NYT > Science

1. The Viruses Causing New Outbreaks Are Much Less Familiar to Science
   The types of Ebola and hantavirus worrying officials are very different from the species identified decades ago, raising new questions about how to respond.
2. Fish Sleep a Lot Like Us. (They Even Nap.)
   By tracking eye movements in zebrafish, researchers identified four different types of sleep, analogous to the complex sleep patterns of humans and other animals.
3. A Fiery Visitor From Space Photo-Bombs an Erupting Volcano
   For a split second, a fireball outshone the rivers of molten lava flowing from the Philippines’ most active volcano.
4. NASA’s Moon Base Plan Adds Two Rovers for Its Astronauts
   The contracts, announced on Tuesday, are part of the space agency’s efforts to establish a moon base.
5. U.S. Aims to Give Cold War Plutonium to Start-Ups for Nuclear Fuel
   Companies say it’s a better way to dispose of the Cold War-era material — and fix a shortage of nuclear fuel. But the plan has also faced criticism from nonproliferation experts.
6. Where to See the Total Solar Eclipse on Aug. 12
   On Aug. 12, parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Portugal will experience the thrill of daytime darkness. Here’s where you can witness the cosmic spectacle.
7. Scientists Ditched a Scary Climate Scenario. What Now?
   While global warming is still a threat, the decision to back away from a worst-case outlook raises questions about whether some risks have been overstated.
8. A Very Lonely Caterpillar, Possibly the Last of Its Kind, Has Died
   The Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly hasn’t been seen in the wild since 2022. The caterpillar was the last individual in human care.
9. How to Stay Safe Around Jellyfish This Beach Season
   Jellyfish myths and misconceptions abound. Here’s how to stay safe this beach season around these gelatinous wonders.
10. Eli Lilly to Buy 3 Vaccine Developers
    The drugmaker said it would spend up to $4 billion to acquire small companies exploring vaccines for shingles, Epstein-Barr virus and other pathogens.
11. A Powerful H.I.V. Drug Lands in Zambia. But Will It Reach Those Who Need It?
    Lenacapavir, which protects people from H.I.V. infection with twice-yearly shots, is arriving in a country where the health system has been hollowed out by American aid cuts.
12. Threat of Explosion From Toxic Chemical Tank Lessened, Officials Say
    The risk of a large explosion has been averted, officials say. But a smaller blast remains possible, and 16,000 people remain displaced.
13. One-and-Done Heart Disease Prevention? Scientists Show It May Be Possible.
    A single infusion of an experimental gene-editing drug seemed to reduce LDL long-term in a small trial. The results may point to something “curative,” one expert said.
14. Rafe Pomerance, the Paul Revere of Climate Change, Dies at 79
    An environmental lobbyist and activist, he was a pivotal figure in drawing public attention and political support to the existential issue.
15. RFK Jr.’s Push to Curb Antidepressants Has Shaken Psychiatry
    An annual psychiatric meeting was abuzz over Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s call to rein in the use of depression medications. Some fear it will drive patients away from care.
16. 5 Takeaways From a Times Investigation on Autism Therapy Clinics
    A rapidly growing industry often overprescribes treatment to young children with autism, who spend as many as 40 hours a week at the facilities.
17. Short Naps, Long Hours: How Autism Clinics Squeeze Medicaid Dollars Out of Preschoolers
    The industry has grown rapidly, straining state budgets. A focus on finances has led to overbilling, fraud and even harm.
18. SpaceX Completes Mostly Successful Starship Rocket Flight
    The 12th test flight of SpaceX’s gargantuan rocket launched on Friday evening and ended its journey in the Indian Ocean just over an hour later.
19. A New Era of Exploring the Universe in Radio
    With 263 antennas spread across the U.S. and Mexico, the Next Generation Very Large Array, would join a new wave of radio astronomy.
20. When Humans Went Away, the Wildlife Strayed
    When people disappeared from the landscape, as they did during the pandemic, wild animals changed how they used space and resources, scientists found.
21. Trump Eases Restrictions on Climate ‘Super Pollutants’
    The administration is delaying a phaseout of hydrofluorocarbons, potent planet-warming chemicals used in air-conditioning and refrigeration.
22. Experimental Drug Yields Dramatic Weight Loss
    People who got the injection, retatrutide, lost 28 percent of their body weight on average after 80 weeks, Eli Lilly said.
23. SpaceX Scrubs Launch Attempt of Updated Starship Rocket
    The giant rocket was scheduled to lift off on Thursday after a seven-month pause. SpaceX could try again as soon as Friday.
24. Science Group Seeks Public Hearing for N.S.F. Nominee
    The American Association for the Advancement of Science questioned the credentials of Jim O’Neill, tapped to lead the National Science Foundation.
25. A Powerful El Niño Is Forming. If History Is a Guide, It Could Hit Hard.
    The biggest episodes of the past have altered the course of human events, according to researchers. An emerging one is drawing historic comparisons.
26. Pigeons and People Have Been Frenemies for Longer Than You Think
    Bones discovered at an archaeological site in Cyprus suggest the birds have been strutting around human settlements since at least 1400 B.C.
27. Musk’s SpaceX Reveals Its Finances for the First Time as It Readies for IPO
    Mr. Musk’s rocket and satellite maker disclosed its financial performance as it prepares to go public in what is set to be one of the largest offerings to date.