos, faraones o koalas? Es hora de planificar tu próximo eclipse

Si necesitas más trayectorias de totalidad, o te perdiste el evento en esta ocasión, tienes tres oportunidades en los próximos cuatro años en destinos como Islandia, España, Egipto y Australia.

Looking Up, Together

We cover the solar eclipse that captivated the U.S.

These Scientists Rock. Literally.

The Pasteur Institute in Paris, known for its world-altering scientific research, has been making advancements in another field: the musical arts.

Someday, Earth Will Have a Final Total Solar Eclipse

The moon will drift far enough from Earth that it no longer fully obstructs the sun. But predicting when this will happen poses numerous challenges.

New Method That Pinpoints Wood’s Origin May Curb Illegal Timber

The study could help identify wood from Russia, which has been banned by many countries because of the war.

Couples exchange wedding rings, and then don eclipse glasses.

The second time was the charm for a college town at the eclipse crossroads.

This retiree wanted to be first in line in Canada.

Canadians and visitors alike share in the experience in Newfoundland and Montreal.

Unseasonable warmth arrives just in time in New England.

Disappointment on the eclipse train in western New York.

After nearly a century of life, my father saw his first eclipse.

Staring down bad eclipse weather on a lawn in Dallas.

In Indiana, the sun and moon may not be the biggest stars as Purdue eyes a national championship.

Clouds parted just in time in a small Texas town.

‘The animals definitely could feel that something was different,’ a zookeeper says.

A Moment of Unity, on Earth as in Space

As totality approached, it felt, for a change, as if we were all rooting for the same team.

There was cloud cover in Buffalo, but still exaltation.

In a migrant shelter in Piedras Negras, children find the magic of the eclipse.

A small town in Mexico enjoys a long stretch in the eclipse’s darkness.

‘A day I will never forget.’ More than 100,000 visitors witness the eclipse on Mexico’s coast.

As crowds gathered around New York City, there was a quiet spot.

Once a prison, an island becomes a haven under the eclipse’s darkness.

In Austin, thousands watched the eclipse during a Vampire Weekend concert.

NASA’s watching the eclipse from Cleveland.

The Economic Luminary Who Loved Solar Eclipses

Inspired by science, William Stanley Jevons strove to make economics a more rigorous field.

Scientists on a boat in the Pacific Ocean got an early view of the total solar eclipse.

Scientists studying underwater volcanoes aboard a research vessel were caught in the path of totality and experienced the event before it reached land in Mexico.

This is a prediction of what the sun’s corona will look like during the eclipse.

What you can see during totality.

Solar Eclipse Could Make Some Clouds Perform a Disappearing Act

A recent study found that cumulus clouds, the small cotton ball-like ones typical for a sunny day, can dissipate once an eclipse begins. But if the skies are overcast, your view could still be obstructed.

The eclipse will shine light on Harriet Tubman’s connection to astronomy.

Gridlock eclipse traffic has yet to emerge.

See the Total Solar Eclipse’s Shadow From Space

An American weather satellite is capturing the movement of the moon’s shadow across North America during the total eclipse of the sun on Monday.

Eclipse, the Musical, stages its final performance.

¿No encuentras gafas para el eclipse? Esto es lo que hay que hacer

Es posible ver una proyección del eclipse usando artículos domésticos como papel, cartulina o cajas.

Arkansas Braces for Flood of Tourists During Total Solar Eclipse

The state has miles of rugged terrain and an array of state parks, but it does not have a major professional sports team. Officials have struggled to think of an event comparable to the eclipse.

Arkansas has never seen anything like the tourist flood it’s expecting for the eclipse.

The forecast is cloudy and may veil the eclipse.

Paying Off People’s Medical Debt Has Little Impact on Their Lives, Study Finds

A nonprofit group called R.I.P. Medical Debt has relieved Americans of $11 billion in hospital bills. But that did not improve their mental health or their credit scores, a study found.

Across the country, viewing the eclipse becomes part of some school days.

Catch up on what you should understand about total solar eclipses.

What Solar Eclipse-Gazing Has Looked Like for the Past 2 Centuries

Millions of people on Monday will continue the tradition of experiencing and capturing solar eclipses, a pursuit that has spawned a lot of unusual gear.

The Two Men Who Wanted to Categorize ‘Every Living Thing’ on Earth

Jason Roberts tells the story of the scholars who tried to taxonomize the world.

7 years ago, Americans looked up in unison.

Even a quick glance at the sun can cause lasting damage to your eyes.

Can’t Find Eclipse Glasses? Here’s What to Do.

You can watch a projection of the eclipse using some common household items.

My Faith Forbade Eclipse Gazing. Now It Inspires My Art.

An artist ponders how his religious childhood affects the art he now creates around eclipse imagery.

Anticipation and Anxiety Build Ahead of the Total Solar Eclipse

Across parts of the United States, Mexico and Canada, would-be eclipse-gazers are on the move for what could be a once-in-a-lifetime event.

¿Cuál es la siguiente fase del coronavirus?

Los científicos que estudian la evolución continua del virus y las respuestas inmunitarias del organismo esperan evitar un rebrote y comprender mejor la covid prolongada.

What’s Next for the Coronavirus?

Scientists studying the virus’s continuing evolution, and the body’s immune responses, hope to head off a resurgence and to better understand long Covid.

Where the Wild Things Went During the Pandemic

A new study of camera-trap images complicates the idea that all wildlife thrived during the Covid lockdowns.

A Fern’s ‘Zombie’ Fronds Sprout Unusual Roots

In the Panamanian rainforest, scientists found the first known plant species to transform decaying tissue into a new source of nutrients.

Before the Coronavirus Pandemic, Overlooked Clues From Chinese Scientists

Newly released documents indicate that a U.S. genetic database had received the sequence of the coronavirus two weeks before it was made public by others.

Omicron, Now 2 Years Old, Is Not Done With Us Yet

The dominant variant of the coronavirus has proved to be not only staggeringly infectious, but an evolutionary marvel.

Lab Leak Fight Casts Chill Over Virology Research

Scientists doing “gain-of-function” research said that heightened fears of lab leaks are stalling studies that could thwart the next pandemic virus.

Inside a High-Security Virus Lab

High-security labs, like this one at Penn State, are at the center of a debate over research that alters viruses to make them more dangerous.

The Nation’s Top-Performing Public School System

Schools run by the Defense Department educate 66,000 children of civilian employees and service members.

We Can Fight Learning Loss Only With Accountability and Action

Let’s bring back an era of accountability.

U.S. Students’ Progress Stagnated Last School Year, Study Finds

Despite billions in federal aid, students are not making up ground in reading and math: “We are actually seeing evidence of backsliding.”

What the New, Low Test Scores for 13-Year-Olds Say About U.S. Education Now

The results are the federal government’s last major data release on the academic effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Wild Mammals Roamed When Covid Kept Humans Home

Strict pandemic lockdowns may have allowed animals to range more widely and spend time closer to roads, a new study suggests.

Schools Received Billions in Stimulus Funds. It May Not Be Doing Enough.

Pandemic aid was supposed to help students recover from learning loss, but results have been mixed.

Many Women Have an Intense Fear of Childbirth, Survey Suggests

Tokophobia, as it’s called, is not often studied in the United States. But a new survey finds that it may be very common, particularly among Black women and in disadvantaged communities.

We Could Easily Make Risky Virological Research Safer

Lab safety doesn’t need to torpedo scientific progress.

It’s Not Just Math and Reading: U.S. History Scores for 8th Graders Plunge

The latest test results continue a nearly decade-long decline. Try a sample quiz to test your knowledge.

Scientist Revisits Data on Raccoon Dogs and Covid, Stressing the Unknowns

After analyzing genetic data swabbed from a Wuhan market in early 2020, a virologist said it was unclear if animals for sale there had been infected.

Can Africa Get Close to Vaccine Independence? Here’s What It Will Take.

Leaders on the continent have vowed that if there is another pandemic, they won’t be shut out of the vaccine market.

China Publishes Data Showing Raccoon Dog DNA at Wuhan Market

Scientists from the Chinese C.D.C. confirmed that DNA from raccoon dogs and other animals susceptible to the coronavirus was found at the market in early 2020.

Wuhan Market Samples Contained Covid and Animal Mixtures, Report Says

In a much-anticipated study, experts described a swab that was positive for the coronavirus and contained loads of genetic material from raccoon dogs.

New Data Links Pandemic’s Origins to Raccoon Dogs at Wuhan Market

Genetic samples from the market were recently uploaded to an international database and then removed after scientists asked China about them.

Biden Proposal Would Ban Online Prescribing of Certain Drugs

Some medications, like Ritalin and Vicodin, would require an in-person doctor’s visit under the new rules, a reaction to the pandemic-era rise of telemedicine.

After Long Delay, Moderna Pays N.I.H. for Covid Vaccine Technique

Moderna has paid $400 million to the government for a chemical technique key to its vaccine. But the parties are still locked in a high-stakes dispute over a different patent.

She Helped Unlock the Science of the Covid Vaccine

Kizzmekia Corbett helped lead a team of scientists contributing to one of the most stunning achievements in the history of immunizations: a highly effective, easily manufactured vaccine against Covid-19.

When Animals Are Used in Research

Readers discuss experimentation on lab animals. Also: Racism in America; preparing for the next pandemic; maternal deaths; Amazon’s donations.

Expert Panel Votes for Stricter Rules on Risky Virus Research

The White House will decide whether to adopt the panel’s recommendations on so-called gain of function experiments.

N.I.H. Did Not Properly Track a Group Studying Coronaviruses, Report Finds

An internal federal watchdog said that the health agency had not given adequate oversight to EcoHealth Alliance, which had been awarded $8 million in grants.

Health Experts Warily Eye XBB.1.5, the Latest Omicron Subvariant

A young version of the coronavirus makes up one-quarter of Covid cases across the United States and over 70 percent of new cases in the Northeast.

Your Tuesday Briefing: China’s Space Push

Plus China’s vaccination pivot and the year’s most stylish “people.”

Your Monday Briefing: The World Cup Semifinals Loom

Plus, China’s sluggish economy and the arrest of the Lockerbie bombing suspect.

Ómicron cumple un año. Así ha evolucionado

Al cumplirse el aniversario del descubrimiento de la variante, los expertos en virología siguen intentando ponerse al día con la rápida transformación de ómicron.

Happy Birthday, Omicron

One year after the variant’s discovery, virologists are still scrambling to keep up with Omicron’s rapid evolution.

The Pandemic Generation Goes to College. It Has Not Been Easy.

Students missed a lot of high school instruction. Now many are behind, especially in math, and getting that degree could be harder.

Pandemic Learning Loss Is Not an Emergency

In a vacuum, test score declines look like bad news. But none of this happened in a vacuum.

G.O.P. Senator’s Report on Covid Origins Suggests Lab Leak, but Offers Little New Evidence

The report, signed by Senator Richard Burr, foreshadows a new wave of political wrangling over Covid’s origins if Republicans gain control of the House or Senate.

Math Scores Fell in Nearly Every State, and Reading Dipped on National Exam

The results, from what is known as the nation’s report card, offer the most definitive picture yet of the pandemic’s devastating impact on students.

Lab Manipulations of Covid Virus Fall Under Murky Government Rules

Mouse experiments at Boston University have spotlighted an ambiguous U.S. policy for research on potentially dangerous pathogens.

How One School Is Beating the Odds in Math, the Pandemic’s Hardest-Hit Subject

Benjamin Franklin Elementary in Connecticut overhauled the way it taught — and the way it ran the classroom. Every minute counted.

Russia’s New Onslaught Against Ukraine

Readers respond to the latest Russian attacks in Ukraine. Also: The wonders of math; pandemic spending; Republicans and crime.

¿Quién tenía la culpa de que los alumnos de la Universidad de Nueva York estuvieran reprobando química orgánica?

Maitland Jones, un profesor respetado, defendió sus estándares. Pero los estudiantes hicieron un reclamo y la universidad lo despidió.

At N.Y.U., Students Were Failing Organic Chemistry. Who Was to Blame?

Maitland Jones Jr., a respected professor, defended his standards. But students started a petition, and the university dismissed him.

N.Y.C. Children Held Ground in Reading, but Lagged in Math, Tests Show

The first standardized test results that capture how most city schoolchildren did during the pandemic offered a mixed picture.