Big Controversy Upends a Contest About Microscopic Videos 9 October 2026 at 18:47

Big Controversy Upends a Contest About Microscopic Videos

9 October 2026 at 18:47

Nikon announced that it had disqualified the winner of its Small World in Motion competition over how A.I. was used in his submission.

Nikon’s Small World in Motion competition is an annual video contest that awards the best footage captured through the lens of a microscope.

Cancer Vaccines Are the N.I.H.’s Next ‘Big Bet’ 9 October 2026 at 16:26

Cancer Vaccines Are the N.I.H.’s Next ‘Big Bet’

NYT: Science

By: Gina Kolata

9 October 2026 at 16:26

New details have emerged about an initiative that starts in December to fast-track the vaccines, similar to the successful push for the Covid-19 vaccine.

Cancer vaccine research at the biotech company Moderna in Cambridge, Mass., which reported in August promising results that a melanoma vaccine increased the time before cancers recurred and increased the time before the cancers spread.

‘Breathtaking,’ ‘Devastating’: Mathematics Reels After New OpenAI Release 9 October 2026 at 16:28

‘Breathtaking,’ ‘Devastating’: Mathematics Reels After New OpenAI Release

NYT: Science

By: Siobhan Roberts

9 October 2026 at 16:28

Hundreds of new A.I.-generated findings moved the frontiers of higher math in a single day — dispelling any doubt that the field is forever changed.

Experts say the cataclysmic upheaval to the field will affect students the most, especially graduate students on the cusp of becoming a part of this intellectual community.

21 Birds Are Found at Miami Airport Stuffed in Underwear and Hidden in a Belt 8 October 2026 at 20:36

21 Birds Are Found at Miami Airport Stuffed in Underwear and Hidden in a Belt

NYT: Science

By: Rebecca Chao

8 October 2026 at 20:36

Two men, who arrived separately from Cuba days apart, each carried clutches of live birds concealed in their clothes, the authorities said.

A man who was detained at Miami International Airport on Sunday appeared nervous and had an “unexplained bulge” around his pelvis, according to a criminal complaint.

What Are the Remaining Millennium Prize Problems? 9 October 2026 at 08:12

What Are the Remaining Millennium Prize Problems?

NYT: Science

By: Siobhan Roberts

9 October 2026 at 08:12

OpenAI’s trove of new math results doesn’t fully solve any of these highly prestigious open questions, but it seems to make progress on some.

A page from an 1859 manuscript in which Berhard Reimann formulated his famous hypothesis, one of the remaining Millennium Prize problems.

U.N. Warns Against Technology Used to Read Citizens’ Minds 9 October 2026 at 05:32

U.N. Warns Against Technology Used to Read Citizens’ Minds

NYT: Science

By: Jonathan Moens

9 October 2026 at 05:32

A report by the secretary general warned that new technologies could be used to access and criminalize people’s innermost thoughts.

While neurotechnologies have become powerful clinical tools for patients with brain injuries, the United Nations on Thursday warned that future technologies could be abused by governments.

The National Hurricane Center’s Boss Keeps an Eye on the Storms 8 October 2026 at 14:00

The National Hurricane Center’s Boss Keeps an Eye on the Storms

NYT: Science

By: Johnny Diaz

8 October 2026 at 14:00

The director, Michael Brennan, oversees 45 federal workers, including hurricane specialists and meteorologists.

Michael Brennan has been director of the National Hurricane Center since 2023.

Before Computer Science Became a Boys’ Club, Margaret Hamilton Wrote the Code 8 October 2026 at 22:09

Before Computer Science Became a Boys’ Club, Margaret Hamilton Wrote the Code

NYT: Science

By: Carolyn Y. Johnson and Kenneth Chang

8 October 2026 at 22:09

The woman who helped put astronauts on the moon was a software engineer when the field was not prestigious or lucrative.

For Two Sisters, a “Biological Age Test” Measured More Than Their DNA 8 October 2026 at 11:06

For Two Sisters, a “Biological Age Test” Measured More Than Their DNA

NYT: Science

By: Emily Baumgaertner Nunn and Annie Flanagan

8 October 2026 at 11:06

They thought it might explain why their health had diverged. Instead, it stirred up feelings that weren’t so easily quantified.

As Flood Risk Increases in Himalayas, Nepal Builds More in Vulnerable Areas 8 October 2026 at 11:00

As Flood Risk Increases in Himalayas, Nepal Builds More in Vulnerable Areas

NYT: Science

By: Raymond Zhong

8 October 2026 at 11:00

The total footprint of buildings along flood-prone riverbanks in the Himalayas grew by half in recent years, a study found.

Flood hazards in Nepal include monsoon downpours, earthquakes and avalanches that send boulders tumbling into lakes formed by melting glaciers.

Margaret Hamilton, Whose Software Guided the Apollo Missions, Has Died 8 October 2026 at 09:09

Margaret Hamilton, Whose Software Guided the Apollo Missions, Has Died

NYT: Science

By: Trip Gabriel

8 October 2026 at 09:09

Margaret Hamilton, the first female programmer hired to work on the space project at M.I.T., was 90.

Margaret Hamilton with printed computer code in 1969.

RFK Jr. Plans Vaccine Injury Initiative, Drawing Wary Eye From Experts 7 October 2026 at 21:40

RFK Jr. Plans Vaccine Injury Initiative, Drawing Wary Eye From Experts

NYT: Science

By: Sheryl Gay Stolberg

7 October 2026 at 21:40

Vaccine safety experts say more research into the side effects would be welcome yet question whether the health secretary’s effort will be grounded in science.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, testifying during a Senate health committee hearing earlier this year.

A Lab Worker’s Death Is Raising Plague Fears in Russia. What Do Experts Want to Know? 8 October 2026 at 11:09

A Lab Worker’s Death Is Raising Plague Fears in Russia. What Do Experts Want to Know?

NYT: Science

By: K. R. Callaway

8 October 2026 at 11:09

Missing details about the death of a lab worker, including the cause, are worrying scientists.

Russian health officials have not linked the death of a lab worker to infection with Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes plague.

Jonathan the Giant Tortoise Is 194 Years Old. He Just Had His Genome Sequenced. 8 October 2026 at 15:06

Jonathan the Giant Tortoise Is 194 Years Old. He Just Had His Genome Sequenced.

NYT: Science

By: Monique Brouillette

8 October 2026 at 15:06

Scientists have sequenced his genome for the first time, hoping the world’s oldest land animal can offer clues into the genetics of longevity.

A Public Health-Minded Senator Asks: What Comes After Trump and Kennedy? 7 October 2026 at 15:59

A Public Health-Minded Senator Asks: What Comes After Trump and Kennedy?

NYT: Science

By: Sheryl Gay Stolberg

7 October 2026 at 15:59

Senator Patty Murray, a former chair of the Senate health committee, is forming a group of experts to examine how to insulate the C.D.C. from political interference.

Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, at the Capitol last month.

Trump Administration Delays Threaten Funding for HIV Research 7 October 2026 at 12:33

Trump Administration Delays Threaten Funding for HIV Research

NYT: Science

By: Apoorva Mandavilli and Benjamin Mueller

7 October 2026 at 12:33

The networks also develop treatments and preventions for other infectious diseases and were instrumental in testing the Covid vaccine.

Drawing blood at an H.I.V. clinic in South Africa last year. The research networks’ large footprint has enabled them to develop tools to prevent and treat H.I.V., including in marginalized or rare populations.

Was the Human Gut Healthier in Ancient Times? 7 October 2026 at 11:57

Was the Human Gut Healthier in Ancient Times?

NYT: Science

By: Carl Zimmer

7 October 2026 at 11:57

The microbiome isn’t what it used to be in many parts of the world. The shift may be affecting the well-being of people in industrialized countries.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry Is Awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai 7 October 2026 at 11:17

Nobel Prize in Chemistry Is Awarded to Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai

NYT: Science

By: K. R. Callaway

7 October 2026 at 11:17

The Nobel Committee recognized Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai for solving a century-old mystery about molecules with mirror images. Their work is crucial for pharmaceuticals and carries clues to the origins of life.

Henri Kagan and Kenso Soai are awarded the 2026 Nobel Prize in Chemistry during a news conference at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm, on Wednesday.

Russia Says It Found No ‘Emergency’ in Plague Lab 7 October 2026 at 14:20

Russia Says It Found No ‘Emergency’ in Plague Lab

NYT: Science

By: Paul Sonne

7 October 2026 at 14:20

New information around the death of a lab worker, including a statement that she had been vaccinated against the plague, came as U.S. officials demanded more data.

The entrance to the grounds of the anti-plague institute in Irkutsk, Russia, on Wednesday. An employee of the institute died of a mysterious pneumonia.

In Vienna and Beijing, the First Nuclear Clocks Begin to Tick 7 October 2026 at 11:00

In Vienna and Beijing, the First Nuclear Clocks Begin to Tick

NYT: Science

By: Dan Garisto

7 October 2026 at 11:00

By measuring the squishing and unsquishing of thorium-229 nuclei, two teams created a new type of clock that could someday beat the precision of atomic clocks.

The Start-Up That Wants to Build ‘Microrobots’ With A.I. 7 October 2026 at 05:06

The Start-Up That Wants to Build ‘Microrobots’ With A.I.

NYT: Science

By: Cade Metz

7 October 2026 at 05:06

Atomic Machines is training artificial intelligence on materials and designs — and then using it to build tiny physical devices.

OpenAI Releases Findings on 377 Math Problems, Further Roiling Field 6 October 2026 at 19:46

OpenAI Releases Findings on 377 Math Problems, Further Roiling Field

NYT: Science

By: Kenneth Chang and Siobhan Roberts

6 October 2026 at 19:46

After a previous solution angered mathematicians, the company characterized the new release as being more responsive to concerns about A.I. disrupting research.

For 10 of the findings, OpenAI provided summaries of how the A.I. model came up with its solution. The average result took about three hours of computing, the company said.

Supreme Court Hears Boulder Climate Case 6 October 2026 at 16:19

Supreme Court Hears Boulder Climate Case

NYT: Science

By: David Gelles

6 October 2026 at 16:19

Monday’s arguments were highly technical. A decision about whether the case could move forward isn’t expected until June or July.

Energy Firms Try to Squeeze More Power Out of Old Nuclear Plants 6 October 2026 at 15:37

Energy Firms Try to Squeeze More Power Out of Old Nuclear Plants

NYT: Science

By: Brad Plumer and Rebecca F. Elliott

6 October 2026 at 15:37

It takes a long time to build new nuclear plants. So, some U.S. companies are looking to get more electricity out of reactors that already exist.

Constellation Energy, the nation’s largest nuclear power plant operator, said it would spend more than $4.3 billion to refurbish 11 reactors at six plants in Illinois, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

In Race With U.S., China Struggles to Recruit Foreign A.I. Researchers 6 October 2026 at 13:00

In Race With U.S., China Struggles to Recruit Foreign A.I. Researchers

NYT: Science

By: Zeyi Yang

6 October 2026 at 13:00

China’s booming artificial intelligence sector has given local researchers good reason to remain in the country, but it has yet to lure overseas scientists despite a government push.

Chinese A.I. companies like Deepseek and Moonshot have made a name for themselves internationally. But China still struggles to recruit foreign researchers.

Nobel Prize in Physics Is Awarded to Francis Halzen for Work on Neutrinos 6 October 2026 at 12:36

Nobel Prize in Physics Is Awarded to Francis Halzen for Work on Neutrinos

NYT: Science

By: Aurelien Breeden and Katrina Miller

6 October 2026 at 12:36

The Nobel Committee honored Francis Halzen for his “vision and scientific leadership” of a telescope within the ice at the South Pole.

The Nobel Committee praised Francis Halzen’s “vision and scientific leadership” at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a research project at the South Pole.

Melting Swiss Glaciers Release Archaeological Treasures 6 October 2026 at 11:01

Melting Swiss Glaciers Release Archaeological Treasures

NYT: Science

By: Raymond Zhong · Giacomo d’Orlando and Mira Rojanasakul

6 October 2026 at 11:01

Archaeologists are scouring mountain passes as artifacts from a bygone world all but tumble out of Switzerland’s shrinking ice.

Fragments of wood found recently around a fast-melting ice patch in the Swiss Alps.

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Is Awarded for Discoveries in Neuroscience 5 October 2026 at 17:09

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Is Awarded for Discoveries in Neuroscience

NYT: Science

By: Carolyn Y. Johnson and Leo Sands

5 October 2026 at 17:09

Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel were recognized for their work on light-gated ion channels and optogenetics, a technique that uses pulses of light to activate neurons in the brain.

Thomas Perlmann, the secretary general of the Nobel Committee, speaking at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm on Monday.

Why Cities and States Are Fighting Climate Change in Courtrooms 5 October 2026 at 16:40

Why Cities and States Are Fighting Climate Change in Courtrooms

NYT: Science

By: Karen Zraick and Claire Brown

5 October 2026 at 16:40

Faced with a president who has called global warming a hoax, officials have filed dozens of suits against oil companies to try to cover the costs of extreme weather.

The case now before the Supreme Court could affect dozens of others. Protesters gathered on Monday as the court heard arguments.

What Are the Biggest Questions in Science Today? 100 Scientists Weigh In. 5 October 2026 at 16:33

What Are the Biggest Questions in Science Today? 100 Scientists Weigh In.

NYT: Science

By: Bill Wasik

5 October 2026 at 16:33

We asked 100 scientists about unsolved problems in their fields. They sent back provocations — on the origins of life, the possibilities for human progress and much more.

Texas Pediatricians Face Paxton Investigations for Vaccinating Children 5 October 2026 at 11:46

Texas Pediatricians Face Paxton Investigations for Vaccinating Children

NYT: Science

By: Christina Jewett

5 October 2026 at 11:46

Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general and Republican Senate candidate, has alleged a sprawling profit-driven conspiracy. Pediatricians say the accusations are an attempt at intimidation.

Dr. Rachel examining a patient in Texas last month.

Are Babies Conscious? 5 October 2026 at 11:12

Are Babies Conscious?

NYT: Science

By: Carl Zimmer

5 October 2026 at 11:12

By pinpointing when it begins in young humans, scientists hope to better understand what consciousness is, and how it arises, in all of us.

Who Owns the Moon? 4 October 2026 at 05:06

Who Owns the Moon?

NYT: Science

By: Selam Gebrekidan

4 October 2026 at 05:06

A treaty from the 1960s declared that nobody can own outer space. Half a century later, billionaires and superpowers see fortunes to be made nonetheless.

The moon in April, visible from NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

Superpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon 4 October 2026 at 05:00

Superpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon

NYT: Science

By: Selam Gebrekidan

4 October 2026 at 05:00

The United States wants a reactor on the moon by 2030. A Russian-Chinese alliance is working on one for 2036. Some leading scientists say the danger is great.

The moon and Earth were aligned in the same frame, each partly illuminated by the sun, as seen from behind the moon during the Artemis II flight in April.

A Supreme Court Battle Over Climate Change Begins 4 October 2026 at 16:51

A Supreme Court Battle Over Climate Change Begins

NYT: Science

By: Karen Zraick

4 October 2026 at 16:51

The justices are about to hear a lawsuit that could determine whether the oil industry faces billions of dollars in liability for damages caused by global warming.

Boulder has sued Exxon and Suncor saying they should help pay for the damage caused by global warming in the state. A Suncor refinery in Colorado last month.

Nobel Prizes 2026: What to Know 5 October 2026 at 08:13

Nobel Prizes 2026: What to Know

NYT: Science

By: The New York Times

5 October 2026 at 08:13

The recipients of the six awards in science, literature, economics and peace work are being announced this week.

A Nobel Prize medal awarded in 1998. Six Nobels are given each year.

Scientists Warn of Another Unseen Risk From Fire: Ozone 4 October 2026 at 05:00

Scientists Warn of Another Unseen Risk From Fire: Ozone

NYT: Science

By: Clayton Dalton

4 October 2026 at 05:00

Small particulates sent up by wildfires are a well-documented health hazard. But recent research finds that ground-level ozone is now on the rise, too.

Manhattan’s skyline obscured by Canadian wildfire smoke on June 7, 2023.

National Science Foundation Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by Congress 2 October 2026 at 14:41

National Science Foundation Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by Congress

NYT: Science

By: Adam Sella · Christopher Flavelle and Irena Hwang

2 October 2026 at 14:41

The move, affecting about one-fifth of the National Science Foundation’s primary research budget, is the latest sign of how the White House is asserting more control over grants.

Some National Science Foundation divisions pulled back research proposals in order to comply with White House guidance to carry over funds.

What Is Out There? The Findings So Far of a Trump-Backed U.F.O. Panel. 2 October 2026 at 10:40

What Is Out There? The Findings So Far of a Trump-Backed U.F.O. Panel.

NYT: Science

By: Danny Hakim

2 October 2026 at 10:40

Uncovering evidence of alien life would be “the biggest discovery ever made by humanity,” one expert said. But so far, there’s a lot of blurry photos and unconfirmed reports.

These Birds Are Louder Than Elephants, Jackhammers and Chain Saws 5 October 2026 at 12:47

These Birds Are Louder Than Elephants, Jackhammers and Chain Saws

NYT: Science

By: Taylor Mitchell Brown

5 October 2026 at 12:47

A new study has identified two species of Brazilian birds, the bare-throated bellbird and the red-legged seriema, as the loudest in nature.

California Sues to Block Trump From Weakening Fuel Economy Rules 2 October 2026 at 19:35

California Sues to Block Trump From Weakening Fuel Economy Rules

NYT: Science

By: Brad Plumer

2 October 2026 at 19:35

The lawsuit is the 97th the state has filed against the Trump administration over the past year and a half.

Traffic in Los Angeles. California led other states to sue the Trump administration on Friday over new fuel efficiency standards.

F.D.A. Found Cyclospora During Taylor Farms Inspection in Mexico 2 October 2026 at 18:25

F.D.A. Found Cyclospora During Taylor Farms Inspection in Mexico

NYT: Science

By: Christina Jewett · Alice Callahan and Caroline Hopkins Legaspi

2 October 2026 at 18:25

The discovery adds strong evidence that the outbreak that sickened thousands over the summer originated in a grower’s field or processing facility.

Over the course of the summer, the cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms caused nearly 13,000 illnesses, 570 hospitalizations and two deaths in 21 states.

Scientists Untangle the Biology of an ‘Undruggable’ Cancer Gene 3 October 2026 at 15:09

Scientists Untangle the Biology of an ‘Undruggable’ Cancer Gene

NYT: Science

By: Carolyn Y. Johnson

3 October 2026 at 15:09

Found in 70 percent of cancers, the gene is seen as a grand orchestrator, but has been surprisingly difficult to stop.

How Did Christa Pike Survive Two Lethal Injections of Pentobarbital? 1 October 2026 at 18:30

How Did Christa Pike Survive Two Lethal Injections of Pentobarbital?

NYT: Science

By: Benjamin Mueller and Shaila Dewan

1 October 2026 at 18:30

A catheter carrying the drug may not have delivered the doses to Ms. Pike’s bloodstream, experts said. The drug itself may have been degraded.

Emergency vehicles leaving Riverbend Maximum Security Institution after the failed execution of Christa Pike.

The MacArthur ‘Genius’ Studying Sea Ice Secrets 1 October 2026 at 16:06

The MacArthur ‘Genius’ Studying Sea Ice Secrets

NYT: Science

By: Claire Brown

1 October 2026 at 16:06

A climate scientist was one of 20 recipients of a “no-strings-attached” $800,000 stipend.

Prosecutors Cannot Revive Reflecting Pool Case Against Ex-Olympian, Judge Rules 1 October 2026 at 15:51

Prosecutors Cannot Revive Reflecting Pool Case Against Ex-Olympian, Judge Rules

NYT: Science

By: Clarence Williams

1 October 2026 at 15:51

A charge against David Hearn was dismissed “with prejudice” because of President Trump’s attempts to influence the case.

A renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has been plagued with problems.

States Sue Over Trump’s Repeal of Climate Rules for Power Plants 2 October 2026 at 15:22

States Sue Over Trump’s Repeal of Climate Rules for Power Plants

NYT: Science

By: Brad Plumer

2 October 2026 at 15:22

The mostly Democratic-led states say that the E.P.A. acted unlawfully when it erased Biden-era limits on carbon dioxide from coal- and gas-fired plants.

President Trump has pushed to dismantle many federal policies that aim to tackle climate change, including Biden-era rules that limited planet-warming emissions from power plants.

A Hacking Competition Shows the Power of China’s Approach to A.I. 1 October 2026 at 09:43

A Hacking Competition Shows the Power of China’s Approach to A.I.

NYT: Science

By: Cade Metz

1 October 2026 at 09:43

The winner of a cybersecurity contest prevailed by relying on an ‘open weight’ Chinese model — another sign that available A.I. systems could already be too powerful to easily regulate.

Pavel Gurvich, the chief executive of the cybersecurity company Tenzai. Mr. Gurvich’s firm won the HackerOne contest by using a freely available Chinese A.I. model.

Cornell’s Jane Doe Said She Was Given Ketamine. Here’s How the Drug Works. 1 October 2026 at 17:08

Cornell’s Jane Doe Said She Was Given Ketamine. Here’s How the Drug Works.

NYT: Science

By: Andrew Jacobs

1 October 2026 at 17:08

Ketamine is a short-acting anesthetic that can have hallucinogenic effects. It is becoming more easily available, and some experts fear misuse is increasing.