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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.
Research Universities Are Admitting Fewer Ph.D.s, a Bad Sign for Science
Some of the nation’s top research universities are shrinking doctoral programs because of uncertain federal funding.
For Families With Nonspeaking Autistic Children, a Fierce Debate Over Assisted Spelling
Popular communication methods for nonspeaking autistic people have ignited a fierce debate over what counts as evidence of hidden cognitive abilities.
A Bird’s Brain Holds Clues to the Sounds of Music
The neurobiologist Erich Jarvis studies the few species capable of speech. He has long hoped to genetically engineer an animal that can make new calls.
Stanley M. Gartler, Pioneer in Cancer Research, Dies at 102
He provided the first convincing evidence that cancerous tumors develop from a single mutated cell and later helped expose contamination by cells taken from Henrietta Lacks.
A Mission to Save NASA’s Swift Telescope Launches to Orbit
A refrigerator-size spacecraft will try to grab onto Swift and nudge it to a higher orbit, enabling it to continue observing powerful cosmic explosions.
E Pluribus Algae: Why Green Pond Scum Is as American as Red, White and Blue
And why the most patriotic approach to the Reflecting Pool may be to let the algae take over.
Has the MAHA Movement Given Up?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his allies promised public-health libertarianism. The idea couldn’t survive once they took power.
Deadly MV Hondius Hantavirus Outbreak Is Over, W.H.O. Says
The rodent-borne virus, which sickened passengers on the MV Hondius, killed three people, led to a race to find its origin and a global health alert.
See How Europe’s Heat Waves Melted the Alps’ Glaciers
The snowfall from last winter disappeared a month sooner than usual, after two early hot spells. Huge volumes of exposed ice are now starting to vanish.
Scientists React to the Lab-Made, Yet Lifelike, SpudCell
This cell-like structure can grow, feed, divide and compete. Researchers ponder what it means for the future of synthetic biology and our definition of “life.”
How to Make a Time Capsule That Will Last 250 Years
The America250 time capsule will hold dozens of historical treasures. Avoiding dampness and other dangers requires lots of engineering.
Trump Administration Delivers Lucrative Win for Its Kratom Allies
In moving to ban a potent synthetic version of kratom, the president’s team paved the way for more sales for makers of rival botanic supplements, who had aggressively lobbied for the change.
U.S. to Overhaul Radiation Safety Rules to Spur Nuclear Expansion
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission plans to end longstanding guidance that radiation exposure be “as low as reasonably achievable.”
SpudCell: Scientists Made a Cell With Most of the Hallmarks of Life. Here’s What to Know.
From why it was created to whether it’s alive, here’s what to know about SpudCell, the latest advance in synthetic biology.
Cheating Chickadees Are Seduced by Smarts
Female mountain chickadees are loyal to their mates, unless a smarter suitor comes along.
Curiosity, Perseverance and Now Promise? NASA May Send a Mars Rover to the Moon.
As part of plans to establish a lunar base, the space agency may send to the moon a spare test version of the rover — as well as a soccer ball.
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