NYT > Science

1. Lemurs in Madagascar Face an Unexpected Killer
   Thousands of the endangered primates end up on the dinner plates of people in the upper rung of the country’s society who have money to spare.
2. Saturn’s Rings Seem as if They’re About to Disappear: Here’s Why
   During the weekend, the orbits of Earth and Saturn will combine to create an interplanetary optical illusion for anyone with a good telescope and clear skies.
3. CIA Kryptos Auction: Anonymous Bidder Pays Nearly $1 Million for Secret to Decode Sculpture
   The creator of the Kryptos panels, Jim Sanborn, sought to unburden himself of the puzzle, and then discovered before an auction he had archived its solution in the Smithsonian.
4. The Moon Was an Inside Job
   New research suggests that Theia, the object whose collision with Earth is theorized to have caused the formation of the moon, came from closer to the sun.
5. NASA Releases Images of Comet 3I/ATLAS Passing by Mars
   With the government reopened, the space agency at last released pictures captured by a fleet of government spacecraft of an object that came from beyond our solar system.
6. Video Reveals How Far Wolves Will Go to Steal a Meal
   After a wolf dragged a crab trap out of water to get a snack, some scientists said the behavior revealed their ability to use tools.
7. A Voyage Into the Art of Finding One’s Way at Sea
   Scientists and Indigenous sailors in the Marshall Islands are studying seafaring and the human brain.
8. We Can Now Track Individual Monarch Butterflies. It’s a Revelation.
   Scientists used tiny new sensors to follow the insects on journeys that take thousands of miles to their winter colonies in Mexico.
9. Parasitic Queen: Now She’s Stealing an Ant Fief
   Experts discovered an unusual form of regicide in which a parasitic ant queen tricks workers in a colony into turning on their own mother.
10. COP30 Climate Summit Ends With Dire Warnings and Scant Plans for Action
    The final agreement, with no direct mention of the fossil fuels dangerously heating Earth, was a victory for countries like Saudi Arabia and Russia, diplomats said.
11. Eli Lilly, Drug Maker of Zepbound and Mounjaro, Reaches $1 Trillion in Value
    The 150-year-old drugmaker is the first company in health care to hit the milestone.
12. Cassidy Got Pledges From RFK Jr. on Vaccines. They Haven’t Stuck.
    Before casting a crucial vote for the health secretary, the top Senate Republican laid out several specific commitments he had secured, some of which appear to have been breached.
13. RFK Jr. Says He Instructed CDC to Change Vaccines and Autism Language on Website
    In an interview, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cited gaps in vaccine safety research. His critics say he is ignoring a larger point: Vaccines save lives.
14. China Offers Panda Totes, but No New Commitments, at Climate Talks
    The United States has retreated on climate. China, the only superpower at COP30 and the world leader in clean energy, is not filling the void.
15. Fine Chocolate in Brazil, Home of the Cacao Bean
    A new generation of craft chocolate makers in Brazil is creating bars with “identity.” And they’re helping to sustain the forest, too.
16. Researcher’s Smuggling Arrest Casts Light on Dispute Over Chinese Students
    As some lawmakers press U.S. universities to curtail ties with China, a postdoctoral student’s prosecution raises questions about how big the danger actually is.
17. Energy Department Reorganization Reflects Shift Away From Renewable Energy
    The reorganization reflects the ongoing shift in the federal government’s energy priorities: less renewable energy, more fossil fuels.
18. Stephen Anderson, Linguist Who Refuted Doctor Dolittle, Dies at 82
    In “Doctor Dolittle’s Delusion,” he argued that language is a biological system unique to humans, despite the widespread belief that it extended to other animals.
19. Botulism Bacteria Found in Infant Formula, ByHeart Confirms
    ByHeart, the maker of the product, has been linked to an outbreak of illnesses among infants that led to their hospitalizations.
20. Fire Breaks Out at COP30 Climate Talks in Brazil
    Delegates were evacuated from the conference venue, where thousands from nearly 200 countries had gathered.
21. As the World Pursues Clean Power, Millions Still Have No Power at All
    Just outside Belém, the Amazonian city where the world is meeting to discuss climate change, electricity is a very recent arrival.
22. Is Scalp Care the New Big Beauty Trend?
    Consumers are increasingly fixating on their scalps, turning to head spas, pricey treatments and products to combat thin hair and irritation.
23. Trump Moves to Weaken the Endangered Species Act
    Four proposed rules could make it easier to drill for oil or harvest timber in areas where endangered species live.
24. Early Signs Point to a Harsh Flu Season in the U.S.
    The virus circulating this year is more virulent and has been spreading faster and earlier than usual.
25. Kissing Has Existed for at Least 16 Million Years, Scientists Say
    And humans are far from the only species locking lips.
26. New Gene-Editing Strategy Could Help Development of Treatments for Rare Diseases
    Instead of requiring personalized gene edits for each patient, the new approach could create a standardized method to use for many diseases.
27. Clinicians Lobby for a New Way to Assess the Risk of Suicide
    Clinicians often rely on patients to disclose thoughts of self-harm, but some are lobbying for a new diagnosis to better assess the risk.
28. In Nebraska, Makeovers for Buildings That Don’t Price Out the Locals
    In a struggling area of Lincoln, a program pays for repairs and energy efficiency upgrades in rental buildings. In return, landlords must keep rents affordable.
29. They Loved Their Family Land in South Carolina. But Who Actually Owned It?
    Conservation can be tough when a property is passed down informally over generations. A growing effort is helping families sort it all out.
30. Driving an E.V. Across North Dakota? Thank the Standing Rock Tribe.
    A tribally owned network of chargers will soon be complete, connecting reservations and bridging a gap in the Midwest.
31. In Washington, Birds Are Giving ‘Yelp Reviews’ of Forest Restoration Work
    A collective of land trusts, conservancies and tribes is capturing birdsong with audio gear and A.I. for clues about habitat health.
32. Iowa City Made Its Buses Free. Traffic Cleared, and So Did the Air.
    Ridership jumped, people cut back on driving and, over the summer, the city extended the program another year.
33. Frustrated With Your Home Insurer? Tell Us About It.
    Help us track trends in the home insurance market by filling out this survey.
34. Environmentalists Sue to Stop Oil Lease Sales in the Gulf of Mexico
    A Trump administration proposal to allow more exploration for oil and gas violates environmental laws, the groups said.
35. Greenpeace Faces an Unusual New Legal Attack From a Pipeline Giant
    The company that won a huge verdict against Greenpeace earlier this year has asked a North Dakota court to block a countersuit in the Netherlands.
36. Study Analyzes How Much ‘Macro’ Plastic Is Deadly to Sea Life
    Scientists analyzed thousands of autopsies of seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals and found that even small amounts of ingested plastic can be deadly.
37. A Plan for Private Jet Taxes Would Fund Climate Measures
    A small group of countries is aiming to impose a fee on private jets and premium commercial fares. The revenue would help nations adapt to warming.
38. A Day at the Beach Hunting Mammoths
    “Citizen paleontologists” can keep the fossils they uncover around Europe’s largest port. All the professionals ask is that those amateurs let them know.
39. Thousands March for Climate Action as COP30 Talks Enter Second Week
    As the talks continue, some countries are pushing for a detailed “road map” for a global transition away from oil, gas and coal.