Infinite Visions Were Hiding in the First Black Hole Image’s Rings
Science, Yesterday
Scientists proposed a technique that would allow us to see more of the unseeable.
Uranus Ejected a Giant Plasma Bubble During Voyager 2’s Visit
Science, March 27
The planet is shedding its atmosphere into the void, a signal that was recorded but overlooked in 1986 when the robotic spacecraft flew past.
Flattening the Coronavirus Curve
Science, March 27
One chart explains why slowing the spread of the infection is nearly as important as stopping it.
Significance of Pangolin Viruses in Human Pandemic Remains Murky
Science, March 26
Scientists haven’t found evidence that the new coronavirus jumped from pangolins to people, but they do host very similar viruses
Neanderthals Feasted on Seafood, Seabirds, Perhaps Even Dolphins
Science, March 26
Scientists say that a discovery in a seaside Portuguese cave further challenges popular images of Neanderthals as meat-eating brutes.
Fossils Show Raptors Prowled North America Late in Dinosaurs’ Era
Science, March 26
They were smaller than the creatures that savaged “Jurassic Park,” but may have had superior ability to stalk and take down prey.
Pablo Escobar’s Hippos Fill a Hole Left Since Ice Age Extinctions
Science, March 26
Invasive herbivore mammals seem to restore functions missing in some food webs and ecosystems since the Pleistocene era.
Pasé un año en el espacio y tengo algunos consejos sobre el aislamiento
en Español, March 25
Aprende de alguien que simplemente no podía salir.
Jane Goodall Is Self-Isolating, Too
Science, March 25
She’s in England, in the house she grew up in, and she has a few thoughts about chimpanzees, the coronavirus pandemic and the loo paper shortage.
Chimp Sanctuaries Restrict Visits Over Concerns About the Coronavirus
Science, March 24
There’s a possibility chimpanzees could be susceptible to Covid-19, so sanctuaries are taking precautions.
A Medical Class ‘Minted by the Pandemic’
Science, March 24
Across the nation, medical students are graduating directly into the path of an epic health crisis.
You’ve Got Mail. Will You Get the Coronavirus?
Science, March 24
The practice of disinfecting mail dates back to the invention of quarantine. There’s little evidence it needs to be invoked today.
Welcome to the Virosphere
Science, March 24
SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the pandemic, belongs to one of 6,828 named species of virus. Hundreds of thousands more species are known, with perhaps trillions waiting to be found.
Remember When Japan Blasted an Asteroid? Here’s What We Learned
Science, March 23
The Hayabusa2 spacecraft’s explosive encounter reveals that a space rock called Ryugu looks extremely young for its age.
When Coronavirus Closes Your Lab, Can Science Go On?
Science, March 23
Plenty of work can be done from home, but the pandemic is forcing some parts of the scientific process to be put on the shelf.
The Search for E.T. Goes on Hold, for Now
Science, March 23
A popular screen saver takes a break while its inventors try to digest data that may yet be hiding news of extraterrestrials.
Scientists Identify 69 Drugs to Test Against the Coronavirus
Science, March 22
Two dozen of the medicines are already under investigation. Also on the list: chloroquine, a drug used to treat malaria.
Daniel S. Greenberg, Science Journalist and Iconoclast, Dies at 88
Science, March 22
He challenged peers who acted as “cheerleaders” for science, and influenced government science policy with a Washington-based newsletter.
Geese May Not Inspire You, but They Certainly Take Your Mind Off the Virus
Science, March 22
Watching birds that do not practice social distancing is a nice break from washing your hands and disinfecting friends.
I Spent a Year in Space, and I Have Tips on Isolation to Share
Opinion, March 21
Take it from someone who couldn’t: Go outside.
I Spent a Year in Space, and I Have Tips on Isolation to Share
Opinion, March 21
Take it from someone who couldn’t: Go outside.
A Different Way to Chart the Spread of Coronavirus
Health, March 20
Those skyrocketing curves tell an alarming story. But logarithmic graphs can help reveal when the pandemic begins to slow.
What’s Happening to the Monarch Butterfly Population?
Science, March 20
“Something’s going on in early spring,” a professor said, and researchers are trying to solve the mystery.
Coronavirus Delays Work on NASA’s Moon Rocket and Capsule
Science, March 19
Work will be suspended at two NASA centers, a setback that could end hopes for sending astronauts back to the moon in 2024.
Vampire Bats Know Sharing Blood With Friends Is Good Manners
Science, March 19
After a good blood meal, one bat will share with another, if the other bat is family, or has proved to be a reliable friend.
You Can Help Break the Chain of Transmission
Science, March 19
“Every time each of us stops, or even just delays, an infection is a small victory.”
Complacency, Not Panic, Is the Real Danger
Science, March 19
Only a small minority of people panic under threat, research shows. Far more don’t take the threat seriously enough.
What to Name the Oldest Modern Bird Fossil? Wonderchicken
Science, March 18
Its skull was found in a chunk of rock that went overlooked for nearly two decades.
Alfred M. Worden, Who Orbited the Moon in 1971, Dies at 88
Science, March 18
While two Apollo 15 crewmen roamed the lunar surface on a scientific mission, he took valuable photographs from the space capsule.
Hundreds of Scientists Scramble to Find a Coronavirus Treatment
Science, March 17
In an ambitious international collaboration, researchers have “mapped” proteins in the coronavirus and identified 50 drugs to test against it.
This Mysterious Ancient Structure Was Made of Mammoth Bones
Science, March 17
The ring of skulls, skeletons, tusks and other bones was too large for a roof, scientists say, so what was it for?
Why Birds Are the World’s Best Engineers
Science, March 17
A nest is “a disordered stick bomb,” resilient in ways that humans have hardly begun to understand, much less emulate.
Brawling Monkeys. Wandering Deer. Blame Coronavirus.
Science, March 16
At popular tourist stops in Thailand and Japan, some creatures are going hungry because visitors haven’t been turning up to feed them.
¿Por qué el jabón funciona?
en Español, March 16
A nivel molecular, el jabón rompe las cosas. A nivel de la sociedad, ayuda a mantener todo unido.
They Knew Saber-toothed Tigers Were Big. Then They Found This Skull.
Science, March 14
The find suggests that the prehistoric predators might have been able to feed on even the most giant prey of the Pleistocene era.
These Lab Animals Will Help Fight Coronavirus
Science, March 14
Scientists are ramping up the breeding of lab mice as well as the testing of primates and other animals, but it all takes time.
The Exponential Power of Now
Science, March 13
The explosive spread of coronavirus can be turned to our advantage, two infectious disease experts argue: “But only if we intervene early. That means now.”
Something Else Troubling Is Going Around: Dubious Investments
Business, March 13
As markets plunge, investors are likely to see more pitches from annuity brokers peddling complex products. Buyer beware.
Así secuestra tus células el coronavirus
Interactive, March 13
El intrincado viaje que sigue en el cuerpo el virus que causa COVID-19.
Así secuestra tus células el coronavirus
Interactive, March 13
El intrincado viaje que sigue en el cuerpo el virus que causa COVID-19.
American Astronomy’s Future Goes on Trial in Washington
Science, March 13
As competition with Europe heats up, astronomers pitch their dreams of giant telescopes astride the Earth.
These Ants Have a Revolutionary Escape Strategy
Science, March 13
Why reinvent the wheel when you can become it?
Mapping the Social Network of Coronavirus
Science, March 13
To slow the virus, Alessandro Vespignani and other analysts are racing to model the behavior of its human host.
Why Soap Works
Science, March 13
At the molecular level, soap breaks things apart. At the level of society, it helps hold everything together.
The Army Bombed a Hawaiian Lava Flow. It Didn’t Work.
Science, March 12
It could be tried again if the city of Hilo comes under threat, although many object to such airstrikes.
Coronavirus, Testing Delays Push Europe-Russia Mars Mission to 2022
Science, March 12
“We cannot really cut corners,” said the head of the European Space Agency.
From Pandemic to Social Distancing: A Coronavirus Glossary
Science, March 11
Here are some of the terms and phrases you need to know to understand the virus and how it spreads.
Could an Invasive Snail Save Your Morning Coffee?
Science, March 11
Coffee leaf rust has long been the enemy of coffee growers, but a snail from Southeast Asia may give them hope.
Some Paleontologists Seek Halt to Myanmar Amber Fossil Research
Science, March 11
The substance has driven remarkable discoveries about the prehistoric world, but concerns about its sourcing are growing.
Skull of Smallest Dinosaur Discovered in Amber
Science, March 11
Researchers say it is tinier than the smallest living bird, the bee hummingbird, and raises questions about bird evolution.
For Italians, Dodging Coronavirus Has Become a Game of Chance
World, March 11
Daily life in Italy is now a roll of the dice. Just ask residents of Pavia, once home to a founder of modern probability theory.
For Italians, Dodging Coronavirus Has Become a Game of Chance
World, March 11
Daily life in Italy is now a roll of the dice. Just ask residents of Pavia, once home to a founder of modern probability theory.
How Coronavirus Hijacks Your Cells
Interactive, March 11
The intricate journey of the virus that causes Covid-19.
Flattening the Coronavirus Curve
Science, March 11
One chart explains why slowing the spread of the infection is nearly as important as stopping it.
Sitting Is Bad for Our Health. Should We Squat More Instead?
Well, March 11
Our bodies may be evolutionarily adapted to continual muscular activity, something we don’t achieve with chairs.
Why Didn’t Saturn Eat Titan, Its Biggest Moon?
Science, March 10
New simulations explain how the ringed planet ended up with one giant moon that domineers its tinier siblings.
What if Galileo Had Dropped Bobsleds From the Tower of Pisa?
Science, March 10
Don’t try this experiment in the Piazza del Duomo.
How Siblings’ Gender Can Affect a Child’s Development
Well, March 10
Whether siblings are of the same sex or not can affect how much time children spend with their parents, romantic relationships and risk-taking, research shows.
How Not to Get Sick While Traveling
Travel, March 9
Should you wear a mask? Does airplane travel pose a greater risk? Do hand sanitizers work? Health professionals offer some tips.
How Not to Get Sick While Traveling
Travel, March 9
Should you wear a mask? Does airplane travel pose a greater risk? Do hand sanitizers work? Health professionals offer some tips.
Coronavirus Is Very Different From the Spanish Flu of 1918. Here’s How.
Science, March 9
The fear is similar, but the medical reality is not.
‘Close Call’: NASA-Boeing Investigation of Starliner Flight Finds Lapses
Science, March 6
The uncrewed December space mission could have ended in disaster.
The Networks That Ruled Earth’s Ancient Seas
Science, March 6
Fossils of rangeomorphs, which dominated the oceans more than a half-billion years ago, show the thin threads that connected them.
This Black Hole Blew a Hole in the Cosmos
Science, March 6
The galaxy cluster Ophiuchus was doing just fine until WISEA J171227.81-232210.7 — a black hole several billion times as massive as our sun — burped on it.
There Are 2 Seats Left for This Trip to the International Space Station
Science, March 5
Axiom Space is selling tickets on a SpaceX capsule for a $55 million, 10-day stay on the orbiting outpost that would be the first to involve no governmental space agencies.
The Coronavirus, by the Numbers
Health, March 5
A mathematician who studies the spread of disease explains some of the figures that keep popping up in coronavirus news.
When Voyager 2 Calls Home, Earth Soon Won’t Be Able to Answer
Science, March 4
NASA will spend 11 months upgrading the only piece of its Deep Space Network that can send commands to the probe, which has crossed into interstellar space.
Coronavirus and Your Dog: No Need to Panic Yet
Science, March 4
One dog may have a low-grade infection, but there’s no indication pets get sick or spread the virus.
Lunch With Freeman Dyson, in 196,883 Dimensions
Science, March 3
“Some mathematicians are birds, others are frogs,” Dr. Dyson once wrote. He was both.
Sneezing Dogs, Dancing Bees: How Animals Vote
Science, March 2
The 2020 election is off to a complicated start. Maybe we can draw some comparative political lessons from the animal kingdom.
This Mom Is Still Pregnant. But She’s Already Having Another Baby.
Science, March 2
Female kangaroos and wallabies are known to use both of their uteruses, but the swamp wallaby uses both at the same time.
Surfaces? Sneezes? Sex? How the Coronavirus Can and Cannot Spread
Health, March 2
What you need to know about how the virus is transmitted.
Freeman Dyson’s Quest for Eternal Life
Opinion, March 2
The legendary physicist, who died Friday, envisioned an advanced consciousness encoded into matter, surviving the death of the last star.
I Was the First Woman of Color in Space. Here’s What Katherine Johnson Means to Me.
Opinion, February 29
In my years in NASA and since, I’ve seen the untapped potential of women, particularly women of color.
Why Mars Needs Leap Days, Too
Science, February 28
Alien civilizations on other worlds would need much more awkward contortions to their calendars than we make here on Earth.