NYT > Science

1. What Your DNA Reveals About the Sex Life of Neanderthals
   Most people alive today carry fragments of Neanderthal DNA in their genome. Now scientists are gaining a more intimate understanding of the ancient encounters that put it there.
2. Bird Flu Strikes California Elephant Seals for the First Time
   Thirty seals, primarily weaned pups, have died since late last week, scientists said.
3. The Password That Lets Caterpillars Hide in an Ant’s Lair
   Some butterfly species can’t grow unless they trick ants into taking them home with a complex rhythmic signal.
4. T. Rex Ran on Its Tiptoes ‘Like an 8-Ton Chicken’
   New findings about the anatomy of the dinosaur age’s fiercest predator suggest it chased prey “like an oversized bird.”
5. Norway’s Century-Long Watch on the Northern Lights
   The nation’s northern region has led the scientific quest to understand the aurora borealis. This summer, a 10,000-antenna radar is expected to begin the next phase of exploration.
6. How a Horse Whinnies: With a Whistle and a Song
   Horses, with their high-pitched whinnies, seemed to buck the trend of larger animals producing lower sounds, but a new study explains the mechanics behind the noises a horse makes.
7. The Evolution of Eyes Began With One
   Even Charles Darwin was puzzled by the evolution of the vertebrate eye. New research suggests that it traces back to a cyclopean invertebrate with a single eye atop the head.
8. Cities May Be ‘Evolutionary Training Grounds’ For Spotted Lanternflies
   Living in urban China may have given the insects the traits they needed to thrive in the United States, a new study suggests.
9. A Lonely Baby Monkey Wins Hearts, and Even a Few Friends
   Legions of fans from around the world have been cheering on Punch, a 7-month-old macaque who had been struggling to socialize at a zoo outside Tokyo.
10. Fighting Wildfires Could Soon Get Harder
    Simultaneous emergencies in different parts of the world could stop countries from sharing ground crews and equipment, new research warns.
11. Edward L. Deci, 83, Dies; Found Self-Determination as a Key to Happiness
    His work with his colleague Richard Ryan changed how psychologists understand human motivation and what people require to flourish.
12. Vanguard Settles Case Claiming It Tried to Kill the Coal Industry
    Republican-led states had accused financial firms of colluding against coal producers. Vanguard also agreed not to push for action to fight climate change.
13. C.D.C.’s New Acting Director Draws Unexpected Praise From Agency Staff
    Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, who was appointed to the role last week, has offered to publicly endorse vaccination, in particular the measles vaccine, winning over some agency employees.
14. Bird Losses Are Accelerating, New Study Finds
    Scientists studying data collected over more than three decades found accelerating losses. Their research offers clues about the causes.
15. Sorry, SpaceX: It’s Getting Too Crowded Up There
    Elon Musk wants to launch a million satellites, but researchers say global warming is changing the upper atmosphere in ways that makes space junk linger.
16. New A.C.A. Plans Could Increase Family Deductibles to $31,000
    The Trump administration is proposing Obamacare plans that it says will lower health insurance premiums. But critics warn they would make care unaffordable.
17. Trump Says Tech Firms Should Pay More for Electricity
    The president said he had negotiated a deal with tech giants to cover the energy costs of data centers, but offered few details. Experts said such pledges could prove difficult in practice.
18. Trump’s Pick to Manage Public Lands Pledges No Mass Sell-Off
    Steve Pearce, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management, has a long history of pushing to privatize federal property.
19. Leader of Columbia Brain Institute Quits Over Friendship With Epstein
    The Nobel laureate Richard Axel is not accused of wrongdoing but called his association with Jeffrey Epstein a “serious error in judgment.”
20. Susan Leeman, 95, Dies; Explored How the Brain Influences the Body
    In an era of overt sexism in the sciences, she made two major discoveries, including identifying a chemical signal in the brain linked to chronic pain and migraines.
21. Plastic, Plastic Everywhere
    We talk to the author of a new book about why the problem is so hard to solve.
22. Judge Axes Exxon’s Defamation Suit Against Environmentalists
    But the case against the California attorney general, prompted by his lawsuit over Exxon’s plastic recycling program, can proceed in Texas federal court.
23. 15 States Sue the Trump Administration Over Vaccine Schedule Revisions
    Federal health officials have pared back the number of shots recommended for children. The states, led by Democrats, say the changes were not based on science.
24. Leah Stavenhagen, Advocate for Young Women With A.L.S., Dies at 33
    She started a group intended to counter the notion that A.L.S. was an “older white man’s disease.”
25. Another C.D.C. Vaccine Skeptic Steps Down
    Dr. Ralph Abraham, the agency’s principal deputy director, has called the Covid vaccines “dangerous.” Other skeptics have recently left federal health roles.
26. Supreme Court to Weigh Oil-Industry Effort to End a Major Climate Suit
    The case could have significant bearing on a range of other lawsuits brought against the fossil fuel industry by cities and states across the country.
27. Problem With Artemis Rocket Will Delay NASA’s Moon Mission
    The rocket will be removed from the launchpad in order for technicians to investigate and fix a malfunctioning helium system.
28. NASA Conducts Launchpad Test of the Massive Artemis Rocket
    The next moon mission, carrying four astronauts, could launch as soon as early March.
29. A Cancer Detection Test Fails in Major Study
    A closely watched clinical trial in Britain that screened blood for early detection of cancer did not show a reduction in diagnoses at later stages of the disease.