NYT > Science

1. Were Neanderthals Able to Hunt Elephants? The Proof Is in an Ancient Bone
   A new study found that a pachyderm skeleton, dismissed for decades as unimportant, offers evidence of careful planning, teamwork and a calculated kill.
2. Could an Earthly Fungus Contaminate Mars? NASA May Have Found One Hardy Enough.
   Researchers identified a species that can survive radiation, extreme heat and simulated Martian soil, posing a new challenge for protocols intended to keep the red planet pristine.
3. Golden Blob, a Mystery From the Deep Sea, Is Identified
   The strange, shiny discovery, retrieved from the ocean near Alaska in 2023, turned out to be part of an anemone, scientists said.
4. Doug Allan, Polar Cameraman for David Attenborough’s Films, Dies at 74
   He was renowned for his skill at capturing candid scenes of penguins, polar bears and other cold-weather creatures — and for his ability to tolerate extreme discomfort.
5. Pace of N.I.H. Funding Slows Further in Trump’s Second Year
   The agency has approved far fewer new grants than it did in years past. A renewed effort to screen for disfavored terms and a loss of personnel are contributing.
6. New Gene Therapy Enables Children With a Rare Form of Deafness to Hear
   The treatment, the first of its kind, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday. “Our baby was born deaf, and now he can hear,” said one parent.
7. Dark Skies and Dark Energy Converge in West Texas
   In the Big Bend region, a portal to the early universe is enabled by the largest dark-sky reserve on Earth.
8. Sightings of Meteors Surge, and Scientists Aren’t Sure Why
   The frequency of fireballs in our planet’s skies seemed to grow in recent months. NASA and other meteor experts can’t agree on what explains it.
9. What’s in a Name? For These Snails, Legal Protection
   Scientists are debating the classification of threatened mollusks that an Indigenous community relies on for their way of life.
10. Trump Seeks to Abolish Iran’s Nuclear Stockpile, a Problem He Helped Create
    President Trump withdrew from the Obama-era nuclear accord in 2018, saying it was the worst deal ever. But Iran responded with an enrichment spree that haunts the negotiations to this day.
11. AIDS Creeps Back in Parts of Zambia, a Year After U.S. Cuts to H.I.V. Assistance
    A once-robust H.I.V. treatment and prevention system, credited with saving hundreds of thousands of lives, has begun to crumble.
12. A New Idea to Save the AMOC? Dam the Bering Strait.
    Blocking the narrow waterway between Russia and Alaska could help stabilize a vulnerable system of ocean currents, scientists found in a study.
13. Trump Keeps Talking About Iran’s ‘Nuclear Dust.’ What Is It?
    First of all, it isn’t dust. It’s Iran’s stockpile of near-bomb-grade uranium, which is stored in large canisters about the size of scuba tanks.
14. A New Bureau Will Oversee Both Offshore Drilling and Seabed Mining
    The new federal office will undo a change made after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. Critics say it could reduce environmental oversight.
15. Sewage Spill Is Over, But Contamination Lingers In Potomac
    Though river monitoring shows bacteria levels have declined, scientists and environmentalists said a full recovery isn’t yet assured.
16. RFK Jr. Says His Department Advises All Children to Get Measles Vaccine
    Testifying on Capitol Hill, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continued to back away from his criticism of the measles shot. But he spoke on behalf of his department, not himself.
17. On Earth Day, House Cancels Vote to Narrow Endangered Species Protections
    House leaders abruptly canceled a vote on the measure when support started to look shaky.
18. Youth Suicides Declined After Creation of National Hotline
    Suicides among young adults dropped most sharply in states that actively embraced the 988 crisis line, new research has found.
19. ‘Free Births’ Are a New Pregnancy Trend. Critics Warn About Serious Risks.
    Promoters of free birthing reject any type of medical intervention during pregnancy or delivery. The movement has been trending on social media, but critics warn it poses serious risks.
20. Musk’s SpaceX Goals Shift Ahead of Its I.P.O.
    As SpaceX prepares to go public, Mr. Musk has proposed moonshots that differ from the company’s original aim of reaching Mars.
21. Does Clothing Recycling Really Work?
    Collection services offer convenience, but most garments are shredded into low-grade stuffing or sent abroad to an uncertain fate.
22. Judge Halts Trump Actions That Have Slowed Renewable Energy
    The Interior Department had imposed restrictions on wind and solar projects across the country, prompting developers to sue.
23. Lyrids Meteor Shower: How to Watch, Peak Time and Weather Forecast
    Active since last week, the Lyrids meteor shower is expected to reach peak viewing tonight.
24. E.P.A., Maryland Sue D.C. Utility Over Potomac River Sewage
    In separate lawsuits, environmental regulators said D.C. Water failed to prevent and contain a massive spill of raw sewage upstream of Washington.
25. Blue Origin’s Failure May Hamstring NASA’s Moon Plans
    The space agency is counting on Jeff Bezos’ company to deliver equipment essential to the next moon landing, only two years away.
26. ‘Earthset’ Is Captured on Video for First Time
    The Earth slips behind the moon in an iPhone video taken by Reid Wiseman during NASA’s Artemis II mission, a sequel to the iconic Earthrise photo taken by Apollo 8.
27. Desmond Morris, 98, Dies; Zoologist Saw Links Between Humans and Apes
    His immensely popular, and controversial, 1967 book, “The Naked Ape,” argued that ancient genes, shared with apes, shape our lives.
28. These Salmon Got High on Cocaine. That Wasn’t the Craziest Part.
    Scientists in Sweden made an unexpected discovery when they exposed the fish to the illegal drug as well as another substance.
29. How Bruce the Parrot Landed Atop the Pecking Order, Without a Beak
    The kea gained fame for learning to use a pebble to groom himself. Scientists were astounded by his next innovation.
30. A Humanoid Robot Races to a Record Half-Marathon Finish
    The android won a race featuring robots and humans on Sunday in Beijing, achieving a technological milestone while finishing faster than any person in history.
31. Elaine Ingham, Who Taught That Soil Is Alive, Dies at 73
    A scientist and leader in the organic farming movement, she popularized the “soil food web,” an understanding that soil is a complex realm of microorganisms.