Science News
Citizen Science Groups Grapple With the Rise of A.I. Slop
Facing a flood of A.I. slop, groups bent on democratizing science create new checks and balances.
‘I’m on a War Footing’: Terry Tao and the Crisis in Math
The Fields Medalist and celebrated mathematician is on the front lines of a debate about artificial intelligence and the future of his field.
Inside the Plague Research Labs at the Heart of a Russian Mystery
A Russian researcher, who died from an unknown illness, worked at a remote anti-plague facility. Few foreigners have visited these labs, which dot the former Soviet states, and are shrouded in secrecy.
Bleached Coral Rebounded After Touching Healthy Coral, Study Finds
After sick corals were placed in direct contact with healthy ones of the same genetic make-up, they recovered at “incredible” speed, scientists found.
A New World of Lung Cancer Therapy Awaits Pope Leo
Lung cancer is still a leading cause of cancer death, but that rate is half what it was in the 1990s, partly because newly developed treatments are working.
They Created a Cell That’s Almost Alive. What to Do With It Now?
SpudCells may one day produce new medicines and materials. But first scientists have to improve them — and make sure they aren’t misused.
How Top Trump Officials Stoked Fears of a Nuke That Could Fry the Power Grid
For more than a decade, conservative activists held that a single atomic bomb could, without killing Americans directly, lay waste to the country — a claim that built fervor for war with Iran.
Amit Forlit, the Israeli Private Eye at the Heart of a Climate Hacking Scandal
He’s been linked to someone called “The Hawk.” He named his company “This Isn’t a Dentist’s Office.” The feds say he hacked American environmentalists.
How a Logging Industry Downturn Fuels Wildfires
Loggers are finding it impossible to profitably harvest some federal forests. That leaves more fuel for fires to accumulate.
What Can Four-Winged Dinosaurs Teach Us About Birds?
Flight was probably more widespread in dinosaurs than previously thought. A newly identified species sheds light on how some achieved liftoff.
There’s Worlds Out There More Habitable Than Earth
Scientists believe there are planets outside our solar system where life is even more abundant and sustainable.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Sets a Mars Driving Record
Advances in self-driving technology have made it easier to traverse distant worlds.
He Helped Discover Ebola 50 Years Ago. He’s Still Worried.
In an interview, Dr. Peter Piot recalled when he first saw the spindly virus under a microscope and reflected on a five-decade career spent fighting two deadly pathogens.
How Do Cuttlefish Hide? Scientists Search for the Secret to Camouflage.
Cephalopods are masters of camouflage. Scientists want to decipher how the process works in the brain.
The Times’s New Space Editor Has Her Eye on the Cosmos
On the Science desk, Victoria Jaggard spends her days pondering the universe’s most pressing mysteries.
Who Were the Vikings? 21 Graves Weave a Tale of Hunters, Nomads and Sorceresses.
“The Sea-King and the Sorceress” examines the lives and deaths of the diverse people who called themselves Vikings.
New York City’s Latest Famous Family Is a Hoot. Yes, They’re Barn Owls.
The city’s latest feathered extraordinaires are captivating the Upper West Side with their screeches.
Why Ketamine Immobilizes Some Users
Potent powders can produce a nearly catatonic state, particularly in those who have not tried the drug before.
Mathematician Who Waited 50 Years for Proper Credit for Her Work Has Died
At the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Mary Tsingou Menzel’s computer programming helped set the stage for chaos theory and other fields.
Will We Ever Understand Dementia?
Since the days of Dr. Alzheimer himself, there has been a dream that severe senility might have an explanation — and a cure. The search for both has never been more urgent.