Science News
Trump’s Plans for Nuclear Power Lurch Ahead
Recent technological advances have brought the president’s goals a bit closer to reality.
These Fossils May Be the Earliest Evidence of Handedness in Animals
Scientists propose that recently uncovered fossils may be the earliest evidence of behavioral “handedness” in animals.
A Chinese Spacecraft Captures First Image of Quasi-Moon
A Chinese spacecraft has captured the first image of the asteroid Kamo‘oalewa.
I.U.C.N. Update Says Deep-Sea Mining Threatens Mollusks Around Hydrothermal Vents
The snails and other mollusks around hydrothermal vents have evolved to thrive in extreme conditions, but mineral extraction could drive more than half to extinction.
How to Turn Your Phone Into a Personal Health Dashboard
Free apps from Google, Samsung and Apple can help you track your diet, exercise and well-being — and provide vital information during emergencies.
This Kind of Obsessive Attraction Isn’t Love. But It Has a Name.
Limerence is more than a crush, psychologists say, and it can persist for months or years.
Western Europe Had Its Hottest June on Record
An unusually early heat wave smashed records across France, Britain and Spain. Temperatures in some areas are starting to soar again.
Spread of Seafloor Directly Observed for the First Time
The spread of the ocean floor, as tectonic plates spread apart, is known but hard to observe. Scientists have now documented the process in action.
Global Warming Could Ravage the Amazon’s Useful Plant Species, Study Finds
Hotter temperatures and harsher droughts could cause Indigenous societies to lose many of the species they have used for medicine, rituals and more, scientists found.
The Unknown Universe Inside Your Gut
The human microbiome is essential to our health, but scientists have only begun to understand why. Two researchers set out to map this largely uncharted terrain.
Chernobyl’s Wildlife Cameras Reveal How War Affects Wild Animals
A rare camera-trap study logged the effects of armed conflict on wild animals in real time.
New Rules Require Election Changes for States to Get Terrorism Grants
Federal officials said they would withhold some money unless states pursue paper ballot systems, verify citizenship and conduct costly audits.
Nation’s 250th Celebration Fireworks Sent D.C. Air Pollution Spiking
The president promised a record display of some 850,000 pyrotechnics for the country’s 250th birthday. The Park Service warned it could get dirty.
Cosmic Conjoined Twins, Caught on Camera
A Japanese spacecraft flew by an asteroid and snapped a picture. It turned out to be a “contact binary”: two space rocks that somehow fused together.
As Ice Melts in the Arctic, Some Deep-Sea Creatures Are Thriving
A new study suggests that deep-sea life reaps the benefits of icebergs’ castoffs — a rare silver lining as a warming planet destabilizes glacial ice.
I Wanted an Ecologically Responsible Garden. It Was Harder Than I Thought.
The native plant movement says that we can combat environmental disaster from our own backyards. Is it really so simple?
Mysterious Spheres Found in Australia Are Likely Space Debris
The discovery bemused residents of a small town in northeastern Australia. The objects appear to be junk from a space launch, the country’s space agency said.
Heat Waves Are Taking a Big Toll on Chickens
The birds are particularly vulnerable to high temperatures, and France’s torrid June took a heavy toll.
Bill Frist Wants to Take Politics Out of Climate Change
Bill Frist, a surgeon who also served as Senate majority leader, has emerged as an outspoken advocate for environmental health. “A healthier planet means healthier people,” he said.
Efforts to Help Smokers Quit Stall Under Trump
The C.D.C.’s tobacco control office has been shut for more than a year. After its most prominent antismoking campaign went off the air, calls to 1-800-QUIT-NOW lines have plummeted.