Clues to Why a Breakthrough Pancreatic Cancer Drug Eventually Stops Working

30 September 2026 at 13:48

Researchers are asking why patients, like former Senator Ben Sasse, inevitably develop resistance to the drug daraxonrasib.

Researchers are studying why patients, like former Senator Ben Sasse, eventually develop resistance to the drug daraxonrasib.

Viper Image That Caused Alarm in California Was A.I.-Generated

NYT: Science

By: Victor Mather

30 September 2026 at 13:28

A Gaboon viper, a venomous snake native to equatorial regions of Africa, was supposedly photographed in a tree in Santa Ana, Calif. How could that be? Well, it turns out it wasn’t.

This is a real Gaboon viper. One that was supposedly photographed in a tree in Santa Ana, Calif., was fake.

New Cancer Drugs Are Revolutionary. Why Don’t More Patients Get Them?

NYT: Science

By: Gina Kolata

30 September 2026 at 10:02

Targeted gene therapies are highly effective at stopping cancers, but the very abundance of the treatments, plus cost and sluggish change, are hindering access.

When John Ebers, a commercial beekeeper in Comstock Park, Mich., was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer, he was not given the option of genetic testing, which could have revealed if there were drugs that could attack his cancer.

See How El Niño Is Washing Ashore in California

NYT: Science

By: Raymond Zhong

30 September 2026 at 10:00

An enormous pulse of wave energy will soon reach Southern California and continue north, raising sea levels by half a foot and increasing threats from swells and tides.

A wave crashes into a sea wall protecting beachfront homes in Long Beach, Ca., where a boardwalk was damaged by Hurricane Marie.

Ukrainian Science Academy, Struck by Drone, Played Key Role in Research

NYT: Science

By: Robin George Andrews and Nataliia Novosolova

29 September 2026 at 15:55

Over 90 percent of Ukraine’s scientific discoveries have been attributed to Ukraine’s National Academy of Sciences, including advancements in astronomy and military technology.

A Russian drone strike on the National Academy of Sciences in Kyiv, Ukraine, killed at least two people on Monday.

Tennessee Valley Authority Gets Approval to Build Small Nuclear Reactor

NYT: Science

By: Brad Plumer

29 September 2026 at 14:09

It’s only the second time that American regulators have approved a next-generation commercial reactor for construction. Big hurdles remain.

The Vogtle nuclear plant in Georgia cost $35 billion to build.

Anthropic’s Quest for Humanlike A.I.

NYT: Science

By: Elizabeth Dias · Cade Metz · Christina Shaman · Chris Whitworth · Stephanie Swart · Whitney Shefte and Mark Oltmanns

29 September 2026 at 12:27

Elizabeth Dias, our national religion correspondent, and Cade Metz, one of our technology reporters, discuss Anthropic’s approach for instilling morality into Claude — which has involved consultations with religious leaders, including ones at the Vatican — and why it’s raising questions.

What If A.D.H.D. Isn’t About Attention at All?

NYT: Science

By: Awais Aftab

29 September 2026 at 05:20

Evidence suggests that it really affects what psychiatrists like me call sustained engagement — an important difference in understanding how to think about the condition.

Radio Waves Coming From an Alien Planet May Be a Cosmic First

NYT: Science

By: Jonathan O’Callaghan

29 September 2026 at 05:01

Beta Pictoris b appears to have an aurora caused by a powerful magnetic field. If confirmed, it would be the first such field known outside our solar system.

An artist’s concept shows the Beta Pictoris system, which contains three gas giant exoplanets, 63 light-years from Earth.

V.A. Institutes New Consent Requirements for Some Psychiatric Drugs

NYT: Science

By: Azeen Ghorayshi and Andrew Jacobs

29 September 2026 at 08:39

Veterans under 30 will have to sign forms before being given antidepressants. Medical groups fear the moves may stigmatize mental health treatment.

The new policies will go into effect in 2027.

Despite Setbacks, NASA Gives Boeing’s Starliner Spacecraft a Boost

NYT: Science

By: Kenneth Chang

28 September 2026 at 20:15

A previous mission left two astronauts stuck in space for months. Still, the space agency is investing $359 million to keep the craft flying.

Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft could make another trip to the International Space Station as soon as December, but this time carrying only cargo.

The Coal Industry Asked for a Rescue. Trump Obliged.

NYT: Science

By: Brad Plumer and Claire Brown

28 September 2026 at 17:41

In a previously unreported letter, a top lobbyist floated the idea of using emergency powers to keep aging coal plants open.

Coal plants were ordered to stay open, including Craig Generating Station in Colorado, which challenged the emergency order.

Judge Blocks FEMA From Tying Antiterrorism Grants to Election Changes

NYT: Science

By: Scott Dance

28 September 2026 at 15:47

The Trump administration had threatened to withhold some Homeland Security money unless states explored paper balloting and citizenship verification.

Voters cast primary election ballots in Augusta, Maine, in June. A court ruled Monday that the Trump administration cannot withhold federal terrorism preparedness grants from states and localities that don’t explore shifting to paper ballots.

Trump Sharply Scales Back Fuel Economy Rules for New Cars

NYT: Science

By: Brad Plumer and Maxine Joselow

29 September 2026 at 12:32

The move marked the final step in the administration’s efforts to dismantle policies aimed at speeding the shift to electric vehicles.

The new standards should be relatively easy for automakers to meet, analysts said.

This Virus Stole a Human Gene and Won’t Let Go of It

NYT: Science

By: Carl Zimmer

29 September 2026 at 12:34

Scientists have found a human gene lurking in a virus that causes skin infections. It may be using our own DNA to infect us.

Molluscum contagiosum virus, which causes sores on skin, swiped a gene from humans about 100,000 years ago according to a new study.

SpaceX’s Starship Makes It to Orbit for the First Time, but Returns to Earth Early

NYT: Science

By: Kenneth Chang

28 September 2026 at 17:29

The 14th test flight marks a crucial milestone toward the company’s ambitions of sending people to the moon and Mars, but it was not a complete success.

Did Anthropic’s A.I. Really Make a Scientific Discovery on Its Own?

NYT: Science

By: Carl Zimmer

28 September 2026 at 14:15

An expert at the University of Copenhagen said his team had been sharing its research with the company’s A.I. model, Claude, and that its new finding matched their work.

Dogs Will Fight Bears. But Not Because of the Reason You Might Think.

NYT: Science

By: Alexander Nazaryan

28 September 2026 at 12:40

Scientists analyzed hundreds of encounters between bears and canines. The results raise the suggestion that dogs may not always protect people in the wild.

How El Niño Is Shaping Storms on Two Sides of the U.S.

NYT: Science

By: Raymond Zhong

26 September 2026 at 13:23

Hurricanes near Hawaii. A nor’easter on the East Coast. The ocean phenomenon’s influence on storms around the country may just be getting started.

Flooding in Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., on Saturday.

‘Zombified’ C.D.C., Hobbled by Cuts, Struggles to Fulfill Scientific Mission

NYT: Science

By: Apoorva Mandavilli

26 September 2026 at 09:09

The agency has lost its independence and nearly a third of its staff, as Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and associates have tightened control.

A protest outside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year after employees were laid off. Beyond staff reductions, the agency also faces a leadership vacuum.

California Needs Water. El Niño Might Bring Too Much to Keep.

NYT: Science

By: Scott Dance

26 September 2026 at 12:21

The drought-stricken state has improved its ability to collect and store rainwater. But many gallons may still rush into the Pacific.

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California has declared a state of emergency to mobilize disaster resources before El Niño peaks.

In an $80 Motel Room, a Discovery to Shed Light on the Origins of Life

NYT: Science

By: Carolyn Y. Johnson

26 September 2026 at 05:00

A scrappy science project led to a significant discovery: two new species of a rare organism that could elucidate a fundamental transition in the history of life on our planet.

Four Beluga Whales Die Weeks After Major Rescue Mission

NYT: Science

By: Remy Tumin

25 September 2026 at 18:20

The belugas were among 30 whales transferred to aquariums in the United States and Spain from a closed marine attraction in Canada.

A beluga whale named Osiris at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago in August. It was one of four belugas to die after being transferred from a closed marine park in Canada.

Byron Sher, Early Environmental Warrior in California, Dies at 98

NYT: Science

By: Trip Gabriel

25 September 2026 at 15:49

A congenial legislator with a professorial air, he won battles through charm, not pugilism, passing laws to protect drinking water, redwood forests and clean air.

Is China Really Stealing A.I. From American Companies?

NYT: Science

By: Cade Metz

25 September 2026 at 11:02

As Xi Jinping visits President Trump in Washington, the leaders are expected to discuss claims that China is surreptitiously copying American A.I. technologies, a process known as distillation.

The Chinese companies Z.ai and Moonshot are not far behind Anthropic and OpenAI.

On This Mexican Island, Raccoons Make and Play With Toys (and Also Sip Margaritas)

NYT: Science

By: Taylor Mitchell Brown

25 September 2026 at 05:02

Scientists observed a family of pygmy raccoons near a Cozumel beach club learning from one another how to craft balls from paper, an indication that the animals have a culture.

A Second Judge Strikes Down New York’s Climate ‘Superfund’ Law

NYT: Science

By: Karen Zraick

24 September 2026 at 15:23

A federal judge ruled that the new law, which would force fossil fuel companies to pay $75 billion to help cover the costs of climate change, was unconstitutional.

The plant in Somerset, N.Y., which closed in 2020, was the last coal-fired power station in the state.

Trump and Xi Are Expected to Discuss Accusations of Copying American A.I. Tech

NYT: Science

By: Cade Metz

24 September 2026 at 13:24

American artificial intelligence companies have accused their Chinese counterparts of using a technique called distillation to enhance their own systems.

In a New Anthropic Lab, A.I. Turns to Biology

NYT: Science

By: Carl Zimmer

25 September 2026 at 14:42

Scientists at the company announced their first finding: a group of enzymes whose function is unknown.

Google Is Sending an A.I. Data Center to Outer Space

NYT: Science

By: Kate Conger and Cade Metz

24 September 2026 at 09:48

Next Thursday, Google is sending an experimental satellite into orbit that will have enough computing power to answer simple A.I. queries from space.

A technician in a clean room at the Planet Labs office inspects the solar panels and wires of a Google-commissioned satellite before a vibration test meant to mimic the shaking it will undergo during launch.

Can Tech Companies Like Google Really Put Data Centers in Space?

NYT: Science

By: Cade Metz

24 September 2026 at 21:12

Google is preparing to launch a satellite that can run its A.I. technologies from the heavens. But this is just a first step.

Workers prepared to test solar panels and wires for a vibration test for eventual use on a spacecraft, at Planet Labs in San Francisco.

Salmon Are Thriving After Klamath Dam Removals, Study Finds

NYT: Science

By: Rebecca Dzombak

24 September 2026 at 05:01

The first fall runs of chinook salmon since the project in California and Oregon was completed have surpassed researchers’ expectations.

Trump Backtracks on Plan for New Controls on N.I.H. Grants

NYT: Science

By: Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Tony Romm

23 September 2026 at 17:16

Democrats and Republicans in Congress opposed the creation of a commission with the power to veto federal research awards.

N.I.H. is the nation’s largest research agency, which disburses much of its $48 billion annual budget to labs and academic researchers who study cancer, infectious diseases and other health priorities.

Trump’s Energy Secretary Dismisses Reports of Diesel Export Ban, Criticizes Solar Power

NYT: Science

By: Maxine Joselow

23 September 2026 at 16:30

Chris Wright also doubled down on his criticism of renewable energy sources like solar power.

Where Is the U.S. Beating China on A.I., and Where Is It Lagging?

NYT: Science

By: Dustin Volz and Cade Metz

23 September 2026 at 16:05

As Xi Jinping visits President Trump in Washington, his country lags behind the United States on A.I. development in key areas — but Beijing has advantages elsewhere.

The World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai in July. China and the United States are locked in an A.I. race that both sides see as decisive to gaining the upper hand militarily, technologically and economically.

Gerard Barron, Metals Company Chief, Makes the Case for Seafloor Mining

NYT: Science

By: Raymond Zhong

23 September 2026 at 13:42

The head of the company hoping to become the first to conduct commercial deep-sea mining said mines on land had a much larger environmental footprint.

New Study Illuminates Bats’ Murky Origins

NYT: Science

By: Emily Anthes

23 September 2026 at 11:00

The largest analysis of bat genomes and fossils suggests that the first bats emerged in Europe roughly 65 million years ago and that echolocation evolved early.

Chris Wright Sells Trump’s ‘Energy Dominance’ Vision

NYT: Science

By: Brad Plumer

23 September 2026 at 08:50

Energy Secretary Chris Wright is pitching a future of fossil fuel abundance. It’s not always an easy sell while war drags on and oil prices surge.

Chris Wright, the Energy Secretary, speaking before the G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Abundance in Houston last week.

Suicide Rate Dropped Slightly in 2024, C.D.C. Finds

NYT: Science

By: Christina Caron

23 September 2026 at 00:01

Suicide deaths have often fluctuated over the years but a sustained downward trend remains elusive.

Judge Dismisses Unusual Climate Suit Claiming Oil Giants Broke Antitrust Law

NYT: Science

By: Karen Zraick

22 September 2026 at 18:23

The lawsuit, filed by Michigan, claimed oil companies colluded to obstruct solar power and to misrepresent climate risks, making energy costlier.

Dana Nessel, Michigan’s attorney general, whose lawsuit accused fossil fuel companies of creating a “cartel” and raising costs for residents.

Texas Halts Data Center Permits, Expanding Environmental Scrutiny

NYT: Science

By: Scott Dance

22 September 2026 at 23:23

Less than a year ago, Gov. Greg Abbott welcomed data centers. Now he is confronting concerns about the projects even among fellow Republicans.

Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas ordered state environmental regulators on Monday to pause data center permitting processes.

$345 Million Verdict Against Greenpeace Should Be Overturned, Lawyers Say

NYT: Science

By: Karen Zraick

22 September 2026 at 14:27

A group of civil-rights and free-speech lawyers accused the judge of bias and “general incompetence.”

Greenpeace in 2025 lost a lawsuit brought by pipeline company Energy Transfer over protests against its Dakota Access Pipeline. A protest encampment in 2016.

Mathematics Isn’t Just a Game to Let A.I. Solve. History Shows Why.

NYT: Science

By: Steven Strogatz and Alex Townsend

22 September 2026 at 11:00

In our field of applied mathematics, the long, human process of trial and error — not just the solutions themselves — is often what has led to progress.

An early computer. After World War II, computers became the tool with which math and engineering moved forward in tandem. Will they now be math’s undoing?

At 145 Degrees, This Amoeba Manages to Keep Its Cool

NYT: Science

By: K. R. Callaway

22 September 2026 at 11:00

Found in volcanic streams in California, the newfound organism has the highest heat tolerance of any complex life on Earth.

C.T.E. Can’t Be Detected in the Living. New Brain Research Offers Hope.

NYT: Science

By: Andrew Jacobs

22 September 2026 at 11:08

Scientists are developing imaging techniques and blood tests that one day may enable doctors to identify the disease definitively in living patients.

The Urgent Mystery of Where Viruses Hide

NYT: Science

By: David Quammen

23 September 2026 at 11:42

Some viruses appear to vanish when outbreaks dissipate, only to emerge again. Scientists don’t always know which animals they lurk in — and how to stop them from spilling back over.

Sadness and Suicidal Behavior Among Teenagers Is Declining, C.D.C. Finds

NYT: Science

By: Azeen Ghorayshi

21 September 2026 at 18:38

A national survey has found that key mental health measures for teenagers have significantly improved from their worst levels during the pandemic.

The C.D.C.’s survey, which has been conducted every two years since 1991, found rates of mental health issues in teenagers had increased every year since 2011 before starting to decline in 2023.

Judge Allows Transfer of Land in Wildlife Refuge to SpaceX, for Now

NYT: Science

By: Maxine Joselow

21 September 2026 at 14:25

The ruling clears a path for a land swap deal that would expand Elon Musk’s Starbase launch site in South Texas.

The SpaceX Starbase complex in Texas, which is seeking more than 700 acres from a nearby wildlife refuge.

Are A.I. Models Being Misled to Act Too Human?

NYT: Science

By: Cade Metz

21 September 2026 at 13:00

A corporate spat between two tech giants last week was just the latest volley in a conflict over whether dangerous mistakes are being made in A.I. training.

Mustafa Suleyman, Microsoft’s A.I. chief, argued in an essay published Wednesday that the tech start-up Anthropic was pushing its systems too hard to mimic human behaviors.

David George Gordon, Apostle for Bugs on the Dinner Plate, Dies at 76

NYT: Science

By: Michael S. Rosenwald

21 September 2026 at 05:02

His “The Eat-a-Bug Cookbook” made a case for insects as food, while his boisterous cooking demonstrations brought tarantulas and crickets to TV.

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