The Next Tech Talent Shortage: Quantum Computing Researchers
Business, Yesterday
By some estimates, only 1,000 or so researchers can claim to understand the technology. Finding more could become a national security issue.
Some Plants Thrive in the Shadows
Science, October 19
They don’t need sunlight because they are busy feeding on other organisms.
BepiColombo Launches on Long Journey to Mercury
Science, October 19
The European-Japanese spacecraft will be the third mission to the rocky planet closest to the sun.
Researchers Explore a Cancer Paradox
Science, October 18
Healthy cells carry a surprising number of cancer-linked mutations, but they don’t turn into tumors. What’s holding them back?
With Piranha-Like Teeth, This Prehistoric Predator Never Bit Off More Than It Could Chew
Science, October 18
A fossil discovered in southern Germany is the earliest known flesh-eating bony fish.
Why Southeast Asia and Australia’s Coral Reefs Became So Rich in Species
Science, October 17
Biodiversity is a long game.
Pando, the Most Massive Organism on Earth, Is Shrinking
Science, October 17
The grove of 47,000 quivering aspen trees in Utah is being diminished by mule deer, foraging cattle and human mismanagement.
Why Does ‘First Man’ Say Gemini as ‘Geminee’? NASA Explains. Sorta.
Culture, October 17
The pronunciation of the 1965-66 program is a space agency thing. Sometimes it was pronounced normally. NASA’s chief historian gives the back story.
Scientists Catch Rare Glimpses of the Endangered Vaquita
Science, October 17
An expedition in the Gulf of California yielded photographs and video of a species nearing extinction.
City Rats Eat Meat. Country Rats Eat What They Can.
Science, October 16
New research on rats suggests that Aesop was on to something in his ancient fable, “The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.”
Nature Cursed Indonesia, but It Took Neglect to Make a Disaster
World, October 16
As the city of Palu mourns the dead from an earthquake and tsunami, it is haunted by questions of whether the government could have stemmed the devastation.
Neil deGrasse Tyson on the Surprising Alliance Between Astrophysicists and the Military
Magazine, October 16
Neil deGrasse Tyson on the relationship between science and war, what he would do with a $700 billion research budget and why he’s in favor of a space force.
Elizabeth Warren Has a Native American Ancestor. Does That Make Her Native American?
Science, October 15
The senator’s genetic analysis was sound, scientists said. But whether Ms. Warren may claim a cultural kinship with Native Americans is a very different question.
Rescuing Sea Turtles From Fishermen’s Nets
Science, October 15
An organization on the coast of Kenya tries to persuade local residents to help return the trapped reptiles to the ocean, rather than sell their meat and shells for a living.
Heat and Drought Could Threaten World Beer Supply
Science, October 15
A new study says a warming globe will be bad news for barley, an essential ingredient in the world’s most popular alcoholic beverage.
How an Unlikely Family History Website Transformed Cold Case Investigations
Science, October 15
Fifteen murder and sexual assault cases have been solved since April with a single genealogy website. This is how GEDmatch went from a casual side project to a revolutionary tool.
How Genetic Sleuthing Helped a Kidnapped Girl Recover Her Identity
Interactive, October 15
This is the case that revealed to law enforcement that it’s possible to figure out just about anyone’s identify through their cousins’ DNA.
NASA Is Cooler Than Ryan Gosling
Op Ed, October 13
Heralded in film for its past, but underfunded and underappreciated, the agency continues to give us insight and breakthroughs.
How the Humble Bean Went Global
Science, October 12
Introduced to Europe from the Americas, the common bean was cultivated into a staggering number of varieties.
Tiny Nanoparticles to Treat a Huge Problem: Snakebites
Science, October 12
Snakes kill or cripple 500,000 people a year, but antivenins are costly and rare in poor countries. Now scientists are testing injectable nanoparticles that neutralize venom.
Watch This Blob of Cells Become an Embryo in High-Resolution
Science, October 12
Researchers developed a new microscope that traces embryonic cell movement in real-time, sketching a virtual map of how organ systems develop.
‘Lifeboats’ Amid the World’s Wildfires
Science, October 12
Islands of greenery, called refugia, survive even the worst fires, sheltering species and renewing charred landscapes.
Cats v. Rats? In New York, the Rats Win
Science, October 12
At a recycling plant in Brooklyn, fat, stealthy rats were more than a match for feral cats, scientists found.
Most White Americans’ DNA Can Be Identified Through Genealogy Databases
Science, October 11
A study found that it will soon be possible to identify the DNA of 90 percent of European Americans through cousins in genealogy databases.
Russian Rocket Fails, and 2 Astronauts Make Safe Emergency Return
Science, October 11
The Soyuz craft experienced a problem minutes after liftoff, en route to the International Space Station, but the capsule landed safely.
The Moon Eclipsed the Sun. Then the Bees Stopped Buzzing.
Science, October 10
Researchers worked with a small army of elementary school children to collect audio recordings of bees as they visited flowers along the path of last summer’s total eclipse.
Lights, Camera, Blastoff: SpaceX Rockets Light Up California’s Night Skies
Science, October 9
As SpaceX and other companies use the Vandenberg Air Force Base launch hub near Los Angeles more often, the region can expect more spectacles like the one visible on Sunday.
Plants Can’t Talk. But Some Fruits Say ‘Eat Me’ to Animals.
Science, October 9
Two national parks in Uganda and Madagascar presented researchers with a natural experiment to understand how plants have adapted to appeal to animals that spread their seeds.
What a Frog Needs to Make That Leap
Science, October 9
A study shows that these amphibians may have evolved to jump first before developing a crucial joint that propels them onward.
The Science Behind a Frog’s Leap
Video, October 9
A frog’s leap is a study in power and accuracy. So how do frogs do it, and what can humans learn from its mechanics?
A Mysterious Fossil Points to the Origins of Lizards and Snakes
Science, October 8
The ancestors of today’s squamates were lost in time. Now paleontologists have identified the earliest known example: Meet Megachirella.
How Do You Find an Alien Ocean? Margaret Kivelson Figured It Out
Science, October 8
For forty years, the physicist at U.C.L.A. has been uncovering the outer solar system’s secrets. Few scientists know more about the mysteries of Jupiter and its icy moons.
Hubble Telescope, Disoriented by Mechanical Failure, Takes a Nap to Reboot
Science, October 8
NASA’s observational workhorse enters “safe mode” after a gyroscope malfunctions.
Your Dog May Be Smart, but She’s Not Exceptional
Express, October 8
In a new study, scientists say that dogs do not stand out compared to other animals when it comes to intelligence.
There Are Fat Bears in Alaska, and You Can Vote on Your Favorite
Express, October 7
Katmai National Park in southern Alaska is home to thousands of bears. This week, rangers are celebrating the fattest through an online tournament.
Drunk Birds? How a Small Minnesota City Stumbled Into the Spotlight
Express, October 7
A police chief’s notice that birds were getting tipsy off fermented berries prompted a news media blitz. But experts say there are other explanations.
An Ancient Ant-Bacteria Partnership to Protect Fungus
Science, October 6
Amber specimens indicate that fungus-farming ants have been cooperating with antimicrobial bacteria for tens of millions of years.
Taming the Groundcherry: With Crispr, a Fussy Fruit Inches Toward the Supermarket
Science, October 5
You may have never eaten a groundcherry, but with common gene-editing techniques it and other fruits may be more easily domesticated.
How a Seafloor Blob Became Mexico’s ‘Black Gold’
Science, October 5
A frenzy for sea cucumbers, driven by demand in Asia, has brought their populations near collapse in the waters off the Yucatán Peninsula.
Hidden Stories of Chinese Migration and Culture Found in Giant Genetic Study
Science, October 5
Scientists reported an assortment of findings resulting from a sweeping and novel analysis of data from the prenatal tests of 141,431 participants.
A Tube of DNA? Not Pretty, but That’s Life
Science, October 5
Extracting and purifying DNA is routine now, but the results are not particularly aesthetic.
Viruses Spread by Insects to Crops Sound Scary. The Military Calls It Food Security.
Science, October 4
Critics warn that a Defense Department-funded food security project that is still in the lab could set off a “biological arms race.”
Deep in Human DNA, a Gift From the Neanderthals
Science, October 4
Long ago, Neanderthals probably infected modern humans with viruses, perhaps even an ancient form of H.I.V. But our extinct relatives also gave us genetic defenses.
How Do You Take a Picture of a Black Hole? With a Telescope as Big as the Earth
Magazine, October 4
A planet-spanning virtual observatory, years in the making, could change how we think about space, time and the nature of reality. Will it work?
‘Above and Beyond,’ a Heartening Salute to NASA
Weekend, October 4
Rory Kennedy’s new documentary is an informative chronicle of American achievements in space.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry Goes to a Woman for the Fifth Time in History
Express, October 3
Frances H. Arnold was awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work conducting the directed evolution of enzymes.
Leon Lederman, 96, Explorer (and Explainer) of the Subatomic World, Dies
Obits, October 3
A Nobel laureate who deepened science’s understanding of the building blocks of matter, he was called “the best ambassador of physics to the general public since Einstein.”
Why Elephants Don’t Shed Their Skin
Science, October 3
The cracks in African elephants’ skin help them keep cool and stay healthy. A new explanation for how those cracks form could offer insights into treating a human skin disease.
Psychedelic Mushrooms Are Closer to Medicinal Use (It’s Not Just Your Imagination)
Express, October 3
Researchers say psilocybin, the active compound in the mushrooms, should be reclassified to treat anxiety and depression. But any such move would be years away.
Use of Evolution to Design Molecules Nets Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 3 Scientists
Science, October 3
Frances H. Arnold of the U.S. received half the prize, while her compatriot George P. Smith and Gregory P. Winter of Britain shared the other half.
A Goblin World That Points Toward Hidden Planet Nine in the Solar System
Science, October 2
What astronomers have found about the curious orbit of a small ice world far away reinforces the idea that a large world is hidden out in the solar system.
For Just the Third Time in 117 Years, a Woman Wins the Nobel Prize in Physics
Express, October 2
Donna Strickland did pioneering work with lasers and shared the award with two men on Tuesday. She is the first woman to receive the award in 55 years.
Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded to Scientists Who Put Light to Work
Science, October 2
Arthur Ashkin, Gérard Mourou and Donna Strickland developed tools made of light beams. Dr. Strickland is just the third woman to win the physics prize.
A Man Died After Being Infected With a Brain-Eating Amoeba. Here Are the Facts.
Express, October 1
A New Jersey man contracted the infection after visiting a surf and water park in Texas. Experts say the amoeba is found in warm bodies of fresh water.
A Man Died After Being Infected With Brain-Eating Amoeba. Here’s What You Should Know.
Science, October 1
A New Jersey man contracted the infection after visiting a surf and water park in Texas. Experts say the amoeba is found in warm bodies of fresh water.
Syphilis Rises Sharply Among Newborns
Science, September 28
Along with an increase in adult infections, the rate of infants born with the disease has reached a 20-year high.
Who Wants to Eat a Gooey Jellyfish? Pretty Much Everyone in the Ocean
Science, September 28
Scientists had long assumed that few creatures dined on these gelatinous animals. But new research suggests that jellyfish may be an important part of the ocean’s food supply.
Life With No Males? These Termites Show That It’s Possible
Science, September 28
A discovery among termite colonies in Japan suggests that males can be discarded from advanced societies in which they once played an active role.
How Wet Clothes Become Translucent
Science, September 28
When water replaces air in a fabric, the material itself reflects less light.
Neil Armstrong Walked on the Moon. To These Boys, He Was Just Dad.
Science, September 28
With an upcoming auction of the astronaut’s keepsakes, his sons reflect on an unusual childhood.
Hidden Kingdoms of the Ancient Maya Revealed in a 3-D Laser Map
Science, September 27
Using technology known as lidar, a team of archaeologists found evidence beneath the jungle canopy in Guatemala of how the Mesoamerican civilization altered its landscape.
Killer Whales Face Dire PCBs Threat
Science, September 27
Concentrations of the toxins are very high, lingering in the orcas’ blubber, and are passed from mother to calf.
The Marvelous Filters in the Manta Ray’s Mouth
Science, September 26
The car-sized, kite-shaped fishes don’t have to clear their throats because of their unique method of filtration that could be applied to preventing plastic pollution in the seas.
The Elephant Bird Regains Its Title as the Largest Bird That Ever Lived
Science, September 26
A study seeks to restore the elephant bird’s heavyweight title, finding one member of a previously unidentified genus of the birds could have weighed more than 1,700 pounds.
3-D Printed Implant Gives Patches the Dachshund a New Skull
Express, September 25
Canadian and American veterinarians removed about 70 percent of the dog’s skull to remove a tumor. The gap was so large that more common methods could not cover it.
Hunt of Yellowstone Grizzly Bears Canceled as a Result of Judge’s Ruling
Science, September 25
A federal court decision found that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service erred in stripping the grizzlies’ status as a threatened species.
In the Garden of Eels
Science, September 25
Garden eels anchor themselves in the sand, which helps them feed on drifting plankton in strong currents.
The Strange Life of Garden Eels
Video, September 25
Garden eels use their mucus to anchor themselves to the ocean floor and contort into strange shapes and positions to catch plankton.
How to Stop Poaching and Protect Endangered Species? Forget the ‘Kingpins’
Science, September 24
Authorities keep arresting people said to be bosses of wildlife trafficking, but that isn’t making a dent in the problem.
Among Monarch Butterflies, a New Generation Gap Every Year
Science, September 24
The monarchs that must trek southward skip reproduction and live far longer than their forebears.
What Artists Would Do if They Could Fly to the Moon
Culture, September 24
A Japanese billionaire, Yusaku Maezawa, wants artists to join him on a pioneering spaceflight. We asked some leading candidates about the idea.
Giving Malaria a Deadline
Science, September 24
With a new genetic tool, scientists move a step closer to eradicating mosquitoes and the deadly diseases they carry.