T/science

How to Watch the Geminids Meteor Shower Reach Its Peak
Science, Today

The moon will be about one-third full as one of the year’s last meteor showers becomes most visible.

This Squid Is Playing Peekaboo at the Bottom of the Ocean
Science, Today

Perhaps it was hiding from predators. Or trying to catch food. Then again, maybe it just wanted to be left alone.

Turkey’s Largest City Is Threatened by a Lurking Seismic Catastrophe
Science, Yesterday

Escalating activity along a fault line in the Sea of Marmara is moving closer to Istanbul, seismologists warn.

A Hot Plant’s Mysterious Signal Makes Beetles Pollinate It
Science, Yesterday

Ancient plants called cycads say “come hither” in infrared.

Killer Whales Find an ‘Unlikely Friend’ in Dolphins
Science, Yesterday

Off the coast of British Columbia, dolphins lead killer whales to salmon and earn their share of lunch, a new study reveals.

She Studied Mosquitoes to Prevent Malaria
Science, Yesterday

Jenny Carlson Donnelly traveled to malaria-affected countries to test mosquitoes and save lives. Then she lost her job at U.S.A.I.D.

Archaeologists Find Oldest Evidence of Fire-Making
Science, December 10

Neanderthals 400,000 years ago were striking flints to make fires, researchers have found.

A Scientific Pipeline to the Nobel Prize Fueled by Immigrants
Science, December 10

As three immigrants claim Nobel Prizes in science for the United States this year, experts warn that immigration crackdowns could undo American innovation.

For Real, a Natural History of Misinformation
Science, December 10

It’s not just humans who suffer from leading one another astray. So do fish, flies and even bacteria.

Should You Be Able to Ask a Doctor to Help You Die?
Interactive, December 9

More and more countries are legalizing medically assisted death. But even as the concept gains acceptance, there are difficult, unresolved questions about who should be eligible.

All 187,460 Miles of Road That Led to Rome, Mapped
Science, December 9

A digital atlas of ancient Rome’s highways and byways reveals a road network that was more extensive than thought.

John Noble Wilford, Times Reporter Who Covered the Moon Landing, Dies at 92
Science, December 8

He gave readers a comprehensive and lyrical account of the historic mission in 1969. His science coverage as a Pulitzer-winning journalist and an author took him around the world.

La maravilla de ver las estrellas en la oscuridad
En español, December 7

Una reportera espacial viajó a la península de Míchigan, donde redescubrió la fascinación por el cosmos.

Dodging Icebergs and Storms on the Hunt for an Ocean Tipping Point
Climate, December 6

Scientists fear warming is driving a collapse in the ocean currents that shape climate far and wide. The ice-choked waters off Greenland might hold the key.

A Watch That Works as Well on Earth as It Did in Space
T Magazine, December 6

Omega’s Speedmaster, worn by Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong on their 1969 journey to the moon, gets an update.

Hamilton O. Smith, Who Made a Biotech Breakthrough, Is Dead at 94
Science, December 5

A Nobel laureate, he identified an enzyme that cuts DNA, laying the groundwork for milestones in scientific research and medicine, like insulin.

Stampeding Turtles Might Have Made Fossil Tracks in Italian Cliffs
Science, December 5

Researchers suggest that an earthquake spooked a mob of sea turtles gathered together in a prehistoric sea.

His Group Made World-Class Measurements of Atomic Elements
Science, December 4

Yuri Ralchenko led one of the oldest teams at the National Institute for Standards and Technology. The fate of some experiments hangs in the air.

When a Murder Hornet Becomes a Tasty Meal
Science, December 4

A researcher found that a Japanese pond frog is impervious to the stings of the northern giant hornet, even when it goes down the hatch.

Trump’s NASA Pick Poised to Win Senate Vote After Do-Over
Science, December 3

The president withdrew Jared Isaacman’s nomination to lead the space agency in June, but senators of both parties appeared willing to give him a second shot at confirmation.

What Physics Knows About Ghostly Neutrinos Muddled by New Experiments
Science, December 3

Two papers challenged the existence of theorized particles called sterile neutrinos that might account for mysteries like the cosmos’s dark matter.

Sharks and Rays Gain Sweeping Protections From Wildlife Trade
Science, December 2

A global treaty has extended trade protections to more than 70 shark and ray species whose numbers are in sharp decline.

Russian Launch Site Mishap Shows Perilous State of Storied Space Program
Science, December 1

The ability of Russia to launch astronauts to the International Space Station remains in limbo after an incident last week at the Baikonur base in Kazakhstan.

Inside the Bird-Flu Vaccine Trial for Monk Seals
Science, December 1

After the virus returned to Hawaii this fall, testing the shots in the endangered seal species became urgent.

At Last, a Name for the Murderous Face in a Holocaust Photo
Science, November 28

With the help of A.I., a historian has identified the killer in a 1941 image that defined the savagery of the Nazi regime.

To Get a Man’s Attention, Meow Harder
Science, November 27

In a small study, pet cats greeted male owners with more vocalizations than they did female caregivers.

Paul Ekman, Who Linked Facial Expressions to Universal Emotions, Dies at 91
Science, November 26

Often called the world’s most famous face reader, he inspired the TV show ‘Lie to Me.’ But some questioned his assumption that human expressions were ‘pan-cultural.’

La NASA descubre relámpagos en Marte
En español, November 26

El rover Perseverance recogió pruebas sonoras de descargas eléctricas en la atmósfera del planeta rojo.

NASA Rover Makes a Shocking Discovery: Lightning on Mars
Science, November 26

The Perseverance rover picked up audio evidence of electric discharges in the red planet’s atmosphere.

Did the Giant Heads of Easter Island Once Walk?
Science, November 26

Scholars have long debated how the massive stone figures of Rapa Nui got to where they stand today. A new study offers one possible explanation.

U.S. Nuclear Arms Chief Warns Against Leaks of Secret Information
Science, November 26

The email sent to atom bomb officials by Brandon Williams highlights the managerial challenge faced by the former one-term congressman.

He’s Beautiful, but He Has a Huge Blind Spot
Science, November 26

Males of two species of pheasants seem to trade attractiveness for the ability to get a good look at predators.

A Volcano in Ethiopia Spews Ash Into Asia, Disrupting Flights
World, November 25

The ash cloud drifted over northern India, causing some flight delays and cancellations, and continued toward China.

Seal Milk Is the Cream of the Molecular Crop
Science, November 25

You won’t be drinking it any time soon, but the aquatic mammal’s milk is much more chemically complex than that of other mammals, including humans.

Mapping the Sense of What’s Going On Inside
Science, November 25

Scientists are learning how the brain knows what’s happening throughout the body, and how that process might go awry in some psychiatric disorders.

The Forgotten Nuclear Weapon Tests That Trump May Seek to Revive
Science, November 24

Hydronuclear experiments, barred globally since the 1990s, may lie behind President Trump’s call last month for the United States to resume its testing of nuclear bombs.

Is There a Little Wolf in Your Chihuahua?
Science, November 24

New studies of canine genetics shed light on the diversity of dogs and our longstanding, still-evolving relationship to them.

Gramma, a Galápagos Tortoise at the San Diego Zoo, Dies at About 141
Science, November 24

She traveled through her long life at her own pace.

In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Locals Fight for ‘The Right to Night’
Science, November 24

Industrialization in the mostly rural northern part of the state has some residents pushing for protection of the region’s dark skies.

How to Talk to Whales
Opinion, November 23

This is not your average chatbot.

Lemurs in Madagascar Face an Unexpected Killer
Science, November 22

Thousands of the endangered primates end up on the dinner plates of people in the upper rung of the country’s society who have money to spare.

Por qué los anillos de Saturno parecen casi invisibles
En español, November 21

El fin de semana, las órbitas de la Tierra y Saturno se cruzarán para crear una ilusión óptica interplanetaria que se podrá ver con un buen telescopio y cielos despejados.

Why the Rings of Saturn Seem as if They’re About to Disappear
Science, November 21

During the weekend, the orbits of Earth and Saturn will combine to create an interplanetary optical illusion for anyone with a good telescope and clear skies.

La Luna se gestó en casa
En español, November 21

Nuevas investigaciones sugieren que Tea, el objeto cuya colisión con la Tierra, se teoriza, causó la formación de la Luna, provino de una región cerca del Sol.

Anonymous Bidder Pays Nearly $1 Million for Secret to Decode C.I.A. Sculpture
Science, November 21

The creator of the Kryptos panels, Jim Sanborn, sought to unburden himself of the puzzle, and then discovered before an auction he had archived its solution in the Smithsonian.

Stephen Anderson, Linguist Who Refuted Doctor Dolittle, Dies at 82
Science, November 20

In “Doctor Dolittle’s Delusion,” he argued that language is a biological system unique to humans, despite the widespread belief to the contrary.

The Moon Was an Inside Job
Science, November 20

New research suggests that Theia, the object whose collision with Earth is theorized to have caused the formation of the moon, came from closer to the sun.

¿Cuánto tiempo dura la comida que sobra?
En español, November 20

Aunque no hay reglas rígidas, seguir estas recomendaciones reducirán el riesgo de acabar con comida en mal estado.

Indonesia’s Mount Semeru Erupts and Rains Ash on Villages
World, November 20

Mount Semeru on the island of Java is one of the Indonesia’s most active volcanoes. Its latest eruption forced hundreds to flee their homes.

NASA Releases Images of Comet 3I/ATLAS: It ‘Doesn’t Look Like a Spacecraft’
Science, November 19

With the government reopened, the space agency at last released pictures captured by a fleet of government spacecraft of an object that came from beyond our solar system.

Data Centers in Space
Video, November 19

Kevin Roose and Casey Newton, the hosts of “Hard Fork,” discuss Google’s Project Suncatcher, one of a number of companies’ ambitious plans to build solar-powered data centers in space. As the demands for electricity increase, is this our only option?

Kissing Has Existed for at Least 16 Million Years, Scientists Say
Science, November 19

And humans are far from the only species locking lips.

La esposa de una astronauta se declara culpable de alegar falsamente un delito desde el espacio
En español, November 19

Summer Worden admitió haber mentido a agentes federales cuando acusó a su pareja, la astronauta Anne McClain, de acceder ilegalmente a su cuenta bancaria desde la Estación Espacial Internacional.

Wife of Astronaut Pleads Guilty to Falsely Alleging Crime in Space
U.S., November 18

Summer Worden admitted lying to federal agents when she accused her spouse, the astronaut Anne McClain, of illegally accessing her bank account from space.

A Voyage Into the Art of Finding One’s Way at Sea
Science, November 18

Scientists and Indigenous sailors in the Marshall Islands are studying seafaring and the human brain.

Video Reveals How Far Wolves Will Go to Steal a Meal
Science, November 17

After a wolf dragged a crab trap out of water to get a snack, some scientists said the behavior revealed their ability to use tools.

Cómo ver la lluvia de estrellas de las Leónidas
En español, November 17

Este fenómeno produce algunos de los meteoros más rápidos del año, con colas brillantes y largas. Estará activo hasta el 20 de noviembre.

Parasitic Queen: Now She’s Stealing an Ant Fief
Science, November 17

Experts discovered an unusual form of regicide in which a parasitic ant queen tricks workers in a colony into turning on their own mother.

We Can Now Track Individual Monarch Butterflies. It’s a Revelation.
Science, November 17

Scientists used tiny new sensors to follow the insects on journeys that take thousands of miles to their winter colonies in Mexico.

Hochul Urged to Ban Horseshoe Crab Fishing
Science, November 15

Supporters of the legislation argue it would protect a declining horseshoe crab population, while opponents warn it will harm the commercial fishing industry.

El científico de Harvard, Kim Kardashian y el cometa que quizá no sea una nave extraterrestre
En español, November 15

Los científicos que estudian los cometas están luchando por mantenerse al día con la especulación popular de que el objeto interestelar 3I/ATLAS fue enviado a nuestro sistema solar por una inteligencia extraterrestre.

La misión más reciente de la NASA a Marte es inusual en varios aspectos
En español, November 15

ESCAPADE, que se lanzó al espacio el jueves en un cohete de Blue Origin, rompe el molde de cómo suelen desarrollarse las misiones de ciencia planetaria.

The Building Blocks of Life Were Just the Beginning
Books, November 14

In “Crick: A Mind in Motion,” the British biologist Matthew Cobb provides a biography both vivid and authoritative.

How to Watch the Leonids Meteor Shower Reach Its Peak
Science, November 14

The moon is far from full this weekend, which could mean good fireball viewing for night sky watchers.

Almost Everything About NASA’s Latest Mission to Mars Is Unusual
Science, November 14

The ESCAPADE mission, which launched to space on a Blue Origin rocket on Thursday, breaks the mold of how planetary science missions typically come together.

The Dogs of 8,000 B.C. Were Amazingly Diverse
Science, November 13

The staggering array of modern dog breeds is typically traced to the Victorian era. But half of all canine variation was in place roughly 10,000 years ago, a new study suggests.

Blue Origin to Launch NASA’s ESCAPADE Mission to Mars: How to Watch
Science, November 13

This will be the second flight of the orbital rocket from Jeff Bezos’ space company and will include a key test of whether it can land a booster stage for later reuse.

Bird Flu Ravaged the World’s Largest Elephant Seal Population, Study Finds
Science, November 13

After the H5N1 virus hit the remote island of South Georgia in 2023, more than 50,000 breeding females may have disappeared.

Northern Lights Are Beautiful, but They’re Risky for Satellites
Science, November 13

At least one space launch has been put on hold, as satellite operators and rocket companies manage the effects of the current geomagnetic storm hitting Earth.

America Is Abandoning One of the Greatest Medical Breakthroughs
Opinion, August 18

Giving up on mRNA is a dangerous decision.

F.D.A. Approves Novavax Covid Vaccine With Stricter New Conditions
Science, May 17

The agency narrowed who can get the shot and added new study requirements that could cost the company tens of millions.

Genetic Study Retraces the Origins of Coronaviruses in Bats
Science, May 7

As China and the United States trade charges of a lab leak, researchers contend in a new paper that the Covid pandemic got its start, like a previous one, in the wildlife trade.

On New Website, Trump Declares Lab Leak as ‘True Origins’ of Covid
Science, April 18

The White House has thrown its weight behind the lab leak theory, an idea that has divided intelligence agencies.

Covid Learning Losses
N Y T Now, February 11

We explain the ways students haven’t recovered.

American Children’s Reading Skills Reach New Lows
National, January 29

With little post-pandemic recovery, experts wonder if screen time and school absence are among the causes.

U.S. Students Posted Dire Math Declines on an International Test
National, December 4

On the test, American fourth and eighth graders posted results similar to scores from 1995. It was a sign of notable stagnation, even as other countries saw improvements.

Hoping for Allies Among Trump’s Health Picks, Pharma Faces Hostility
Science, November 27

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other candidates for top health posts are at odds with the drug industry, setting the stage for tense battles over regulatory changes.

The Education Crisis Neither Candidate Will Address
Op Ed, October 9

Covid learning loss and chronic absenteeism aren’t going to fix themselves

Fauci Grilled by Lawmakers on Masks, Vaccine Mandates and Lab Leak Theory
Science, June 3

Dr. Fauci testified before a House panel investigating Covid’s origins. The panel found emails suggesting that his aides were skirting public records laws.

Supernova or Coronavirus: Can You Tell the Difference?
Science, May 21

A scientist finds beauty in the “visual synonyms” that exist in images seen through microscopes and telescopes.

U.S. Tightens Rules on Risky Virus Research
Science, May 7

A long-awaited new policy broadens the type of regulated viruses, bacteria, fungi and toxins, including those that could threaten crops and livestock.

Republicans Step Up Attacks on Scientist at Heart of Lab Leak Theory
Science, May 1

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

Biotech Exec Gets 7 Years in Prison for False Claims About Rapid Covid-19 Test
Express, April 13

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.

¿Cuál es la siguiente fase del coronavirus?
En español, March 23

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?
Science, March 22

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
Science, March 18

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
Science, February 25

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
Science, January 18

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
Science, November 21

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
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.