Ocean-Clogging Microplastics Also Pollute the Air, Study Finds
Science, Yesterday
Microplastics are known to cause ocean pollution, but a new study suggests airborne plastic particles pollute the air and dry land as well.
He Listed a T. Rex Fossil on eBay for $2.95 Million. Scientists Weren’t Thrilled.
Science, April 17
“I own this thing,” Alan Detrich recalled telling a museum director. “It is mine. I can do whatever I want.”
Look What the Cat Dragged In: Parasites
Science, April 17
Researchers found that house cats that roam outdoors were more likely to pick up diseases than indoor cats.
‘Partly Alive’: Scientists Revive Cells in Brains From Dead Pigs
Science, April 17
In a study that upends assumptions about brain death, researchers brought some cells back to life — or something like it.
Owen Garriott, an Early Scientist-Astronaut, Is Dead at 88
Obituaries, April 16
He was the science pilot on the record-breaking 59-day mission to Skylab in 1973. Ten years later, he returned to space on the shuttle Columbia.
How Dogs Find Their Way Home
Science, April 15
Lost dogs rely on a fine sense of smell to map their location.
How Giant Sea Spiders May Survive in Warming Oceans
Science, April 14
The strange creatures’ adaptations to the cold of the Antarctic Ocean may also help them as their habitats heat up.
Stratolaunch, World’s Largest Airplane by Wingspan, Takes Its First Flight
Science, April 13
The crew said it was a smooth maiden voyage for the Stratolaunch, which is designed to carry rockets to blast commercial satellites into space.
That First Black Hole Seen in an Image Is Now Called Pōwehi, at Least in Hawaii
Science, April 13
The word, which means “adorned fathomless dark creation,” is derived from the Kumulipo, a centuries-old Hawaiian creation chant, said a professor who helped with the naming.
It’s Warm and Stealthy, and It Killed Yellowstone Trees and Turned Soil Pale
Science, April 12
A growing warm spot in a remote section of the national park was not unexpected, but it sneaked up on the park’s volcanologists.
Scott Kelly Spent a Year Taking Photos in Space. They’re Beautiful.
Science, April 12
In orbit aboard the International Space Station, the astronaut wasn’t just gathering data for NASA’s Twins Study. He also produced some, well, stellar images.
Should That Minor Planet Be Named Gonggong? Astronomers Want the Public’s Help
Science, April 12
Astronomers discovered the minor planet 2007 OR10 more than a decade ago. Now they’re asking the public to vote on what to submit as its official name.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Rocket Launches and Lands Successfully
Video, April 11
After the launch of the most powerful rocket in operation, all three of its boosters safely touched down on Earth.
How Katie Bouman Accidentally Became the Face of the Black Hole Project
Science, April 11
The project included more than 200 researchers around the world, about 40 of them women, including Dr. Bouman.
Photos of the Moon by Israel’s Beresheet Spacecraft
Interactive, April 11
The Beresheet lander crashed into the moon.
Falcon Heavy, SpaceX’s Giant Rocket, Launches Into Orbit, and Sticks Its Landings
Science, April 11
It was only the second flight for what is the most powerful rocket now available on Earth, improving on its spectacular test launch in 2018.
Scott Kelly Spent a Year in Orbit. His Body Is Not Quite the Same.
Science, April 11
NASA scientists compared the astronaut to his earthbound twin, Mark. The results hint at what humans will have to endure on long journeys through space.
4 Takeaways From That Huge Study of Scott Kelly
Science, April 11
Scott Kelly spent 340 days aboard the International Space Station for a unique study of the biological effects of space travel.
Moon Landing by Israel’s Beresheet Spacecraft Ends in Crash
Science, April 11
The spacecraft’s orbit of the moon was a first for a private effort, but the landing failure highlighted the risks of fast and cheap approaches to space exploration.
Fossils Are Filling Out the Human Family Tree
Science, April 10
The more fossils we find, the more we learn that many kinds of humans have lived on Earth.
Falcon Heavy Launch Postponed by SpaceX
Science, April 10
The most powerful rocket now available on Earth will wait another day for its next journey to orbit and back.
A Gas Could Hint at Signs of Life on Mars. Why Hasn’t a New Spacecraft Found It?
Science, April 10
Two spacecraft have detected methane in the Martian air. But the Trace Gas Orbiter, with more sensitive instruments, has come up empty.
An Ancient Human Species Is Discovered in a Philippine Cave
Science, April 10
Archaeologists in Luzon Island have turned up the bones of a distantly related species, Homo luzonensis, further expanding the human family tree.
What Is a Black Hole? Here’s Our Guide for Earthlings
Science, April 10
Welcome to the place of no return — a region in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that not even light can escape it. This is a black hole.
How They Took the First Picture of a Black Hole
Interactive, April 10
A planet-sized network of radio telescopes has assembled the first image of a black hole.
Darkness Visible, Finally: Astronomers Capture First Ever Image of a Black Hole
Science, April 10
Astronomers at last have captured a picture of one of the most secretive entities in the cosmos.
How Dangerous Is It to Be a Bird in Your City? Buildings Kill Hundreds of Millions a Year
Science, April 9
A new study shows how efforts to prevent migrating birds from flying into skyscrapers and other brightly lit buildings could be honed.
How Beetles That Live Underwater Breathe Without a Scuba Tank
Science, April 9
When an insect is this small, it seems to be able to get away with an unusual technique for taking in oxygen.
The Comeback of Trumpeter Swans
Science, April 9
Restoration efforts in Ontario, Canada, have helped a once-vanquished population to flourish. And they have been sighted in new habitats in the United States, too.
At Long Last, a Glimpse of a Black Hole
Opinion, April 8
This week scientists are expected to release images of the silhouette of this elusive and inscrutable astronomical object.
Orchids Bloom in Thousands of Forms. But Why?
Science, April 8
Each species of orchid is designed to attract a specific pollinator. The genes that make that possible are highly adaptable, scientists say.
Expected Soon: First-Ever Photo of a Black Hole
Science, April 8
Have astronomers finally recorded an image of a black hole? The world will know on Wednesday.
In Bubbles, She Sees a Mathematical Universe
Science, April 8
For Karen Uhlenbeck, winner of the Abel Prize for math, a whimsical phenomenon offers a window onto higher dimensions.
Cows on Mars!
Opinion, April 7
A European orbiter detected whiffs of methane in the Martian atmosphere. Of undetermined origin.
Casimir Pulaski, Polish Hero of the Revolutionary War, Was Most Likely Intersex, Researchers Say
Science, April 7
Disputed remains were the right height and age and showed injuries consistent with the general’s life. There was just one catch: “The skeleton looked very female.”
Watch a Great White Shark Hunt Through a Kelp Forest for Its Next Meal
Science, April 5
The video collected by researchers revealed a surprising hunting behavior in the ocean predators that had never been documented.
For Deeper Insights, Japanese Space Mission Bombed an Asteroid to Make a Crater
Science, April 4
The Hayabusa2 spacecraft aimed to advance its study of the rock called Ryugu by making a hole on its surface with a copper projectile.
Watch Two Eclipses on Mars, Recorded by NASA’s Curiosity Rover
Science, April 4
Phobos and Deimos, the two Martian moons, got between the red planet and the sun in March.
How Seals Took to the Seas
Science, April 4
By comparing the bones of ancient and contemporary seals, researchers say a particular biting style helped the marine mammals’ landlubber ancestors move into the oceans.
Apocalypse Next? Astronomers Find a Chunk of Planet Around a Distant, Dead Star
Science, April 4
A disk of debris around a faraway white dwarf offers a glimpse of our own planet’s eventual fate.
Israel’s Beresheet Lunar Lander Moves Into Moon Orbit
Science, April 4
Next week, the robotic probe built by the nonprofit SpaceIL is to attempt to land on the lunar surface.
Eat Your Veggies: Study Finds Poor Diets Linked to One in Five Deaths
Science, April 3
A study in The Lancet found that in 2017, 11 million premature deaths were linked to diets short on fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
The Price for ‘Predatory’ Publishing? $50 Million
Science, April 3
The Federal Trade Commission accused Omics International, a publisher in India, of operating hundreds of questionable scientific journals. A federal judge agreed.
Israel Wants to Land on the Moon. First Its Spacecraft Needs to Stick the Orbit.
Science, April 3
“It’s not a complex maneuver. It’s just not a time to have a sudden small problem. We’ll be nervous.”
Romeo, Meet Juliet. Now Go Save Your Species.
Science, April 1
The Sehuencas water frogs in a Bolivian aquarium hit it off, but Romeo might need a little more practice before they succeed in reproducing.
Something on Mars Is Producing Gas Usually Made by Living Things on Earth
Science, April 1
Mars emits methane, a European orbiter has confirmed. But scientists can’t say yet whether the source is geological or biological.
This Tarantula Became a Scientific Celebrity. Was It Poached From the Wild?
Science, April 1
Controversy over a new spider species has resurrected thorny ethical questions about scientists and their specimens.
How Bees Find Your Flowerpots
Science, April 1
It’s not just the famous waggle dance: Bees rely on sophisticated eyesight and even electrostatic fields.
Fossil Site Reveals Day That Meteor Hit Earth and, Maybe, Wiped Out Dinosaurs
Science, March 29
A jumble of entombed plants and creatures offers a vivid glimpse of the apocalypse that all but ended life 66 million years ago.
How Mosquitoes Sniff Out Your Sweat
Science, March 29
Scientists have isolated a receptor that helps the bloodthirsty insects find you.
Injecting Marshmallow Peeps With Fungi, for Science
Science, March 29
A mycologist hopes to show how a simple, silly experiment can illuminate fungal biology.
Volcanoes! Lightning! And Radioactive Gas, Too
Science, March 29
Studying radon’s role in the electrification of plumes above volcanoes could help people anticipate the damage resulting from eruptions, scientists say.
Saturn’s Rings Are Sculpted by a Crew of Mini-Moons
Science, March 28
Data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft are helping to explain how Atlas, Daphnis, Epimetheus, Pan and Pandora are distinctive among Saturn’s many satellites.
The Plague Killing Frogs Everywhere Is Far Worse Than Scientists Thought
Science, March 28
As a threat to wildlife, an amphibian fungus has become “the most deadly pathogen known to science.”
‘Scotty’ the T. Rex Is the Heaviest Ever Found, Scientists Say
Science, March 28
The dinosaur, named Scotty, was excavated the Saskatchewan province of Canada in the 1990s. A recent study shows that it is the heaviest and oldest specimen of its kind.
What the Failed All-Female Spacewalk Tells Us About Office Temperature
Opinion, March 27
In a for-men, by-men world, the little things still really do hurt women.
The Trump Administration Wants Astronauts on Moon by 2024. But What’s the Plan?
Science, March 26
The vice president called for greater urgency at NASA, but how the Trump administration intends to accomplish an ambitious moon landing was not clear.
What Termites Can Teach Us About Cooling Our Buildings
Science, March 26
“We think humans are the best designers, but this is not really true,” a researcher said.
This Water Drop, It’s the Greatest Dancer
Science, March 26
You've probably never seen water do this.
Spinning Water Droplets That Seemingly Defy Physics
Video, March 26
Chinese researchers have discovered a new way to make water droplets spin, creating a potential new kind of hydropower.
When Sky & Telescope Had No Limit
Science, March 26
A venerable astronomy magazine goes on the auction block, and a writer who grew up there reflects on its influence.
First All-Female Spacewalk Canceled Because NASA Doesn’t Have Two Suits That Fit
Science, March 25
The astronauts, Anne McClain and Christina Koch, will both walk in space — just not together, because only one medium-size torso component is available.
Duke University to Pay $112.5 Million to Settle Claims of Research Misconduct
Science, March 25
The university submitted falsified data in connection with 30 grants obtained from the N.I.H. and E.P.A., according to a whistle-blower lawsuit.
Duke University to Pay $112.5 Million to Settle Claims of Research Misconduct
Science, March 25
The university submitted falsified data in connection with 30 grants obtained from the N.I.H. and E.P.A., according to a whistle-blower lawsuit.
A Colonial-Era Cemetery Resurfaces in Philadelphia
Science, March 25
Remains buried in the First Baptist cemetery were believed to have been moved in 1860. But many coffins and bones were still there.
How Diamonds Gain Color
Science, March 25
Deformation, impurities, radiation — many factors lend unexpected color to a diamond.
Why Would an Animal Trade One Body for Another?
Science, March 25
Most species undergo metamorphosis, but scientists aren’t sure why the process evolved. One new theory: Metamorphosis gives animals greater access to food.
Northern Lights in the Northern U.S.? Maybe So, or Maybe a ‘Dud’
Science, March 23
The most likely time the phenomenon will occur is at 11 a.m. Eastern, experts say, but it can’t be seen during the daytime. Bad weather would also hamper a sighting.
An Elusive Whale Is Found All Around the World
Science, March 22
Researchers are learning about a newly identified species of baleen whales, tracing sightings and sounds to learn that they stay mainly in tropical waters.
Sun Bears Mimic Each Other’s Faces. Scientists Didn’t Expect That.
Science, March 22
They are solitary mammals, but like primates and people, they seem to be able to read one another’s facial expressions.
Trigger Warnings May Not Do Much, Early Studies Suggest
Science, March 22
Researchers found that the warnings, which alert people to disturbing material, may pose little benefit or harm to those who view them. But more study is needed, they agree.
DNA Clues to an Ancient Canary Islands Voyage
Science, March 21
The islands’ pioneers likely arrived centuries before European conquest, as part of a large-scale movement of people from North Africa.
Chop Up a Worm. It Will Regenerate. Scientists Figured Out Why.
Science, March 20
Researchers identified the master control gene that enables worms to grow a new body, capturing the imagination of some humans looking for a fresh start.