Science News
Suicide Rate Dropped Slightly in 2024, C.D.C. Finds
Suicide deaths have often fluctuated over the years but a sustained downward trend remains elusive.
Judge Dismisses Unusual Climate Suit Claiming Oil Giants Broke Antitrust Law
The lawsuit, filed by Michigan, claimed oil companies colluded to obstruct solar power and to misrepresent climate risks, making energy costlier.
Texas Halts Data Center Permits, Expanding Environmental Scrutiny
Less than a year ago, Gov. Greg Abbott welcomed data centers. Now he is confronting concerns about the projects even among fellow Republicans.
$345 Million Verdict Against Greenpeace Should Be Overturned, Lawyers Say
A group of civil-rights and free-speech lawyers accused the judge of bias and “general incompetence.”
Mathematics Isn’t Just a Game to Let A.I. Solve. History Shows Why.
In our field of applied mathematics, the long, human process of trial and error — not just the solutions themselves — is often what has led to progress.
At 145 Degrees, This Amoeba Manages to Keep Its Cool
Found in volcanic streams in California, the newfound organism has the highest heat tolerance of any complex life on Earth.
New Hope for Diagnosing C.T.E. in Brain Injured Patients
Scientists are developing imaging techniques and blood tests that one day may enable doctors to identify the disease definitively in living patients.
The Urgent Mystery of Where Viruses Hide
Some viruses appear to vanish when outbreaks dissipate, only to emerge again. Scientists don’t always know which animals they lurk in — and how to stop them from spilling back over.
Sadness and Suicidal Behavior Among Teenagers Is Declining, C.D.C. Finds
A national survey has found that key mental health measures for teenagers have significantly improved from their worst levels during the pandemic.
Judge Allows Transfer of Land in Wildlife Refuge to SpaceX, for Now
The ruling clears a path for a land swap deal that would expand Elon Musk’s Starbase launch site in South Texas.
Are A.I. Models Being Misled to Act Too Human?
A corporate spat between two tech giants last week was just the latest volley in a conflict over whether dangerous mistakes are being made in A.I. training.
What a Massive New Crater Means for Future Moon Bases
At a whopping 728 feet wide, the newfound basin hints at the risks that impact events may pose to planned human outposts.
David George Gordon, Apostle for Bugs on the Dinner Plate, Dies at 76
His “The Eat-a-Bug Cookbook” made a case for insects as food, while his boisterous cooking demonstrations brought tarantulas and crickets to TV.
White House Moves to Take Control of N.I.H. Grants
Federal officials are drafting an executive order that would place grants under review by an outside panel, the latest effort to redirect billions of dollars in research spending.
Archaeologists Decode Rules of an Ancient Roman Board Game
They scanned the pattern of microscopic imperfections on an ancient limestone slab, and used A.I. to figure out how a game might have been played.
Two Centuries On, Smithsonian Connects Jefferson’s Hair to Hemings’s Children
A new book describes how cutting-edge genomics techniques yielded “extraordinary proof” that Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings.
Creating a Kill Switch to Shut Down a Rogue A.I. Is Harder Than It Sounds
A bipartisan group in Congress and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California have floated ideas for building a mechanism that would instantly power down an A.I. system. Only no one really knows how.
How Trump Has Disrupted National Parks
Maintenance projects have been put off around the country and resources diverted to the president’s favored projects in Washington.
Video Shows a San Diego Dog Seeming to Greet an Intruder. Why Didn’t He Bark?
Dog behavior experts offered a variety of explanations for why Nash the golden retriever wagged his tail and carried a toy near a man who broke into his owner’s home.
New Species of Cat Discovered for First Time in a Century
The species, called a tilcayo, is smaller than a house cat and lives in the cloud forests of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia.