NYT > Science

1. F.D.A. Approves the Drug Daraxonrasib That’s Poised to Transform Pancreatic Cancer
   In a key clinical trial, patients who got the pill, daraxonrasib, lived twice as long as those who got chemotherapy.
2. SpaceX to Spend $100 Billion on Spaceport in Louisiana
   It would be the rocket company’s second private launch site after Starbase, its headquarters in South Texas.
3. A Chinese A.I. Lab May Test the World’s Cybersecurity With a Model
   In July, an unreleased OpenAI model went rogue and demonstrated remarkable hacking abilities. This week, a lab called Z.ai will release a similarly powerful system to everyone.
4. Americans Encounter Risks at Psychedelic Clinics Abroad
   Participants, often in vulnerable states, have little recourse if mistreated or injured.
5. Anatomy of an Autonomous Attack: 5 Alarming A.I. Capabilities
   When OpenAI’s agents went rogue in July, they demonstrated ingenuity and drive beyond what many experts imagined — a dangerous harbinger of what such bots could do in the future.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. MAHA Moms Take On Coal
    Some leaders of the health movement are challenging a pillar of the president’s energy agenda.
11. E.P.A. Moves to Curb Public Input on Air Pollution Permits for Data Centers
    Under the proposal, states would no longer need to provide public notice or solicit comments on air pollution permits for data centers and other projects.
12. 3 Charts That Explain El Niño
    With air and sea surface temperatures already breaking records, this year’s episode is on track to be the strongest in living memory.
13. Silence, Wolves and the Wild East: Hiking in Portugal’s Côa Valley
    A trek in a remote corner of the Iberian Peninsula brought a writer face-to-face with ancient oaks, rewilding efforts and prehistoric cave art.
14. Major Study Finds at Least 1 in 4 NFL Players Gets CTE
    The actual prevalence, researchers said, may be much higher.
15. Nevada Sues Trump Administration Over Colorado River Cuts
    The state seeks to block plans for significant water use restrictions over the next decade.
16. The Ruthless Efficiency of Ultrapotent Street Drugs
    Five decades after the “war on drugs” sought to make substance abuse unaffordable, illicit drugs are cheaper and more powerful than ever. A visit to Baltimore shows why.
17. Trump Shuns E.V.s and Wind Power, But He’s Pouring Billions Into Batteries
    The president may disdain clean energy tech, but energy storage is also crucial for A.I. and defense — and China’s dominance in the sector has officials worried.
18. Why Getting High Has Only Gotten Cheaper
    The “war on drugs” sought to reduce substance abuse by driving up prices and lowering demand. Today, street drugs are less expensive and more dangerous than ever.
19. 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.
20. 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.
21. Climate: Trump vs. California
    At least a half-dozen federal agencies have moved to undermine the state’s environmental efforts.
22. 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.
23. 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.
24. 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.
25. What Is Treatment-Resistant Depression?
    If multiple antidepressants haven’t helped, there are other avenues to explore.
26. 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.
27. 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.