NYT > Science

1. Wildfires Are Turning Forests in the American West Into Shrubland
   Towering woodlands in the West are being permanently replaced by tracts of spiky shrubs. Conditions “just aren’t normal anymore,” one researcher said.
2. Mapping America’s Largest ‘Dead Zone’
   In a decades-long crisis, marine life has suffered as oxygen periodically dwindles in waters along the Gulf Coast.
3. Quiz question: It’s a Greek letter and a guy’s name. What does it mean?
   Test your science knowledge.
4. Trump Announces a New Policy for a ‘Golden Age of Space Transportation’
   The policy aims to greatly increase the number of spacecraft launches and re-entries.
5. England’s Ancient Trees Are Dying in the Heat
   Extreme temperatures and drought are adding to the stress on oak trees that have lived for hundreds of years and play a key role in the national imagination.
6. This Skeleton is the First Confirmed Death by Trebuchet
   Researchers believe a young man buried inside a Scottish castle was a victim of the long-feared siege weapon, more powerful than a typical catapult.
7. NASA’s Attempt to Save the Swift Telescope Has Failed
   NASA’s Swift Observatory, which studies some of the most powerful explosions in the universe, will soon burn up in the atmosphere.
8. Chinese Start-Up Lands Reusable Rocket for the First Time
   The milestone by the private company, LandSpace, could put China closer to challenging SpaceX’s rule in lower-cost spaceflight.
9. Humans Love Having Pets. Seems Like Some Other Primates Do, Too.
   We aren’t the only animals that like to take care of other species. A new study finds that the roots of keeping a pet may stretch deep into our primate past.
10. U.S. Cuts Colorado River Water for Arizona, California and Nevada
    Arizona’s share of the river will shrink by a third, likely increasing reliance on groundwater and raising pressure on agriculture.
11. Climate: Trump vs. California
    At least a half-dozen federal agencies have moved to undermine the state’s environmental efforts.
12. Climate: Saving Old Trees Might Save Lives
    We know that trees are good for cities. A new study finds that mature trees are especially good.
13. Moderna’s Shift to Cancer Company Lifts Stock Up 177%
    The company’s fortunes cratered as demand for Covid-19 vaccines plummeted. But it was busy working on something else.
14. How Trump Is Trying to Crush California’s Climate Policies
    At least a half-dozen federal agencies have taken action against the state that has led the nation in environmental protections.
15. What Is Treatment-Resistant Depression?
    If multiple antidepressants haven’t helped, there are other avenues to explore.
16. Former Fauci Adviser Pleads Guilty to Trying to Conceal Covid-Related Records
    Dr. David Morens, a former N.I.H. official, admitted to attempts to conceal emails that discussed the origins of the pandemic.
17. Moderna, Merck Say mRNA Vaccine Prevents Melanoma From Returning
    Moderna and Merck say the experimental vaccine prevented the return and spread of the cancer in high-risk melanoma patients.
18. Trump Nominates Heidi Overton, a Top Domestic Policy Aide, for F.D.A. Commissioner
    Dr. Overton is a fierce opponent of abortion rights and a supporter of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.
19. Trump Administration Moves to Allow Logging in Pristine National Forests
    The move to repeal the ‘roadless rule’ would pave the way for road construction and logging in nearly 45 million acres of untouched back country.
20. Rafting Through the Grand Canyon on a Depleting Colorado River
    As water levels on the Colorado River fall to historic lows, a rafting trip through the canyon feels even more precious.
21. How NASA Engineers Are Keeping the Voyagers Alive
    A reworking of the spacecraft’s power systems could extend the nearly 50-year-old Voyagers’ exploration of interstellar space into the early 2030s.
22. Lake Powell Hits Lowest Level On Record As Water Crisis Continues
    Levels in Lakes Mead and Powell have not been so low since 1957, underscoring a water crisis that plagues seven states that rely on the Colorado River.
23. Jaguars Are Ready to Come Back. The Border Wall Might Stop Them.
    A lone male roves the Arizona mountains, and a female has been spotted just across the border in Mexico. The sightings raise hopes for the species, despite serious threats.
24. Share Your Experiences With the Public Health System in Louisiana
    The New York Times is examining how public health is changing in the state, from the whooping cough outbreak to vaccine policies, and we want to hear from you.
25. How One Woman With a Very Rare Disease Secured a Clinical Trial
    Through sheer determination, Neena Nizar has become the first patient in a clinical trial testing a treatment for her disease — one so rare it affects just 30 people worldwide.
26. How Louisiana’s New Surgeon General Wants to Transform Public Health
    Dr. Evelyn Griffin is pushing for more emphasis on wellness and prevention. She has also aligned with the MAHA movement in fighting government mandates and questioning the safety of some vaccines.