Science News
Trump Administration Is Undoing Plans to Boost Workplace Heat Protections
The Biden administration took steps to shield workers from extreme temperatures. The Trump administration is taking a gentler approach with employers.
U.S. Raises Threat of Steep Water Cuts in Lower Colorado River Basin
A federal plan would impose drastic water cuts on Arizona, California and Nevada in dry years over the next decade. A legal battle could follow.
A Ton of Space Junk Tumbles Unpredictably to Earth Every Week
Flaming chunks of metal crash into homes, farms and parking lots. Who’s to blame? And who pays for the damage?
Archaeologists Find Hundreds of Ancient Glyphs in the Amazon
The geometric earthwork structures, carved into the ground with embankments and ditches, are in some cases more than 2,500 years old, researchers said.
A City With a Plan
Cincinnati wants to take in people fleeing climate disasters. Plus, the latest on fires in Europe.
‘This Is Very Strange’: Ancient Smallpox May Have Been Less Deadly
Scientists have found smallpox viruses in the remains of people in Chile from around 500 years ago, revealing how the virus may have evolved into a global killer.
Military Testosterone Policy Raises Questions About Its Links to Aggression
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s call for a “High-T military” raises questions about testosterone’s effect on aggression in some men.
Mission to Save Falling NASA Space Telescope Suffers Setback
A spacecraft meant to push NASA’s Swift Observatory to a higher orbit malfunctioned and started tumbling several days ago. Engineers think it can still succeed.
Bipartisan Anger Grows at Pentagon’s Delayed ‘Forever Chemicals’ Cleanups
Hundreds of bases are contaminated with PFAS, which are linked to low birth weight and other risks. Politicians from both parties are demanding explanations.
How to Watch Two Summer Meteor Showers Peak On the Same Night
The end of July brings the Alpha Capricornids and the Southern Delta Aquarids, both of which will be most active on Thursday night into Friday morning.
A.I. Data Centers in Space? A System to Cool Chips Could Help.
Researchers at Caltech and Sophia Space, a start-up, have developed a technology using solar power to prevent computer equipment from overheating in orbit.
Trump Administration Is Repurposing Federal Land for A.I. Data Centers
In the latest example, the Energy Department will convert a shuttered Cold War-era uranium enrichment facility into a data center campus and gas plants.
Fauci and His Senate Nemesis Rand Paul to Face Off in Hearing
The Kentucky Republican has accused Dr. Anthony Fauci of funding research that triggered the Covid pandemic and lying about it to Congress — charges Dr. Fauci denies.
In Ohio, Toxic Wastewater Is Bubbling Up Out of the Ground
The state is a major importer of fracking wastewater, which gets pumped underground but doesn’t always stay there. The city of Marietta is fighting back.
Gunther von Hagens, Creator of Polarizing ‘Body Worlds’ Exhibits, Dies at 81
A German scientist, he developed a process for turning corpses into posable figures. His shows drew millions of visitors, and many detractors.
An Anthropic Claude AI Model Finds Flaws in Tough-to-Crack Encryption Algorithms
Claude Mythos Preview discovered new attacks in testing against weakened cryptographic algorithms, which protect online financial transactions, private communications and more.
How to Tell if a Giant Manta Is Pregnant? Give Her an Ultrasound.
Scientists managed to confirm pregnancies in three giant mantas with underwater ultrasound scans, offering clues to the animals’ elusive reproductive habits.
In This Costa Rican Forest, Monkeys Come Face-to-Face With A.I.
CapuchinAI, a portable testing station equipped with a touch screen and facial recognition software, could help scientists study primate intelligence in the wild.
How to Predict the Weather in Our Era of Freakish Storms
The computer models meteorologists use aren’t 100 percent accurate. But natural weather forecasters seem to have a sixth sense for sudden squalls.
Should We Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent?
More light at the day’s end comes at a price: much later winter sunrises across much of the U.S. Scientists have documented consequences for public health and the economy.