T/science

Scientists Find a Fossilized Ancestor of ‘Dinosaur Food’

This ancient plant might be even more ancient than paleobotanists once believed.

Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker

A look at all the vaccines that have reached trials in humans.

La basura espacial podría convertirse en un gran problema durante las próximas décadas

Los cambios en la atmósfera causados por las emisiones de dióxido de carbono podrían aumentar la cantidad de escombros que permanece en órbita.

The United States has beaten the variants, for now.

‘Out of the Void’: Teenagers Eager for Vaccination

Ready for a return to pep rallies and proms, these youngsters were quick to roll up their sleeves.

China’s Mars Rover Mission Lands on the Red Planet

The success establishes China as a principal contender in what some see as a new era of space competition.

Breathing Through the Rectum Saves Oxygen-Starved Mice and Pigs

Japanese scientists who studied an unusual method of delivering oxygen in mammals hope to one day try it in people.

The 1,000-Year Secret That Made Betta Fish Beautiful

Scientists found that the fish were gradually domesticated like dog breeds into the beautiful shapes and colors that turn up today in pet stores.

After the pandemic, will more Americans wear masks for colds and flu?

The Moon, Mars and Beyond: China’s Ambitious Plans in Space

The country’s high-profile Mars mission is one of many on its schedule as it seeks to challenge American dominance of space exploration.

Another Group of Scientists Calls for Further Inquiry Into Origins of the Coronavirus

Researchers urge an open mind, saying lack of evidence leaves theories of natural spillover and laboratory leak both viable.

Extraterrestrial Plutonium Atoms Turn Up on Ocean Bottom

The rare form of the element found on the Pacific seabed points to its violent birth in colliding stars.

At Mating Time, These Ants Carry Their Young Queen to a Neighbor’s Nest

The royal matchmaking service may help these insects avoid inbreeding.

Should We Stash Our Masks for Cold and Flu Season?

Wearing a mask when you’re sick is common in East Asia, but there’s no tidy scientific consensus on how much it limits the spread of respiratory illnesses.

Even if You Think Discussing Aliens Is Ridiculous, Just Hear Me Out

How would contact with U.F.O.s and other civilizations change ours?

What if Space Junk and Climate Change Become the Same Problem?

Changes to the atmosphere caused by carbon dioxide emissions could increase the amount of debris that stays in orbit.

Scientists warn U.S. lawmakers about the continued threat of coronavirus variants.

At a House subcommittee hearing, witnesses emphasize the need for much more genome sequencing, data-sharing and research to track virus mutations and their effects.

“I don’t see a lot going well for them”: Novavax announces more delays for its vaccine

One of the World’s Longest-Running Experiments Sends Up Sprouts

After lying dormant in buried bottles for 142 years, 11 seeds germinated on the Michigan State University campus after scientists planted them.

Humans Have Been Sharing Food With Animals for Centuries. Why Is That?

Researchers want to learn more about the connections between humans and the feeding of birds, beasts and other fauna.

The Price They Pay for Your Perfect Vacation Photo

Scientists are concerned about unregulated feeding of ocean wildlife by tour operators.

Can You Have More Than 150 Friends?

A new study questions that figure, known as Dunbar’s number. The Oxford professor for whom it is named, Robin Dunbar, dismissed the findings as “absolutely bonkers.”

Bye-Bye, Bennu: NASA Heads Back to Earth With Asteroid Stash in Tow

The OSIRIS-REX mission will spend two years cruising home with space rock samples that could unlock secrets of the early solar system.

The Birds and the Buoys: Using Googly Eyes to Avert Extinction

A pair of looming eyes could scare away seabirds from fishing nets in which they are often entangled.

China Says Debris From Its Rocket Landed Near Maldives

Most of the debris burned up on re-entry Sunday morning, China said. The head of NASA accused it of “failing to meet responsible standards.”

Los restos de un cohete chino caerán sobre la Tierra: expertos advierten que eso es un peligroso descuido

Las posibilidades de que impacte con una zona poblada son mínimas, pero existen. Eso ha suscitado dudas sobre el diseño de las misiones espaciales chinas.

NASA Mars Helicopter Makes One-Way Flight to New Mission

Ingenuity has flown almost flawlessly through the red planet’s thin air and will now assist the science mission of the Perseverance rover.

NASA Mars Helicopter Makes One-Way Flight to New Mission

Ingenuity has flown almost flawlessly through the red planet’s thin air and will now assist the science mission of the Perseverance rover.

You Can Run From Archaeology, but You Can’t Hide

Plus: A plummeting rocket, a superstar ant, staff recommendations and more in the Friday edition of the Science Times newsletter.

From the Wastewater Drain, Solid Pandemic Data

The coronavirus could turn sewage surveillance into a mainstream public health practice.

From the Wastewater Drain, Solid Pandemic Data

The coronavirus could turn sewage surveillance into a mainstream public health practice.

Meet the Other Social Influencers of the Animal Kingdom

Culture, once considered exclusive to humans, turns out to be widespread in nature.

Heads Up! A Used Chinese Rocket Is Tumbling Back to Earth This Weekend.

The chances of it hitting a populated area are small, but not zero. That has raised questions about how the country’s space program designs its missions.

Space Aged: Bottle of Wine From Space Station Could Sell for $1 Million

The bottle of Pétrus from 2000 — which is being sold by Christie’s — comes with a second bottle of “terrestrial” wine, a custom trunk, a decanter, glasses and a corkscrew crafted from a meteorite.

Grumpy Dogs Outperform the Friendlies on Some Learning Tests

Dogs that would not be the first choice of many pet owners do better than some of the more agreeable fellows when they have to learn from a stranger.

Grumpy Dogs Outperform the Friendlies on Some Learning Tests

Dogs that would not be the first choice of many pet owners do better than some of the more agreeable fellows when they have to learn from a stranger.

SpaceX Successfully Lands Starship Prototype

The SN15 Starship prototype touched down in one piece after a brief test flight over Texas on Wednesday. Several previous landings had ended in fiery explosions.

Coming Soon to a Hallowed Hall of Spaceflight: An X-Wing Fighter

Starting late next year, an X-wing from “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” will go on display at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington.

A Moderna vaccine booster will be effective against some variants, a trial indicates.

A booster, administered six to eight months after the initial vaccination, increased the level of antibodies against variants first identified in South Africa and Brazil.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is incredibly effective against severe disease caused by two variants, studies say.

It does not protect against all infections, but it prevents the most serious outcomes, according to findings by Pfizer and Israel’s Health Ministry.

Bidding Opens for a Seat on Blue Origin’s First Passenger Space Flight

Blue Origin has teased space tourism for years. Its first flight with people on board launches July 20.

Flat Pasta That Turns Into 3-D Shapes — Just Add Boiling Water

The engineers are in the kitchen, again.

His Ship Vanished in the Arctic 176 Years Ago. DNA Has Offered a Clue.

For the first time, researchers have identified the remains of a sailor from the doomed 1845 Franklin expedition of the fabled Northwest Passage.

A ‘Right Stuff’ for Our Moment of Space Travel

In “Test Gods,” Nicholas Schmidle tells the story of Virgin Galactic’s space program, with a focus on the astronauts who are charting new frontiers.

Child’s Grave Is Earliest Known Burial Site in Africa

A child laid to rest in 78,000 years ago, yields clues to early human burials in East Africa.

Watch the Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower Peak in Night Skies

Meteor showers can light up night skies from dusk to dawn, and if you’re lucky you might be able to catch a glimpse.

Helen Murray Free Dies at 98; Chemist Developed Diabetes Test

She and her husband invented a dip-and-read paper strip that greatly simplified the diagnosis of the disease and paved the way for home test kits.

Reaching herd immunity is unlikely in the U.S., experts now believe.

To Solve 3 Cold Cases, This Small County Got a DNA Crash Course

Forensic genealogy helped nab the Golden State Killer in 2018. Now investigators across the country are using it to revisit hundreds of unsolved crimes.

Andy Weir’s New Space Odyssey

A new novel from “The Martian” author is slightly more out there, but it still has plenty of particle physics.

SpaceX Makes First Nighttime Splashdown With Astronauts Since 1968

Crew-1, which launched to the space station in November, left the space station in the capsule called Resilience.

Watch SpaceX Fly 4 Astronauts for Late Night Splash Down

The members of Crew-1, who launched from Earth in November, undocked from the space station on their way home in the capsule called Resilience.

NASA Extends Ingenuity Helicopter’s Mission on Mars

NASA said on Friday that it would continue tests of the Ingenuity helicopter by another 30 Martian days, moving from a technology demonstration to studies of how it can support the Perseverance rover.

NASA’s Mars Helicopter Flies Again and Gets a New Mission

Ahead of a successful fourth flight, the agency announced that Ingenuity would continue to fly beyond its original monthlong mission.

Guess Which Creature Made Mysterious Trails on the Ocean Floor

Something with no legs, no feet and no skeleton is crawling around down there, scientists say.

A 22-Million-Year Journey From the Asteroid Belt to Botswana

Astronomers reconstructed a space rock’s path before it exploded over southern Africa in 2018 and sprinkled the Kalahari with meteorites.

This ‘Angry’ Bird Is the Most Photogenic, Research Finds

Researchers in Germany reviewed more than 27,000 images to identify the world’s “most Instagrammable bird.” An odd-looking nocturnal species native to Australia and Southeast Asia stood out, they said.

Biden Has Elevated the Job of Science Adviser. Is That What Science Needs?

The Senate is considering Eric S. Lander’s nomination after months of delay. Some experts ask if an adviser can actually have an impact.

Michael Collins, ‘Third Man’ of the Moon Landing, Dies at 90

Orbiting dozens of miles above the lunar surface, he kept solitary watch of the Apollo command module as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin embarked for the moon.

How Mask Guidelines Have Evolved

Officials offered mixed messages about masks in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic before embracing them as a simple but effective tool for slowing the spread of Covid-19.

Baby Mammoths Were Meals for These Saber-Tooth Cats

Fossils from a Texas site suggest that the predatory felines not only snatched mammoths from their herds, but dragged the remains back to their cave.

These Materials Could Make Science Fiction a Reality

Metamaterials, which could improve smartphones and change how we use other technology, allow scientists to control light waves in new ways.

They Call It a ‘Women’s Disease.’ She Wants to Redefine It.

As a bioengineer, Linda Griffith once grew a human ear on the back of a mouse. Now she is reframing endometriosis as a key to unlocking some of biology’s greatest secrets.

An Artist Sketches the Giant Gender Gap on the Moon

By drawing the small number of lunar craters named for women, an artist hopes to highlight women’s contributions to the sciences.

Jeff Bezos’ Rocket Company Challenges NASA Over SpaceX Moon Lander Deal

The space agency picked Elon Musk’s company over two other bidders to take its astronauts back to the lunar surface.

Where Does a Candle Go When It Burns?

Just saying, maybe go easy with the candelabras.

‘Nothing Short of Amazing’: NASA Mars Helicopter Makes Longest Flight Yet

Ingenuity made a 328-foot round-trip journey, helping to demonstrate the capability of the vehicle’s navigation system.

4 Astronauts Float Into the International Space Station and Open Arms

The crew arrived on Saturday on the Dragon Endeavour, a spacecraft built by SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space exploration company.

What Doomed the Great City of Cahokia? Not Ecological Hubris, Study Says.

Excavations at the city, famous for its pre-Columbian mounds, challenge the idea that residents destroyed the city through wood clearing.

A piece of debris whizzes past the Crew Dragon

The crew were forced to put their spacesuits during their trip to the space station.

Who else may SpaceX launch into orbit soon?

Now launching to the space station: Vaccinated astronauts.

All four members of SpaceX's Crew-2 mission got their shots recently.

It’s Going to Be Weird, but We Need to Learn to Live With Germs Again

The health of our bodies and microbiomes may depend on society’s return to lifestyles that expose us to bacteria, despite the risks.

Is Russia leaving the International Space Station?

Is Russia leaving the International Space Station?

What’s on the menu for the astronauts in orbit?

The astronauts have suited up ahead of their launch.

The astronauts have departed for the launchpad.

The four astronauts have boarded the Crew Dragon capsule.

An hour before launch, the countdown is proceeding smoothly.

“It’s great to be back in space,” said the mission’s commander.

Under darkness, Crew Dragon launched toward the space station.

Who are the astronauts?

What will happen during the trip?

SpaceX to Launch Astronauts for NASA: How to Watch

It will be the third flight of the company’s Crew Dragon capsule with people onboard.

NASA’s Mars Ingenuity Helicopter Completes Second Flight

Ingenuity, Nasa’s experimental helicopter on Mars, soared higher and longer during its second test flight, on Thursday, than it did during its first flight, on Monday.

Thomas Brock, Whose Discovery Paved the Way for PCR Tests, Dies at 94

In 1966, he found heat-resistant bacteria in a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park. That led to the development of the chemical process behind the coronavirus test.

It’s Dinner Time on the Space Station. Lobster or Beef Bourguignon?

Earth’s gastronomical delights are being adapted to life in orbit.

A study finds increased long-term health risks from mild to moderate Covid cases.

¿Cómo se le dice a un montón de agujeros negros?

Hay manadas de ballenas y parvadas de gansos. Ahora los astrónomos se preguntan qué término plural podría resultar más apropiado para la entidad más enigmática del cosmos.

What Do You Call a Bunch of Black Holes: A Crush? A Scream?

There are pods of whales and gaggles of geese. Now astronomers are wondering which plural term would best suit the most enigmatic entity in the cosmos.

The Flu Vanished During Covid. What Will Its Return Look Like?

The latest flu season, which normally would have run until next month, essentially never happened.

Does Your Pet Have Separation Anxiety? Or Do You?

If you’re going back to work, and leaving your furry companion, we want to hear from you.

The Lyrids Meteor Shower Will Peak in Night Skies

Meteor showers can light up night skies from dusk to dawn, and if you’re lucky you might be able to catch a glimpse.

One of the World’s Oldest Science Experiments Comes Up From the Dirt

Every 20 years under the cover of darkness, scientists dig up seeds that were stashed 142 years ago beneath a college campus.

Some Male Birds Fly Under False Colors to Attract Mates, Study Suggests

Elaborate feather microstructures allow male tanagers to enhance their colors, making them seem as if they are higher quality mates.

A New Bird Flu Jumps to Humans. So Far, It’s Not a Problem.

Covid fuels the current virus pandemic, but the world is full of flu viruses waiting in the wings. And they keep changing unpredictably.

A New Bird Flu Jumps to Humans. So Far, It’s Not a Problem.

Covid fuels the current virus pandemic, but the world is full of flu viruses waiting in the wings. And they keep changing unpredictably.

A Helicopter Flies on Mars

NASA on Monday hailed its “Wright brothers moment” when a small robotic helicopter named Ingenuity took off on Mars. Here’s what to know.

Video of NASA’s Mars Helicopter in Flight

NASA’s Ingenuity, a small robotic helicopter, took its initial flight over Mars on Monday making history as the first powered aircraft from Earth to fly on another planet.

Neil deGrasse Tyson Thinks Science Can Reign Supreme Again

“In the 1960s, while we’re going to the moon, you didn’t need special programs to get people interested.”

NASA’s Mars Helicopter Completes First Flight on Another Planet

The brief test of the experimental vehicle called Ingenuity shows how explorers can study the red planet from the sky as well as the ground.

Revisiting the Unusual Celebrity of Stephen Hawking

In “Hawking Hawking,” Charles Seife offers a portrait of the famous theoretical physicist and tries to unpack his place in popular culture.

Your Thoughts on Muons Upending Physics

A story this week that involved wobbling muons, particle colliders, a Costco parking lot and the possible rewriting of the laws of physics drew an array of enthusiastic comments.

Calls for Further Inquiries Into Coronavirus Origins

In addition to outside calls for new inquiries, the W.H.O. team of scientists also suggested pursuit of other avenues including reviews of samples from blood banks.

Ouvrir les fenêtres, essentiel à la réouverture des écoles

Une simulation des flux d’air dans une vraie salle de classe à New York montre que des mesures simples de ventilation peuvent réduire le risque d’exposition au coronavirus.

In 100 Years, People Will Say …

We asked scientists, community leaders and public health experts to predict what might be said a century from now.

What Do Vaccine Efficacy Numbers Actually Mean?

All of the F.D.A.-authorized vaccines offer strong protection against Covid-19, and assessing their efficacy isn’t as simple as a head-to-head comparison.

Para reabrir las escuelas hay que abrir las ventanas

Una simulación del flujo de aire en un aula real de la ciudad de Nueva York muestra que la simple ventilación y la filtración pueden reducir la probabilidad de exposición al coronavirus.

Why Opening Windows Is a Key to Reopening Schools

A simulation of airflow in a real New York City classroom shows how simple ventilation and filtration can reduce the probability of coronavirus exposure.

It’s Been a Busy Month on Mars

When NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on the red planet on Thursday, it was the end of a bustling cycle of activity.

Sync your calendar with the solar system

Never miss an eclipse, a meteor shower, a rocket launch or any other astronomical and space event that's out of this world.

How the Novavax Vaccine Works

Using a coronavirus protein to train the immune system.

The Year in Spaceflight

It started with a literal bang.

Which Animal Best Embodies 2020?

It was a rough year for Homo sapiens.

How Chuck Yeager’s ‘Right Stuff’ Hit the Screen

The test pilot, who died Monday at 97, inspired generations after he was featured in the book and film “The Right Stuff.” Here’s how it came about.

Coronavirus Vaccine Tracker

A look at all the vaccines that have reached trials in humans.

How Moderna’s Vaccine Works

Two shots can prime the immune system to fight the coronavirus.

How Pfizer’s Vaccine Works

Two shots can prime the immune system to fight the coronavirus.

The Social Life of Forests

Trees appear to communicate and cooperate through subterranean networks of fungi. What are they sharing with one another?

Designed to Deceive: Do These People Look Real to You?

The people in this story may look familiar, like ones you’ve seen on Facebook or Twitter or Tinder. But they don’t exist. They were born from the mind of a computer, and the technology behind them is improving at a startling pace.

20 Years Aboard the International Space Station

Twenty years ago today, three astronauts stepped aboard the International Space Station. Since then, the I.S.S. has hosted hundreds of residents from many countries. This is a history of our first 20 years of living aboard.

5 Strange Facts About Quokkas

They are curious, bold and known for their adorable grins. They follow tourists around and even “pose” for photos.

Can You Spot One of These Migrating Birds?

More than 500 bird species in North America migrate in the fall, so it’s a great time to whip out the binoculars.

What’s Behind Those Colorful Leaves?

It may seem like magic, but each leaf’s new look comes from chemical changes happening within.

Exploring the Solar System

A guide to the spacecraft beyond Earth’s orbit.

Meet the 3 Spacecraft Heading to Mars This Summer

Three missions are headed to Mars this summer. They carry a wide array of instruments to explore the red planet.

Tratamientos y medicamentos para el coronavirus: monitoreo de efectividad

Una lista actualizada de tratamientos potenciales para la COVID-19.

SpaceX Postpones Launch of Two NASA Astronauts

The Crew Dragon launch is now scheduled for Saturday at 3:22 p.m. Eastern time.

Following Comet SWAN

A newly discovered comet is swinging around the sun.

Así muta y se propaga el coronavirus

El virus ha mutado. Pero eso no significa que se esté volviendo más mortal.

This 3-D Simulation Shows Why Social Distancing Is So Important

We visualized a cough to show how far respiratory droplets can spread. If you haven’t been keeping your distance to fight the coronavirus, this may persuade you.

Apollo 13: As They Shot It

Surviving disaster, in the astronauts’ words and photographs.

Bad News Wrapped in Protein: Inside the Coronavirus Genome

The virus injects a tiny but remarkably complex strand of RNA into infected cells.

Así secuestra tus células el coronavirus

El intrincado viaje que sigue en el cuerpo el virus que causa COVID-19.

Así secuestra tus células el coronavirus

El intrincado viaje que sigue en el cuerpo el virus que causa COVID-19.

How Coronavirus Hijacks Your Cells

The intricate journey of the virus that causes Covid-19.