NYT > Science

1. Penguins Become Prey for the Pumas of Patagonia
   In Argentina, the return of pumas brought top predators back to the landscape — much to penguins’ dismay.
2. When the Bones Were Good, These Bees Buried Their Babies
   A cave in the Dominican Republic concealed thousands of years worth of animal bones that had been turned into nests by prehistoric bees.
3. How the Pandemic Lockdowns Changed a Songbird’s Beak
   For ecologists, the Covid-19 pandemic has presented a remarkable natural experiment in what can happen to wild animals when humans stay home.
4. Turkey’s Largest City Is Threatened by a Lurking Earthquake
   Escalating activity along a fault line in the Sea of Marmara is moving closer to Istanbul, seismologists warn.
5. This Squid Is Playing Peekaboo at the Bottom of the Ocean
   Perhaps it was hiding from predators. Or trying to catch food. Then again, maybe it just wanted to be left alone.
6. A Hot Plant’s Irresistible Signal Makes Beetles Pollinate It
   Ancient plants called cycads say “come hither” in infrared.
7. Killer Whales Find an ‘Unlikely Friend’ in Dolphins
   Off the coast of British Columbia, dolphins lead killer whales to salmon and earn their share of lunch, a new study reveals.
8. Trump Administration Rules Threaten Nobel Prizes Won by Immigrants
   As three immigrants claim Nobel Prizes in science for the United States this year, experts warn that immigration crackdowns could undo American innovation.
9. Archaeologists Find Oldest Evidence of Fire-Making
   Neanderthals 400,000 years ago were striking flints to make fires, researchers have found.
10. Research Flights Over the Atlantic Could Help Improve Atmospheric River Forecasting
    A global effort to better understand moisture-laden rivers in the sky, like those currently battering the West Coast, will take flight in January.
11. U.S. Is Seeking Exemption From a European Climate Law, Officials Say
    Diplomats told E.U. officials that the bloc’s law on methane, a potent greenhouse gas, would hurt American oil and gas companies.
12. Ruth Kiew Dies at 79; Botanist Made Discoveries in Remote Forests
    Trekking across Malaysia, her adopted country, she found more than 150 unrecorded plant species. “She’s one of the greatest botanists who ever lived,” a colleague said.
13. Heart Association Revives Theory That Light Drinking May Be Good for You
    The American Heart Association report runs contrary to recent studies — and the group’s own guidelines — that found any amount of alcohol to be harmful.
14. Arctic Report Card Marks Record Temperatures and Rainfall in Arctic
    A yearly checkup on the region documents a warmer, rainier Arctic and 200 Alaskan rivers “rusting” as melting tundra leaches minerals from the soil into waterways.
15. A Powerful New Drug Is Creating a ‘Withdrawal Crisis’ in Philadelphia
    Medetomidine, a veterinary sedative, mixed into fentanyl has sent thousands to hospitals, not only for overdose but for life-threatening withdrawal. It is spreading to other cities.
16. F.D.A. Approves Two New Drugs to Treat Gonorrhea
    The sexually transmitted disease has become increasingly resistant to existing antibiotics.
17. How to Watch the Geminids Meteor Shower Reach Its Peak
    The moon will be about one-third full as one of the year’s last meteor showers becomes most visible.
18. Review of Medical Cannabis Use Finds Little Evidence of Benefit
    Researchers found a chasm between the health reasons for which the public seeks out cannabis and what gold-standard science actually shows about its effectiveness.
19. Lawsuit Seeks to Stop Oil Exploration in Remote Areas of the Arctic
    A federal lawsuit argues that proposed work by ConocoPhillips could threaten delicate ecosystems in the largest tract of public land in the U.S.
20. Trump Panel Abruptly Postpones Release of FEMA Overhaul Recommendations
    The group’s report had been expected to provide a road map for change after months of upheaval at the agency.
21. U.S. Helped to Weaken Report at U.N. Environment Talks, Participants Say
    American officials joined Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran in objecting to language on fossils fuels, biodiversity and plastics in a report that was three years in the making.
22. Russia Warns Poland Over Arrest of a Researcher Wanted by Ukraine
    Poland detained a Russian archaeologist who works on an ancient site in Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014. Ukraine calls the work illegal.
23. She Studied Mosquitoes to Prevent Malaria. Then She Lost Her Job at U.S.A.I.D.
    Jenny Carlson Donnelly traveled to malaria-affected countries to test mosquitoes and save lives. Then she lost her job at U.S.A.I.D.
24. New Eli Lilly Drug Retatrutide Brought Major Weight Loss in Trial
    The maker of Zepbound reported results from a study of retatrutide, which targets three hormones in the body and led to much more weight loss than any approved drug.
25. Here’s What to Know About Japan’s Mega Quake Advisory
    Japan’s government says that the chances of a magnitude 8 earthquake have increased. Scientists can’t predict when one will strike, but it represents a meaningful jump over typical odds.
26. How Long Should You Take Antidepressants?
    Clinical guidelines are vague, so we asked psychiatrists what to consider when deciding whether to continue taking these medications.
27. Gregg Phillips, a Proponent of Election Conspiracy Theories, to Join FEMA
    Gregg Phillips, who spread unsubstantiated claims of mass voter fraud in the 2016 election, will join the agency’s leadership, the Trump administration confirmed.
28. A Surrogacy Firm Told Parents-to-Be Their Money Was Safe. Suddenly, It Vanished.
    Surro Connections held itself out as a reliable business. Now, clients have lost as much as tens of thousands of dollars meant to compensate women carrying their pregnancies.
29. Our Children’s Trust Suit Asks Montana Court to Block Some New Laws
    The young plaintiffs, who won a major case over climate change policy in 2023, argue that legislators are illegally ignoring the effects of fossil fuels.