Science News
A Newer Kind of Gene Editing Promises to Edit ‘Nurture’ Over ‘Nature’
Traditional gene editing rewrites DNA. But a new approach, called epigenome editing, aims to treat the molecular scars we collect throughout our lives.
Early Data Indicates an A.I.-Generated Drug Could Slow Aging
Artificial intelligence was used to help develop a drug candidate, rentosertib, for a rare lung condition. Its maker says the drug also seems to reduce the biological hallmarks of age.
How Ancient Farmers Used Floral Designs to Track Goods
A Mesopotamian culture’s decorated ceramics show some early roots of math, researchers argued.
The 92-Year-Old Mathematician and the Teenage Apprentice
Joan Birman thought her major discoveries were behind her. Then came an email from a young neighbor — a girl who knew little but wanted to learn.
Is There Alien Debris on the Moon? Some Scientists Plan to Find Out.
Researchers want to explore the idea that microscopic particles shed by alien civilizations have accumulated on the lunar surface, making it an archive of extraterrestrial technology.
Inside the D.O.J.’s Investigation of Fauci and Other Virus Scientists
As Dr. Anthony Fauci has faced public scrutiny from congressional Republicans, the D.O.J. has pursued a quieter and more expansive effort against a wider circle of researchers.
The Heart Drug Pelacarsen Fails, Shocking Novartis and Cardiologists
Doctors were hopeful the drug, which was being tested in a large clinical trial by Novartis, was going to be a powerful new tool to fight heart disease.
Pentagon Agreement With N.I.H. on Biodefense Draws Alarm From Democrats
Under a new partnership, the Defense Department would play a larger role in biodefense and pandemic preparedness. Democrats warned it could allow a Pentagon cash grab.
Hideki Shirakawa, Who Helped Turn a Lab Error Into a Nobel, Dies at 90
The Japanese chemist played a key role in the discovery of electricity-conducting plastics, largely by accident.
The World’s First Bugs Had Way More Legs
Meet the earliest known insects. Shaking hands with them will take a while.
Plumbing the Shipwrecks of an Infamous Pirate Cove
For the marine archaeologist Sean Kingsley, the most honest history can be found on the seafloor.
The Brains of F1 Drivers Are Indeed Strange
They are moving too fast for the normal mind to keep up, but elite drivers have more densely packed brain cells where it counts and use their minds more efficiently.
Psilocybin May Prevent Nerve Damage Caused by Chemotherapy, Study Finds
The preliminary research was conducted in mice, but scientists were optimistic the results would apply to humans. Clinical trials begin this month.
Cleaner Air, Smarter Toddlers
New research links climate policies to improved early-childhood development.
Scientists Find More Than 1,000 DNA Variants Linked to Personality Traits
More than one million genomes helped identify DNA variants linked to extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism and more. Researchers measured how those traits influenced how people lived.
What Did Jurassic Forests Sound Like? Like This.
Scientists spent over a decade reconstructing the calls of nine species of ancient insects to create the first accurate Jurassic soundscape.
Patagonia Sues Trump Over Reduction of Bears Ears National Monument in Utah
The outdoor apparel maker joined environmental and Native American groups in challenging President Trump’s reduction of Bears Ears National Monument.
Pollution on Glaciers Could Be Fueling Himalayan Disasters
Darkened by soot from vehicles and factories, the region’s glaciers are absorbing more heat and melting at dangerous rates.
Inside the Fight Against a Flesh-Eating Fly in Mexico
For the first time in a year, the U.S.-Mexico border partly reopened to cattle imports following a screwworm infestation across the region. The battle against the flesh-eating fly has only just begun deep in Mexico.
U.N. Says World Will Miss Its 1.5 Degree Climate Target
It proposed a new goal of limiting the “overshoot” of rising temperatures and eventually figuring out how to undo the temperature gains, a highly uncertain path.