NYT > Science

1. The Blue Micromoon Rises in Sunday’s Early Skies
   The second full moon of May will look smaller and dimmer than usual.
2. A Hidden Treasure of Rare Snake Specimens
   In the foothills of the Ecuadorean Amazon, a 101-year-old farmer and a young scientist turned an amateur collection into a scientific survey of one of the most diverse snake habitats on Earth.
3. What’s Next for Blue Origin After Rocket Explosion
   Jeff Bezos was gaining ground on Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Starlink. Thursday’s rocket explosion on a launchpad creates a major setback.
4. Happy, Bronx Zoo Elephant at Center of Animal Rights Case, Is Dead at 55
   Activists had sued in a bid to secure her the fundamental human right to bodily liberty. Zoo officials said she was well cared for and called the lawsuit frivolous.
5. Can New Technology Help Save North Atlantic Right Whales?
   Innovative systems to keep ships from hitting North Atlantic right whales are coming into use. The Trump administration is weighing whether they can replace a bedrock protection.
6. Fish Sleep a Lot Like Us. (They Even Nap.)
   By tracking eye movements in zebrafish, researchers identified four different types of sleep, analogous to the complex sleep patterns of humans and other animals.
7. Why the Ebola and Hantavirus Outbreaks Have Confounded Scientists
   The types of Ebola and hantavirus worrying officials are very different from the species identified decades ago, raising new questions about how to respond.
8. A Fiery Visitor From Space Photo-Bombs an Erupting Volcano
   For a split second, a fireball outshone the rivers of molten lava flowing from the Philippines’ most active volcano.
9. NASA’s Moon Base Plan Adds Two Rovers for Its Astronauts
   The contracts, announced on Tuesday, are part of the space agency’s efforts to establish a moon base.
10. By September, Nearly a Third of Americans Will Live in States With Legal Aid in Dying
    Despite widespread support in polls, the number of people who actually go through with the practice remains very small.
11. China’s Rise in Drug Development Looms Over U.S.
    Clinical trials in China are getting attention at an international oncology gathering in Chicago. China’s surging biotechnology industry is fueling alarm that U.S. dominance in the field is waning.
12. A Clean Energy PAC Helped Beat Chip Roy, and Now It Has New Targets
    A PAC representing wind and solar energy interests spent $1.1 million to boost the Republican primary opponent of Chip Roy, an opponent of renewables. Now they are trying to save a Republican ally in Iowa.
13. What Exactly Caused That Loud Boom in South Carolina?
    A huge noise rattled part of the state on Thursday. Multiple theories have been put forward, but the mystery remains.
14. Blue Origin Rocket Blows Up on Florida Launchpad During Test
    The rocket, built by the Jeff Bezos-owned space company, was to carry 48 satellites into space. Blue Origin reported on social media that “all personnel have been accounted for.”
15. Suit Says Black Infants Were Subjected to Experimental Vaccine Without Consent
    The babies were part of a vaccine trial for a respiratory virus in the 1960s and died shortly after. Their families said they had been unaware of the trial until recently.
16. Greenpeace’s Long War With a Pipeline Titan Enters a Strange New Phase
    This month, a North Dakota court barred Greenpeace from saying what it wanted in a European court, an unusual move. The environmental group says it is forging ahead.
17. Genetic Scores are Booming. But Will Anti-Discrimination Laws Cover Your DNA?
    As predictive medicine advances, legal scholars warn that decades-old federal guidelines could set up a potential clash between your genes and your job.
18. New York City’s Manhattanhenge is Back: When, Where and How to Watch
    On Friday, some streets in Manhattan will get a lot more crowded as people gather for a second time to watch the city’s unique solar spectacle.
19. U.S. Aims to Give Cold War Plutonium to Start-Ups for Nuclear Fuel
    Companies say it’s a better way to dispose of the Cold War-era material — and fix a shortage of nuclear fuel. But the plan has also faced criticism from nonproliferation experts.
20. Eli Lilly to Buy 3 Vaccine Developers
    The drugmaker said it would spend up to $4 billion to acquire small companies exploring vaccines for shingles, Epstein-Barr virus and other pathogens.
21. Scientists Ditched a Scary Climate Scenario. What Now?
    While global warming is still a threat, the decision to back away from a worst-case outlook raises questions about whether some risks have been overstated.
22. A Powerful H.I.V. Drug Lands in Zambia. But Will It Reach Those Who Need It?
    Lenacapavir, which protects people from H.I.V. infection with twice-yearly shots, is arriving in a country where the health system has been hollowed out by American aid cuts.
23. Where to See the Total Solar Eclipse on Aug. 12
    On Aug. 12, parts of Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Portugal will experience the thrill of daytime darkness. Here’s where you can witness the cosmic spectacle.
24. Threat of Explosion From Toxic Chemical Tank Lessened, Officials Say
    The risk of a large explosion has been averted, officials say. But a smaller blast remains possible, and 16,000 people remain displaced.
25. One-and-Done Heart Disease Prevention? Scientists Show It May Be Possible.
    A single infusion of an experimental gene-editing drug seemed to reduce LDL long-term in a small trial. The results may point to something “curative,” one expert said.
26. Rafe Pomerance, the Paul Revere of Climate Change, Dies at 79
    An environmental lobbyist and activist, he was a pivotal figure in drawing public attention and political support to the existential issue.
27. RFK Jr.’s Push to Curb Antidepressants Has Shaken Psychiatry
    An annual psychiatric meeting was abuzz over Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s call to rein in the use of depression medications. Some fear it will drive patients away from care.