NYT > Science

1. This Skeleton is the First Confirmed Death by Trebuchet
   Researchers believe a young man buried inside a Scottish castle was a victim of the long-feared siege weapon, more powerful than a typical catapult.
2. NASA’s Attempt to Save the Swift Telescope Has Failed
   NASA’s Swift Observatory, which studies some of the most powerful explosions in the universe, will soon burn up in the atmosphere.
3. Chinese Start-Up Lands Reusable Rocket for the First Time
   The milestone by the private company, LandSpace, could put China closer to challenging SpaceX’s rule in lower-cost spaceflight.
4. Moderna, Merck Say mRNA Vaccine Prevents Melanoma From Returning
   Moderna and Merck say the experimental vaccine prevented the return and spread of the cancer in high-risk melanoma patients.
5. Humans Love Having Pets. Seems Like Some Other Primates Do, Too.
   We aren’t the only animals that like to take care of other species. A new study finds that the roots of keeping a pet may stretch deep into our primate past.
6. How NASA Engineers Are Keeping the Voyagers Alive
   A reworking of the spacecraft’s power systems could extend the nearly 50-year-old Voyagers’ exploration of interstellar space into the early 2030s.
7. Jaguars Are Ready to Come Back. The Border Wall Might Stop Them.
   A lone male roves the Arizona mountains, and a female has been spotted just across the border in Mexico. The sightings raise hopes for the species, despite serious threats.
8. How One Woman With a Very Rare Disease Secured a Clinical Trial
   Through sheer determination, Neena Nizar has become the first patient in a clinical trial testing a treatment for her disease — one so rare it affects just 30 people worldwide.
9. Telescope Spots Two Black Holes on the Cusp of Merging
   New images from the James Webb telescope show a galaxy with a trio of supermassive black holes. Two of them appear to be locked in a tight tango.
10. Moderna’s Shift to Cancer Company Lifts Stock Up 177%
    The company’s fortunes cratered as demand for Covid-19 vaccines plummeted. But it was busy working on something else.
11. How Trump Is Trying to Crush California’s Climate Policies
    At least a half-dozen federal agencies have taken action against the state that has led the nation in environmental protections.
12. What Is Treatment-Resistant Depression?
    If multiple antidepressants haven’t helped, there are other avenues to explore.
13. Former Fauci Adviser Pleads Guilty to Trying to Conceal Covid-Related Records
    Dr. David Morens, a former N.I.H. official, admitted to attempts to conceal emails that discussed the origins of the pandemic.
14. Trump Nominates Heidi Overton, a Top Domestic Policy Aide, for F.D.A. Commissioner
    Dr. Overton is a fierce opponent of abortion rights and a supporter of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again agenda.
15. Trump Administration Moves to Allow Logging in Pristine National Forests
    The move to repeal the ‘roadless rule’ would pave the way for road construction and logging in nearly 45 million acres of untouched back country.
16. Rafting Through the Grand Canyon on a Depleting Colorado River
    As water levels on the Colorado River fall to historic lows, a rafting trip through the canyon feels even more precious.
17. Lake Powell Hits Lowest Level On Record As Water Crisis Continues
    Levels in Lakes Mead and Powell have not been so low since 1957, underscoring a water crisis that plagues seven states that rely on the Colorado River.
18. Share Your Experiences With the Public Health System in Louisiana
    The New York Times is examining how public health is changing in the state, from the whooping cough outbreak to vaccine policies, and we want to hear from you.
19. How Louisiana’s New Surgeon General Wants to Transform Public Health
    Dr. Evelyn Griffin is pushing for more emphasis on wellness and prevention. She has also aligned with the MAHA movement in fighting government mandates and questioning the safety of some vaccines.
20. How Cyclospora Evaded the U.S. Food Safety System to Sicken Thousands
    The Trump administration delayed a rule last year that could have sped up the effort to pinpoint the source of the contamination. Critics charge that food safety oversight has eroded overall.
21. Mining Claims Staked on Land Cut From Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Monuments
    Prospectors are eyeing mineral deposits within the former boundaries of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments in Utah.
22. Why Europe Keeps Being Pummeled by Heat Waves
    The whole planet is warming, but changes in weather patterns could help explain why the continent is suffering so many bouts of severe heat.
23. Judge Rejects Suit Against University of Michigan That Sought Emails on Climate Law
    A conservative group had tried to force the University of Michigan to hand over messages from a law professor who worked on “climate superfund” bills.
24. Federal Job Cuts Are Making Wildfires Harder to Fight
    The Trump administration pushed out thousands of veteran U.S. Forest Service staff. An ‘extraordinary’ fire season is testing those who are left.
25. Early-Onset El Niño
    The global weather disrupter appears to be taking a toll, and its peak could still be months away.