Science News
Before Computer Science Became a Boys’ Club, Margaret Hamilton Wrote the Code
The woman who helped put astronauts on the moon was a software engineer when the field was not prestigious or lucrative.
For Two Sisters, a “Biological Age Test” Measured More Than Their DNA
They thought it might explain why their health had diverged. Instead, it stirred up feelings that weren’t so easily quantified.
As Flood Risk Increases in Himalayas, Nepal Builds More in Vulnerable Areas
The total footprint of buildings along flood-prone riverbanks in the Himalayas grew by half in recent years, a study found.
Margaret Hamilton, Whose Software Guided the Apollo Missions, Has Died
Margaret Hamilton, the first female programmer hired to work on the space project at M.I.T., was 90.
RFK Jr. Plans Vaccine Injury Initiative, Drawing Wary Eye From Experts
Vaccine safety experts say more research into the side effects would be welcome yet question whether the health secretary’s effort will be grounded in science.
What Experts Want to Know About the Russia Plague Scare
Missing details about the death of a lab worker, including the cause, are worrying scientists.
A Public Health-Minded Senator Asks: What Comes After Trump and Kennedy?
Senator Patty Murray, a former chair of the Senate health committee, is forming a group of experts to examine how to insulate the C.D.C. from political interference.
Jonathan the Giant Tortoise Is 194 Years Old. He Just Had His Genome Sequenced.
Scientists have sequenced his genome for the first time, hoping the world’s oldest land animal can offer clues into the genetics of longevity.
Trump Administration Delays Threaten Funding for HIV Research
The networks also develop treatments and preventions for other infectious diseases and were instrumental in testing the Covid vaccine.
Was the Human Gut Healthier in Ancient Times?
The microbiome isn’t what it used to be in many parts of the world. The shift may be affecting the well-being of people in industrialized countries.
In Vienna and Beijing, the First Nuclear Clocks Begin to Tick
By measuring the squishing and unsquishing of thorium-229 nuclei, two teams created a new type of clock that could someday beat the precision of atomic clocks.
U.S. Formally Seeks Information From Russia About Possible Plague Death
The lack of details from the Russian authorities has unnerved U.S. officials and others around the world.
Nobel Prize in Chemistry Is Awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai
The Nobel Committee recognized them for “the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis.”
The Start-Up That Wants to Build ‘Microrobots’ With A.I.
Atomic Machines is training artificial intelligence on materials and designs — and then using it to build tiny physical devices.
OpenAI Releases Findings on 377 Math Problems, Further Roiling Field
After a previous solution angered mathematicians, the company characterized the new release as being more responsive to concerns about A.I. disrupting research.
Supreme Court Hears Boulder Climate Case
Monday’s arguments were highly technical. A decision about whether the case could move forward isn’t expected until June or July.
Energy Firms Try to Squeeze More Power Out of Old Nuclear Plants
It takes a long time to build new nuclear plants. So, some U.S. companies are looking to get more electricity out of reactors that already exist.
In Race With U.S., China Struggles to Recruit Foreign A.I. Researchers
China’s booming artificial intelligence sector has given local researchers good reason to remain in the country, but it has yet to lure overseas scientists despite a government push.
Nobel Prize in Physics Is Awarded to Francis Halzen for Work on Neutrinos
The Nobel Committee honored Francis Halzen for his “vision and scientific leadership” of a telescope within the ice at the South Pole.
Melting Swiss Glaciers Release Archaeological Treasures
Archaeologists are scouring mountain passes as artifacts from a bygone world all but tumble out of Switzerland’s shrinking ice.