NYT > Science

1. Why Falling Cats Always Seem to Land on Their Feet
   It takes backbone to solve an enigma like the “falling cat” problem.
2. Slowly, Slowly, ‘Darwin’s Finches of the Snail World’ Return From Near Extinction
   Partula snails all but vanished from Polynesia after the arrival of a carnivorous foreign snail. But a global alliance of zoos has worked to bring them back.
3. Bumblebee Queens Can Breathe Underwater
   A new study offers clues as to how the insects survive flooding as they emerge from a hibernation-like phase every winter.
4. In Ancient Peru, a Parrot Trade That Crossed the Andes
   Scientists studied centuries-old bird feathers from an ancient tomb on the coast, and then traced the origins back to the Amazon.
5. Meteorite Crashes Through Roof in Germany After Fiery Light Show
   The fireball from space was spotted by a network of sky-watching cameras in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Germany.
6. Viral Outbreaks Take a Common Path from Animals to People, Study Finds
   Researchers have devised a new tool for discerning between naturally occurring viral outbreaks and those resulting from lab accidents.
7. ‘Don’t Worry About It’: NASA Satellite to Burn Up in Fall to Earth
   Most of the Van Allen Probe A, in orbit since 2012, will incinerate in Earth’s atmosphere, NASA said. But some pieces are expected to survive, posing a small risk to people on the ground.
8. MoMath Brings Prime Numbers to a Prime New Location
   After outgrowing its original home, the National Museum of Mathematics has added new exhibits and an art gallery space in what was an empty storefront along the Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan.
9. A Night Light in the Sky? Reflect Orbital Wants to Launch a Big Space Mirror.
   The company is seeking F.C.C. approval to test an idea to reflect sunlight to Earth at night, possibly powering solar panels. Critics say it could be bad for people and wildlife.
10. A Third of Americans Have Cut Spending or Borrowed Money for Health Care
    As medical costs rise, more than 80 million people have made sacrifices like skipping meals and driving less, a new survey finds.
11. Anthony J. Leggett Dies at 87; Won Nobel for Theories on Superfluids
    When scientists unwittingly turned helium into a superfluid — a feat many thought was impossible — Dr. Leggett not only recognized what had happened but also explained how.
12. Iran Shocks Could Spur a Shift to Clean Energy — But Also to Coal
    Environmentalists say the war’s effects on oil and gas prices are an argument for countries to get off fossil fuels. But the reality is likely to be messier.
13. In Talking to Parents About Vaccines, Pediatricians Navigate a Sea of Misinformation
    Practitioners nationwide are striving to do what’s best for children’s health, while staying supportive in the face of mistrust and confusion.
14. Cancer Haunts Neighbors of Canada’s Oil Sands Wastelands
    Though high rates of the disease persist among the nearby Indigenous communities, the Canadian government is weighing rules that may allow energy giants to release treated mining waste into the river system.
15. Oil Prices Will Remain High as Iran War Continues
    While officials look for ways to ease oil shocks, experts say higher prices will likely persist until traffic through the Strait of Hormuz returns.
16. F.D.A. Opens Door to More Flavored E-Cigarettes
    The agency is proposing allowing other tastes for vapes, like mint, coffees, spices or tea, to appeal to adults. At the same time, illicit candy-flavored types aimed at teenagers have flooded the market.
17. Lemurs Love This Fruit That Is Choking Madagascar’s Forests
    The strawberry guava, one of the world’s worst invasive species, hinders forest restoration on the island while feeding its famous endangered primates.
18. For These Design Materials, It’s Goodbye and Good Riddance
    Not all acts of extinction are to be regretted.
19. Divisive F.D.A. Vaccine Regulator Is Resigning
    Dr. Vinay Prasad drew criticism for overriding career scientists and rejecting drugs by companies seeking agency approval.
20. NASA’s Asteroid-Smashing DART Mission Sped Up Space Rock’s Orbit Around the Sun
    New data about the DART spacecraft’s effects adds evidence that Earth could be defended from future deadly asteroids by diverting their orbits.
21. From 1968: Lise Meitner, Physicist, Is Dead at 89; Paved Way for Splitting of Atom
    She laid much of the theoretical groundwork for the atomic bomb, although she did not participate directly in its production.
22. From 2000: Hedy Lamarr, Sultry Star Who Reigned in Hollywood
    A temptress on the silver screen in the 1930s and ’40s, she later became an inventor.
23. From Endangered Plants Come Whiffs of Inspiration
    How scientists, conservationists and the fragrance industry are working to revive extinct scents and perpetuate threatened ones.
24. Superfood Fuels Mating Frenzy for Critically Endangered Kakapo
    Kakapos, which are reclusive and flightless and can live as long as humans, are found only in New Zealand. They feed on the fruit of the rimu tree.
25. Fewer Pregnant Women Received Acetaminophen in E.R.s After White House Warnings
    A new analysis of prescription data found that emergency room orders for acetaminophen for pregnant women fell for weeks after the federal warning.
26. Feeling the Effects of 260,000 Federal Jobs Lost
    One year in, assessing budget cuts to federal climate and science jobs.
27. Nature Report, Killed by Trump, Is Released Independently
    A draft assessment of the health of nature in the United States is grim but shot through with bright spots and possibility.
28. Should New York City Burn Its Parks? This Scientist Thinks So.
    An unusual outbreak of wildfires in city parks gave scientists a chance to study these rare events. Now they’re coming to different conclusions.
29. You’ve Never Seen Ants Like This Before
    The Antscan database captures the tiny insects’ diversity and shows how the world’s living things could be rendered in three dimensions.
30. F.D.A. Faces Upset Over Denials of New Drugs
    Agency officials promise fast reviews of new treatments while vowing they will not be a “rubber stamp” for the industry. But patients with rare diseases view recent decisions as signs that the doors are closing on their options.