T/science

William P. Murphy Jr., an Inventor of the Modern Blood Bag, Dies at 100
Science, Yesterday

Dr. Murphy’s safe, reliable container replaced breakable glass bottles used in transfusions in the Korean War. He also helped improve pacemakers and artificial kidneys.

Bordeaux Wine Snobs Have a Point, According to This Computer Model
Science, Yesterday

With machine learning, scientists are trying to chemically define the murky concept of terroir. The models might be useful for detecting wine fraud.

Math Scores Dropped Globally, but the U.S. Still Trails Other Countries
U.S., Yesterday

In a global exam for 15-year-olds, only a handful of places, including Singapore, Japan and Australia, kept math performance high through the pandemic.

What It Takes to Save the Axolotl
Science, Yesterday

On the outskirts of Mexico City, biologists are working to reintroduce a treasured amphibian to the wild. But first they must revive an ancient method of farming.

Amber Fossils Suggest Male Mosquitoes Were Once Bloodsuckers
Science, December 4

The preserved insects, from a cache of Lebanese resin, appear to be male but have mouth parts that are found only on modern female mosquitoes.

All Things in Moderation, Especially When They’re Toxic
Book Review, December 2

In “Most Delicious Poison,” Noah Whiteman explores nature’s fine line between killing and curing.

Exactly How Much Life Is on Earth?
Science, December 1

According to a new study, living cells outnumber stars in the universe, highlighting the deep, underrated link between geophysics and biology.

Una estrella con seis planetas que orbitan en una sincronía perfecta
En español, December 1

A cien años luz de distancia, un puñado de planetas giran en torno a una estrella en la misma configuración que tenían cuando se formaron.

This Discovery About Dolphins Isn’t Entirely Shocking
Science, November 30

Scientists found that dolphins have an ability to sense electric fields, which may help them hunt and navigate the seas.

6 Great Space Images in November
Interactive, November 30

An exploding Starship, a time-lapse aurora borealis and other striking imagery from astronomy and spaceflight last month.

Penguins Take Thousands of Naps Every Day
Science, November 30

The birds’ impressive ability to nod off may be an adaptation to an environment of constant interruptions.

A Star With Six Planets That Orbit Perfectly in Sync
Science, November 29

One hundred light years away, a handful of planets are circling a star in the same configuration as when they formed.

Rare Giant Rat Is Photographed Alive for First Time
Express, November 29

The people who live on the island of Vangunu were adamant that the critically endangered species still existed. They helped researchers prove that they were right.

Watch ‘Sea Fireflies’ Make Underwater Fireworks as They Seek Mates
Science, November 29

Tiny crustaceans the size of sand grains sneeze up packets of glowing mucus to impress potential partners.

Could a Drug Give Your Pet More Dog Years?
Science, November 28

Longevity drugs for our canine companions are moving closer to reality. They also raise questions about what it might mean to succeed.

Mars Needs Insects
Science, November 27

If humans are ever going to live on the red planet, they’re going to have to bring bugs with them.

Catherine Christer Hennix, Spiritual Drone Musician, Dies at 75
Obits, November 26

She fused her mathematical knowledge with minimalist sounds and global spiritual traditions, most notably in her 1976 composition “The Electric Harpsichord.”

Napoleon Didn’t Really Shoot Cannons at Egypt’s Pyramids
Science, November 22

But scholars say that a trailer for Ridley Scott’s new film draws attention to the French emperor’s complex and lasting legacy on the study of Egypt’s cultural heritage.

A Fish That Fishes for Other Fish Lives Its Life Upside Down
Science, November 22

Deep-sea videos from around the world show how the whipnose anglerfish prefers to swim belly up.

Not All Heroes Wear Capes, but These Termites Did for Science
Science, November 22

This study has everything: jumping spiders; insects donning striped and solid patterns; and evolutionary lessons about predators and prey.

Mucus-Covered Jellyfish Hint at Dangers of Deep-Sea Mining
Science, November 21

Shipboard experiments suggested that sediment from the exploitation of metals in the ocean could be harmful to marine life.

Omicron, Now 2 Years Old, Is Not Done With Us Yet
Science, November 21

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

Why Warblers Flock to Wealthier Neighborhoods
Science, November 21

In the unequal distribution of birds and other species, ecologists are tracing the impact of bigoted urban policies adopted decades ago.

Freakishly Smart Falcons Run These Islands
Science, November 20

The success of wild striated caracaras in a test suggests that the intellects of more bird species may be underestimated.

You Know About the Birds and the Bees, but Guess What These Bats Do
Science, November 20

Bats have long been known for unusual forms of sexual reproduction, and a new study adds another surprise to the behaviors of the winged mammals.

Mysterious Respiratory Illness Affects Dogs in Multiple States
Express, November 20

The illness can include a cough, fever, lethargy and a loss of appetite. Veterinarians recommend that owners avoid boarding their dog if it shows symptoms.

The Sunday Read: ‘What Does the U.S. Space Force Actually Do?’
The Daily, November 19

Inside the highly secretive military branch responsible for protecting American interests in a vulnerable new domain.

SpaceX Makes Progress in 2nd Launch of Giant Moon and Mars Rocket
Science, November 18

The journeys of Starship’s two parts ended in separate explosions. But the engineers at Elon Musk’s spaceflight company overcame problems that marred the rocket’s first flight in April.

What happened during SpaceX’s Starship test flight.
Science, November 18

An investigation found many workplace injuries at SpaceX sites.
Science, November 18

About the Reuters safety report and what it means

How Starship will get NASA back to the moon.
Science, November 18

Starship lifts off as Elon Musk faces struggles in other parts of his business empire.
Science, November 18

The last launch was a party not everyone in South Texas wanted to attend.
Science, November 18

What will happen during the second Starship test flight.
Science, November 18

What is a successful or failed Starship launch? Here are some scenarios.
Science, November 18

How SpaceX has changed Starship for this flight.
Science, November 18

Here’s what went wrong during the first flight of Starship.
Science, November 18

What is Starship?
Science, November 18

Here is what to know about Saturday’s SpaceX launch.
Science, November 18

Watch the Leonids Meteor Shower Reach Its Peak This Weekend
Science, November 17

Fireballs that come from the wake of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle may be visible while the moon is a quarter full.

Listen: Hamas’s Bloody Philosophy, Questions for Kamala Harris, Barbra Streisand’s Tell-All Memoir
Podcasts, November 16

Each week, we share the best of new audio journalism and storytelling.

Nov. 18: SpaceX may attempt a second flight of its Starship rocket.
Science, November 16

Nov. 18: SpaceX may attempt a second flight of its Starship rocket.
Science, November 16

Scientists Find First Evidence That Groups of Apes Cooperate
Science, November 16

Some bonobos are challenging the notion that humans are the only primates capable of group-to-group alliances.

SpaceX Shifts the 2nd Launch of Its Starship Rocket to Saturday
Science, November 16

Elon Musk’s private space company is hoping for a better performance of the giant rocket, which is the most powerful ever to fly.

A Supernova ‘Destroyed’ Some of Earth’s Ozone for a Few Minutes in 2022
Science, November 14

A new study suggests that explosive events in space have the potential to temporarily switch off the natural shield that protects us from harmful solar radiation.

Trump’s Deportation Plans for Immigrants
Letters, November 14

Readers discuss a crackdown that would include sweeping raids and huge detention camps. Also: Donald Trump’s “vermin” vow; women in China; investing in Earth.

Hamas’s Bloody Arithmetic
The Daily, November 14

The group’s leaders say they believe a permanent state of war is the only way to revive the Palestinian cause.

9 Days, 527 Birds, 55 Species
Science, November 14

Volunteers recorded important data on a strip of land in Alabama that serves as a pit stop for avian migrators.

Two Astronauts Lost a Tool Bag in Space. It’s Not Alone.
Express, November 13

The astronauts lost track of the bag while performing maintenance outside the International Space Station this month. Now it’s floating in space.

Start-Ups With Laser Beams: The Companies Trying to Ignite Fusion Energy
Science, November 13

Companies are looking to commercialize advances made by federally supported research labs in the quest for boundless energy.

Why Vultures Might Just Be the Smartest Birds Above the Block
Science, November 12

The birds are widely reviled for their carrion-eating ways. But an evolutionary history of scavenging has forged a creative, cunning and wide-ranging mind.

The Bodily Indignities of the Space Life
Magazine, November 12

The race is on to put hotels in space and neighborhoods on the moon. Here’s some of what we know about how Earthlings fare beyond the safety of our home world.

Portraits From a Photo Shoot Far, Far Away
Summary, November 11

For an article about people who plan to send their remains to space, The New York Times Magazine arranged a remote-photography process. The sessions captured an astral mood.

How the T. Rex Built Up That Bone-Crushing Bite
Science, November 10

An analysis of nine species of tyrannosaurs documented the evolutionary forces that led to the dinosaur’s reign.

An Expedition Finds a ‘Lost’ Mammal and a Shrimp That Lives in Trees
Science, November 10

In the Cyclops Mountains in the Indonesian part of the island of New Guinea, Oxford scientists and local guides made a series of spectacular discoveries.

Frank Borman, Astronaut Who Led First Orbit of the Moon, Dies at 95
Obits, November 9

He commanded the 1968 Apollo 8 mission that carried three astronauts farther from Earth than anyone had ever traveled. He later led Eastern Airlines.

The Traffic Jam in Low Earth Orbit
Interactive, November 8

Elon Musk's satellites. Stuffed animals. Tomatoes? You wouldn't believe what's circling Earth these days.

Lice Genes Offer Clues to Ancient Human History
Science, November 8

The jumpy parasites have followed our ancestors around for at least 25 million years, adapting along with us through major upheavals.

A Hairy Truth About Your Sense of Touch
Science, November 8

Researchers showed that cells in your hair follicles release important chemical messengers in response to gentle touches to your skin.

What Does the U.S. Space Force Actually Do?
Magazine, November 8

Inside the highly secretive military branch responsible for protecting American interests in a vulnerable new domain.

Leave It to Beavers? Not if You’re a Wolf.
Science, November 8

This is what happens when an apex predator collides with an ecosystem engineer.

Room-Temperature Superconductor Discovery Is Retracted
Science, November 7

It was the second paper led by Ranga P. Dias, a researcher at the University of Rochester, that the journal Nature has retracted.

Euclid Telescope Dazzles With Detailed First Images of Our Universe
Science, November 7

The European Space Agency’s premier telescope captured new views of space, a small taste of what it is likely to accomplish in the coming years.

Their Final Wish? A Burial in Space.
Magazine, November 7

Why some people decide to send their remains into orbit.

Gazing Into the Past and Future at Historic Observatories
Travel, November 7

As ever-larger telescopes are launched into space or built at high-altitude sites, these observatories still have wonders to share with visitors and astronomers alike.

‘Vortenses’ and the Storms of Space-Time
Science, November 7

In verse and in color, a Nobel physicist and a visual artist collaborate to portray black holes, gravitational waves and other preposterous features of Einstein’s universe.

Male-Killing Virus Is Discovered in Insects
Science, November 6

The chance finding in a Japanese university’s greenhouse could help researchers find ways to control agricultural pests or even insects that spread disease.

Investigators Head to Antarctica Research Base After Claims of Sexual Violence
Express, November 6

The National Science Foundation watchdog is sending agents to a U.S. research base in Antarctica after a 2022 report raised concerns about sexual misconduct.

Lab Leak Fight Casts Chill Over Virology Research
Science, October 16

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
Interactive, October 16

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
N Y T Now, October 10

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
Op Ed, September 5

Let’s bring back an era of accountability.

U.S. Students’ Progress Stagnated Last School Year, Study Finds
National, July 11

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
National, June 21

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
Science, June 8

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.
Washington, June 5

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
Science, May 16

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
Op Ed, May 10

Lab safety doesn’t need to torpedo scientific progress.

It’s Not Just Math and Reading: U.S. History Scores for 8th Graders Plunge
National, May 3

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
Science, April 29

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.
Science, April 25

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
Science, April 5

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
Science, March 21

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
Science, March 17

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
Science, February 25

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
Science, February 23

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
Science, February 9

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
Letters, January 31

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
Science, January 27

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
Science, January 26

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
Science, January 7

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
N Y T Now, December 12

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

Your Monday Briefing: The World Cup Semifinals Loom
N Y T Now, December 11

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

Ómicron cumple un año. Así ha evolucionado
en Español, November 29

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
Science, November 26

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.
National, November 1

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
Op Ed, October 29

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
Science, October 27

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
National, October 24

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
Science, October 22

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
National, October 15

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
Letters, October 10

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?
en Español, October 5

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?
National, October 3

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
Metro, September 28

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

¿La variante ómicron llegó para quedarse?
en Español, September 27

La decimotercera variante con nombre del coronavirus parece tener una capacidad sorprendente para evolucionar con nuevas particularidades.

Why Omicron Might Stick Around
Science, September 22

Omicron, the 13th named variant of the coronavirus, seems to have a remarkable capacity to evolve new tricks.

The Quiet Cost of Family Caregiving
Science, September 4

Many employees reduce their hours or stop working to help ailing family members. But it may be years before they fully return to the work force, studies indicate.

The Pandemic Erased Two Decades of Progress in Math and Reading
National, September 1

The results of a national test showed just how devastating the last two years have been for 9-year-old schoolchildren, especially the most vulnerable.

How Bad Is the Teacher Shortage? Depends Where You Live.
National, August 29

Urgently needed: teachers in struggling districts, certified in math or special education. Perks: maybe a pay raise, or how about a four-day week?

Wastewater Disease Tracking: A Photographic Journey From the Sewer to the Lab
Interactive, August 17

Here’s how a scrappy team of scientists, public health experts and plumbers is embracing wastewater surveillance as the future of disease tracking.

El viaje evolutivo de la COVID-19 ha sido funesto e impresionante
en Español, August 11

El coronavirus, como muchos otros virus, evoluciona deprisa. ¿Los seres humanos y su ingenio podrían adaptarse más rápido a él?

We Are Still in a Race Against the Coronavirus
Op Ed, August 10

Human ingenuity must keep up with the coronavirus.

Combined nasal and throat testing swabs would detect more Omicron infections, two papers suggest.
Science, July 22

The papers, which have not yet been published in scientific journals, suggest that testing just a single type of sample is likely to miss a large share of infections.

Students Are Learning Well Again. But Full Recovery? That’s a Long Way Off.
National, July 19

A new report estimates that it may take students at least three to five years to recover from the pandemic. Federal relief money will most likely have run out by then.

Did Nature Heal During the Pandemic ‘Anthropause’?
Science, July 16

Covid precautions created a global slowdown in human activity — and an opportunity to learn more about the complex ways we affect other species.

Bat Virus Studies Raise Questions About Laboratory Tinkering
Science, July 15

Working in a laboratory in Paris, scientists gave a close relative of the Covid virus the chance to evolve to be more like its cousin.

The pandemic kept many children less active around the world, researchers find.
Express, July 11

Pandemic shutdowns and restrictions led to a 20 percent drop in average daily physical activity among children and adolescents, a new analysis shows.

The U.S. government will buy 3.2 million doses of Novavax’s Covid vaccine.
Science, July 11

The vaccine has not yet been authorized but is expected to be soon.

Think All Viruses Get Milder With Time? Not This Rabbit-Killer.
Science, June 20

The myxoma virus, fatal to millions of Australian rabbits, is a textbook example of the unexpected twists in the evolution of viruses and their hosts.

Unexplained hepatitis is not more common in U.S. children than before the pandemic, a C.D.C. study suggests.
Science, June 14

Officials have also been trying to determine whether the cases represent a new phenomenon or are simply a new recognition of one that has long existed; there have always been a subset of pediatric hepatitis cases with no clear cause.

Mysteries Linger About Covid’s Origins, W.H.O. Report Says
Science, June 9

“The lack of political cooperation from China continues to stifle any meaningful progress,” one expert said.

Reckoning With a Pandemic, as a Doctor and a Human
Book Review, June 8

In his essay collection “Virology,” Joseph Osmundson examines the myriad ways we coexist with viruses.

Two new versions of Omicron are gaining ground in the U.S., according to C.D.C. estimates.
Science, June 8

The spread of the subvariants adds more uncertainty to the trajectory of the pandemic in the United States.

He Helped Cure the ‘London Patient’ of H.I.V. Then He Turned to Covid.
Special Sections, June 6

Ravindra Gupta, who led the efforts that resulted in the second case of a patient being cured of H.I.V., was drawn into pandemic research.

In Florida, Social-Emotional Learning + Math = Rejection
Letters, May 2

Readers discuss the Florida Department of Education’s objections to some of the topics in math textbooks. Also: The Ukraine war; mask mandates.