Science News
China Launches Tianwen-2 Mission to Capture Pieces of Near-Earth Asteroid
The robotic Tianwen-2 spacecraft will collect samples from Kamoʻoalewa, which some scientists suspect is a fragment of the moon.
German Court Dismisses Climate Lawsuit Against RWE
The judges ruled that German civil law could be used to hold companies accountable for the worldwide effects of their emissions.
Manhattanhenge Is Back for 2025: When, Where and How to Watch
It is time once again to head to your nearest crosstown view for New York City’s best annual sunsets, if the weather cooperates.
A Fungus Devastated North American Bats. A New Species Could Deliver a Killer Blow.
Scientists have learned that another species of fungus found in Europe and Asia causes white-nose disease, which has ravaged bat populations in the United States and Canada.
SpaceX to Launch Starship Flight 9: Watch Live Video
Much is riding on Flight 9 for Elon Musk’s giant moon and Mars rocket after debris from January and March flights fell into the Atlantic Ocean, disrupting air travel.
Unpacking Truths Behind Mental Health Trends
In her Psych 101 column, Christina Caron debunks mental health misinformation and offers readers solutions to common challenges.
What Sonic Detectives Listen for When Rockets Launch
Physicists who record rocket launches and landings, most often by SpaceX, are learning important facts about the acoustics of spaceflight.
US Archaeologists Face Uncertain Future With Trump Administration Cuts
Federal layoffs and grant terminations threaten efforts to understand and preserve the nation’s past. “We are getting cut off at the knees,” said one archaeologist.
These Plants Protect Larvae From Wildfires
Growths on plants formed by parasitic weevils help their offspring hunker down on a Brazilian savanna and outlast the flames.
Documents Show E.P.A. Wants to Erase Greenhouse Gas Limits on Power Plants
The agency plans to argue that carbon emissions from power plants do not contribute “significantly” to climate change. Scientists disagree.
Trump Signs Executive Orders for Faster Build-Out of Nuclear Power Plants
Among a flurry of executive actions, Mr. Trump directed the nation’s nuclear safety regulator to speed up approvals for new reactors.
‘Baby Bear’ Learns How to Be Wild From Humans in Fur
At a wildlife center in San Diego, caretakers of a black bear cub are using extraordinary measures to keep him from becoming reliant on humans, including donning masks and vintage fur coats.
Historic Shipwrecks Come to Light in the Great Lakes
With an underwater drone named Rhody, archaeologists are mapping some of the dozens of sunken vessels in Lake Ontario.
One Type of Mammogram Proves Better for Women With Dense Breasts
Contrast-enhanced mammography identified three times as many tumors as ultrasound scans. But it is not widely used for screening in the United States.
In ‘Cancer Alley,’ a Battle Over Who Gets to Measure Air Pollution
Community groups are fighting an unusual Louisiana law that restricts how they use data from air-quality monitors, saying it violates free speech.
The FDA May Restrict Covid Vaccines. Who Will Be Able to Get Them?
Though much remains uncertain, experts predicted many people will face new barriers to vaccination.
There’s Probably No Life on K2-18b After All, Three Studies Conclude
In April, astronomers said they had detected a possible signature of life on the exoplanet K2-18b. Now, three independent analyses discount the evidence.
Takeaways From the White House’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Report
The report echoes many of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s talking points on ultraprocessed foods and vaccines, but with some notable omissions.
Forest Loss Around the World Hit a Record in 2024
Forests around the world disappeared at a rate of 18 soccer fields every minute, a global survey found. Fires accounted for nearly half of the losses.
NOAA Announces 2025 Hurricane Season Prediction
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric agency is forecasting a range of 13 to 19 total named storms during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November.