Science News
From Chimpan-A to Chimpanzee, These Apes May Have Humanlike Culture
Researchers describe a link between genetic relatedness and sophisticated tool use in primates in East and Central Africa, suggesting their culture is cumulative.
Drug Overdose Deaths Are Declining Due to Changes in the Drug Supply
Experts are puzzling over which interventions are saving lives. The evolving illicit supply itself may hold important clues.
First Close Up Picture of Star Outside Our Galaxy Shows a Giant About to Blow
Astronomers zoomed in on a stellar behemoth in the Larger Magellanic Cloud, a galaxy that orbits about 160,000 light-years from the Milky Way.
Trump Promises Clean Water. Will He Clean Up PFAS?
Public health advocates worry that Donald Trump could unravel federal clean water efforts, including restrictions on lead pipes and chemicals known as PFAS.
What Trump’s Re-Election Could Mean for Animals
A second Trump administration could alter the lives of all sorts of animals, whether they live in laboratories, zoos, fields or forests.
Iran Suggests Pausing High Levels of Uranium Enrichment to Avoid Censure, Monitor Says
Iran has raised the possibility it would stop expanding its stockpile of uranium enriched to a purity of 60 percent — very close to the level needed for a weapon, the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog says.
Physicist Who Made Superconductor Claims Exits University of Rochester
Journals had retracted papers on superconductors that worked at room temperature and materials science that involved Ranga Dias.
Civil War Toll Much Worse in Confederate States, New Estimates Show
An analysis of newly released 19th-century census records offers more insight into the conflict’s costs.
SpaceX Prepares for Sixth Starship Test Launch: What to Know
The company will try to catch the giant booster of its moon and Mars rocket for a second time on Tuesday afternoon.
Five Ways R.F.K. Jr. Could Undermine Lifesaving Childhood Vaccines
If he is confirmed as H.H.S. secretary, the longtime vaccine critic would be in a position to change the government’s immunization recommendations and delay the development of new vaccines.
Orders for Morning-After Pills and Abortion Pills Rise After Trump’s Election
Some women are stocking up on the medications, saying they are concerned that the new administration could take steps to restrict access.
Where Glaciers Melt, the Rivers Run Red
As the glaciers of South America retreat, the supply of freshwater is dwindling and its quality is getting worse.
Wyoming’s Abortion Bans Are Unconstitutional, Judge Rules
The ruling found that two state laws — one barring use of abortion pills, and one banning all forms of abortion — violated the state Constitution’s “fundamental right to make health care decisions.”
Trump Plans to Attend Elon Musk’s SpaceX Launch on Tuesday
The president-elect’s decision to witness the liftoff is another example of his close ties to the world’s wealthiest entrepreneur.
Pancreatic Cancer Surge May Be Less Worrisome Than It Seemed
A rise in the disease in younger people was not followed by an increase in deaths, a study found, and might be a sign of overdiagnosis.
SpaceX Starship’s Sonic Boom Creates Risk of Structural Damage, Test Finds
An independent researcher found that noise recorded miles away from the site of a recent test flight was equal to standing 200 feet from a Boeing 747 during takeoff.
A Mummified Saber-Toothed Kitten Emerges in Siberia
The Homotherium cub was preserved in Siberian permafrost with its dark fur and flesh intact.
COP29 Climate Talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, Head Into Final Stretch
Senior ministers are arriving in an effort to break a deadlock over the summit’s main goal: funding to help lower-income countries hit hard by global warming.
ChatGPT Defeated Doctors at Diagnosing Illness
A small study found ChatGPT outdid human physicians when assessing medical case histories, even when those doctors were using a chatbot.
Barnard’s Star Finally Has a Planet, and Possibly More
For a century, exoplanet hunters have “discovered” planets around a nearby star, only to retract the claims. But the latest find is for real.