Science News
NASA Aims to Catch a Falling Space Telescope and Push It Back Up
A rescue mission will soon be underway for NASA’s Swift telescope.
Turtles Are Really Weird Animals. Where Did They Come From?
The origin of turtles has puzzled scientists. A new study provides more evidence that these shelled reptiles share a common ancestor with crocodiles and birds.
This Trap Wants Ants to Take a Bite
Named for an ancient Roman crossbow-like weapon, the newly found “ballista” spider uses a springy snare to catch prey.
Richard Scolyer, Cancer Expert Who ‘Became His Own Subject,’ Dies at 59
His lifesaving melanoma research in Australia illuminated the treatment he underwent for his own brain tumor, an ordeal he courageously shared with the public.
Gregg Phillips Leaving FEMA
Gregg Phillips was in charge of the emergency response agency’s largest division and had come under scrutiny for a series of bizarre claims.
Oil Industry Lawyers Fight a $50 Billion Climate Case in Oregon
The lawsuit aims to hold fossil fuel companies responsible for a heat wave in Portland five years ago. The industry says the case should be thrown out.
How a Bird’s Habitat Can Change Its Song
For the Bachman’s sparrow, whether a song is passed to the next generation could depend, in part, on the wind and trees.
Climate Change Fueling Europe’s Ferocious Heat Wave, Scientists Find
A scientific analysis concluded that such high temperatures, across so much of the continent, would “not have been possible” without global warming.
Trump Issues Order to Reduce Pesticides in Food as Kennedy Allies Fume
The order, which calls for studying the health risks of pesticides in the food supply, does not involve new federal funding, and does not call for regulations or legislation.
Congo Ebola Crisis: Contact Tracing Is Dangerously Behind, Officials Warn
Most of the people testing positive for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo are not on health workers’ radar, suggesting that contact tracing is lagging dangerously behind.
Medical Journal Retracts Study Claiming Cancer Therapy Is More Effective When Given in the Morning
In a notice flagging a series of problems with a clinical trial, the journal Nature Medicine said its editors “no longer have confidence in the integrity of the results.”
Global Warming Upends London Climate Week
The extreme heat smothering Europe has upended Climate Week in London.
Inside the C.D.C.’s Mad Scramble to Meet Kennedy’s Demands
A cache of internal emails offers a look at the pressure the nation’s public health officials faced from the new health secretary in the early months of the Trump administration.
Trump Administration Forms Partnership to Bank DNA From Imperiled Species
The government is teaming up with Colossal Biosciences, a private company that claims to have revived extinct dire wolves, to store samples from at-risk animals and plants.
Chemours to Pay $450M in First Federal PFAS Settlement
The settlement addresses the dumping of PFAS “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to cancer and other risks, by Chemours in several states.
Why the Venezuelan Earthquakes Happened, and What to Expect Next
Twin earthquakes like those that ripped through the region are unusual but not unheard of. Scientists are already gathering data needed for a more detailed picture.
Tickled Apes Reveal the Rhythmic Roots of Laughter
A study of chimps, gorillas and other great apes, including human children, sheds light on how laughter has evolved.
These Birds’ Backflips Are Fueled by Sugar
An ancient dietary change made the manakin’s flashy courtship display possible, a new study suggests.
Shortage of Chemotherapy Drugs Brings Rationing Fears for Cancer Patients
Doctors are contending with low supplies and unfilled orders of generic chemotherapy infusions that are central to the treatment of a long list of cancers.
Fruit Fly Sperm Are Giant. How Do They Stay Untangled?
A fruit fly’s sperm are exceptionally long, and thousands are crammed in together. The physics of this presents a packing nightmare.