https://www.nytimes.com/section/science en-us Copyright 2026 The New York Times Company Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:46:13 +0000 Wed, 22 Jul 2026 01:25:21 +0000 https://static01.nyt.com/images/misc/NYT_logo_rss_250x40.png https://www.nytimes.com/section/science https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/science/monkeys-cognition-shapes-geometry.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/science/monkeys-cognition-shapes-geometry.html Our geometric intuition, long considered something that sets us apart, seems to be shared with other primates. K. R. Callaway Tue, 21 Jul 2026 17:58:40 +0000 Monkeys and Apes Animal Cognition PNAS (Journal) Carnegie Mellon University https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/health/gene-therapy-rare-diseases-epilepsy.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/health/gene-therapy-rare-diseases-epilepsy.html A new nonprofit wants to streamline gene therapy for diseases often avoided by pharmaceutical companies — making treatment more like a routine procedure than a bespoke drug. Gina Kolata Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:52:06 +0000 Rare and Orphan Diseases Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health Boston Children's Hospital Moriah Ratner for The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/science/polygenic-risk-scores-diversity.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/science/polygenic-risk-scores-diversity.html Genetic prediction models are poised to revolutionize medicine. But because they have been trained on European DNA, they threaten to widen health care disparities. Emily Baumgaertner Nunn Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:07:44 +0000 Genetics and Heredity DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) Research Race and Ethnicity Whites Black People Minorities National Institutes of Health Juan Bernabeu https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/climate/climate-change-manual-national-academy-science.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/climate/climate-change-manual-national-academy-science.html The president joined Republican officials who slammed the National Academies of Sciences for a chapter about climate science in an educational guide for judges. Karen Zraick Mon, 20 Jul 2026 21:01:11 +0000 United States Politics and Government Global Warming Courts and the Judiciary Greenhouse Gas Emissions National Academy of Sciences National Science Foundation Federal Judicial Center Trump, Donald J David Coleman/Alamy The National Academies of Sciences building in Washington, D.C. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/science/sewer-diet-research.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/science/sewer-diet-research.html During the Covid-19 pandemic, wastewater testing became a virus warning system. Now, scientists are using the approach to understand how communities eat. Simar Bajaj Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:00:06 +0000 your-feed-science Diet and Nutrition Sewers and Sewage Food Research Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/climate/watch-duty-floods-fires-disasters.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/climate/watch-duty-floods-fires-disasters.html Known for tracking California wildfires, Watch Duty is moving beyond that mission. Millions of people are turning to it for help. Scott Dance Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:03:23 +0000 Disasters and Emergencies Floods Wildfires Fires and Firefighters Mobile Applications Security and Warning Systems Nonprofit Organizations Global Warming Watch Duty (Nonprofit) East Coast (US) California Colorado Florida Missouri United States Joel Angel Juarez/Associated Press An emergency vehicle at the flooding Guadalupe River in Comfort, Texas, on Thursday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/science/mathematical-tribute-soccer-ball.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/science/mathematical-tribute-soccer-ball.html As the World Cup final approaches, take a moment to appreciate the beautiful symmetries of humanity’s favorite truncated icosahedron. Siobhan Roberts Fri, 17 Jul 2026 23:05:58 +0000 your-feed-science live-detached Mathematics Museum of Mathematics Soccer World Cup 2026 (Soccer) adidas AG Design Sporting Goods and Equipment https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/science/space/two-super-puff-planets-discovered.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/science/space/two-super-puff-planets-discovered.html They’re less dense than cotton candy, and they will help astrophysicists better understand the most unusual ways giant planets can form. Rebecca Dzombak Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:02:10 +0000 Planets National Aeronautics and Space Administration Daniel Rutter/NASA An artist’s concept of the sunlike star TOI-791 and two giant planets, TOI-791b and TOI-791c, that are roughly the size of Jupiter but much less dense. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/climate/climate-cyclospora.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/climate/climate-cyclospora.html Warming is expected to fuel the spread of food-borne pathogens. We might not be prepared. Claire Brown Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:52:11 +0000 Global Warming Parasites Agriculture and Farming Bacteria Food Melanie Moser/CDC, via Associated Press A microscopic view of cyclospora parasite eggs, stained reddish pink, in a lab sample. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/science/susumu-tonegawa-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/science/susumu-tonegawa-dead.html The first Japanese scientist to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, he went on to discover how memories are stored, advancing understanding of how the brain works. Dylan Loeb McClain Tue, 21 Jul 2026 16:29:55 +0000 Tonegawa, Susumu Deaths (Obituaries) Biology and Biochemistry Massachusetts Institute of Technology Nobel Prizes Antibodies Brain Memory Immune System Research Brian Snyder/Reuters Susumu Tonegawa in 2005. “Few scientists have reshaped our understanding of biology as profoundly,” Myriam Heiman, the director of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at M.I.T., said. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/climate/cameron-hamilton-fema-trump.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/climate/cameron-hamilton-fema-trump.html Cameron Hamilton defended the agency last year when President Trump talked about eliminating it. Emergency managers hope for more stability if he’s confirmed as administrator. Scott Dance Tue, 21 Jul 2026 19:33:57 +0000 United States Politics and Government Federal-State Relations (US) Hurricanes and Tropical Storms Disasters and Emergencies Government Employees Appointments and Executive Changes Federal Emergency Management Agency Homeland Security Department Hamilton, Cameron (1986- ) Homan, Thomas D Lewandowski, Corey (1975- ) Mullin, Markwayne Noem, Kristi Trump, Donald J Andrew Harnik/Getty Images Just over a year after being fired, Cameron Hamilton is on the brink of assuming the helm of FEMA once again. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/health/hiv-trump-cuts-pepfar.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/health/hiv-trump-cuts-pepfar.html New research also shows that children and high-risk adult populations have been particularly affected. Apoorva Mandavilli Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:24:29 +0000 Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Developing Countries Epidemics amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research Clinton Health Access Initiative International AIDS Society President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Joao Silva/The New York Times A health clinic in Johannesburg that was closed in 2025, following cuts in U.S. aid. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/climate/trump-energy-efficiency-standards.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/21/climate/trump-energy-efficiency-standards.html The Trump administration is undoing fuel-saving efforts even as war in Iran, data centers and heat waves are pushing up gasoline and electricity costs. Brad Plumer Tue, 21 Jul 2026 18:03:47 +0000 United States Politics and Government Energy Efficiency Regulation and Deregulation of Industry United States Economy Home Appliances Prices (Fares, Fees and Rates) Electric Light and Power Factories and Manufacturing Energy Department Environmental Protection Agency Biden, Joseph R Jr Trump, Donald J Reagan, Ronald Wilson Nixon, Richard Milhous United States Michael Hickey/Getty Images A dishwasher at a General Electric plant in Louisville, Ky. The Energy Department has moved to repeal 17 standards for dishwashers, washing machines, kitchen appliances and more. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/health/taylor-farms-iceberg-lettuce-recall.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/18/health/taylor-farms-iceberg-lettuce-recall.html The affected products were shipped starting June 29 and have expiration dates through Aug. 3. Christina Jewett and Julie Creswell Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:10:09 +0000 Lettuce Recalls and Bans of Products Food Contamination and Poisoning Parasites Supermarkets and Grocery Stores Supply Chain Agriculture and Farming Restaurants Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Food and Drug Administration Sysco Corporation Taco Bell Corp Taylor Farms United States Mexico Benjamin Fanjoy/Getty Images Taylor Farms — like other food producers — does not disclose which grocery stores or restaurants it distributes leafy greens or other vegetables to. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/climate/texas-flood-warning-systems.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/climate/texas-flood-warning-systems.html A lack of sirens and flood forecasting systems made the state’s Hill Country vulnerable to deadly floods last summer. That has changed. Scott Dance and Edgar Sandoval Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:08:33 +0000 Texas Floods Security and Warning Systems Sensors Research Rivers Rice University Texas Tech University Guadalupe River (Tex) Kerr County (Tex) Kerrville (Tex) Central Texas Floods (July 2025) Brandon Bell/Getty Images Flood debris blocked a road in Kerrville, Texas, on Thursday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/science/rudolph-marcus-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/science/rudolph-marcus-dead.html He received a 1992 Nobel Prize for developing a theory that explained fundamental processes behind photosynthesis, respiration, oxidation and even how fireflies produce light. Dylan Loeb McClain Fri, 17 Jul 2026 21:13:19 +0000 Marcus, Rudolph (1923-2026) Deaths (Obituaries) Chemistry Photosynthesis California Institute of Technology https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/climate/european-union-emissions-rollback.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/17/climate/european-union-emissions-rollback.html The European Union is facing a green backlash as emissions cuts become harder and require bigger overhauls to industry and livelihoods Chico Harlan Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:48:47 +0000 Global Warming Greenhouse Gas Emissions European Union Europe Regulation and Deregulation of Industry Carbon Caps and Emissions Trading Programs Sustainable Living Nadja Wohlleben/Reuters Europe, which often holds itself up as a climate leader, has been facing political infighting over some of its policies. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/climate/burning-houses-to-save-houses.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/climate/burning-houses-to-save-houses.html We visited researchers seeking ways to make homes safer. They set a lot of fires. Mira Rojanasakul Thu, 16 Jul 2026 19:35:39 +0000 Wildfires Research Global Warming Greenhouse Gas Emissions Air Pollution Will Crooks for The New York Times A wildfire test at the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety lab in Richburg, S.C. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/astronomy-exoplanet-atmosphere.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/astronomy-exoplanet-atmosphere.html It’s the first potentially habitable world known to host an atmosphere, making it a lead contender in the search for life beyond our solar system. Katrina Miller Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:17:14 +0000 Planets Space and Astronomy Solar System Water Helium Earth Melissa Weiss/CFA An artist’s concept of the exoplanet LHS 1140b, surrounded by a helium-rich atmosphere. Another rocky planet orbits the same cool red dwarf star in the distance. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/mary-dell-chilton-dead.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/mary-dell-chilton-dead.html In 1982, she led the research team that figured out how to genetically alter plants, a discovery that would eventually transform global agriculture. Jeré Longman Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:38:40 +0000 Chilton, Mary-Dell Deaths (Obituaries) Biotechnology and Bioengineering Agriculture and Farming Genetically Modified Food (GMOs) World Food Prize Bacteria Syngenta AG https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/climate/national-academies-extreme-weather-attribution.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/climate/national-academies-extreme-weather-attribution.html Attribution science is advancing quickly, researchers said. That could support lawsuits seeking damages for severe events worsened by global warming. Raymond Zhong Fri, 17 Jul 2026 01:43:09 +0000 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Global Warming Greenhouse Gas Emissions Weather Disasters and Emergencies Research Oil (Petroleum) and Gasoline Suits and Litigation (Civil) Compensation for Damages (Law) attribution science Stephane Mahe/Reuters A firefighting helicopter at a wildfire burning in the Forest of Fontainebleau near Paris on Monday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/spacex-13th-test-flight-starship.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/spacex-13th-test-flight-starship.html The 33 engines of the rocket’s booster stage had begun to ignite during Thursday’s launch attempt, but were then shut down. SpaceX will try again on another day. Kenneth Chang Thu, 16 Jul 2026 23:56:03 +0000 Satellites Rocket Science and Propulsion Private Spaceflight Space and Astronomy National Aeronautics and Space Administration Starlink Satellite Constellation (SpaceX) Eric Gay/Associated Press SpaceX’s Starship rocket remained on the launchpad after a launch attempt was called off just as the engines started to ignite. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/the-fda-approves-a-new-pill-to-slash-cholesterol-levels.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/the-fda-approves-a-new-pill-to-slash-cholesterol-levels.html The new pills can lower cholesterol levels far below what can be achieved with statins, clinical trials have shown. Gina Kolata Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:28:00 +0000 Cholesterol Statins (Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs) Food and Drug Administration Merck & Company Inc Getty Images Merck’s cholesterol drug enlicitide will be available as a daily pill prescribed by a primary care physician. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/us/california-costco-plants-recall.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/us/california-costco-plants-recall.html Officials in Santa Clara County began knocking on doors on Monday to collect potentially infested plants sold at some Costco stores. Alexandra E. Petri Wed, 15 Jul 2026 22:30:28 +0000 Costco Wholesale Corporation Recalls and Bans of Products Grapes Trees and Shrubs Invasive Species Insects Santa Clara County (Calif) California Wines Agriculture and Farming internal-eafs Patrick T. Fallon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Santa Clara County also warned that desert willows sold at certain Costco locations across 15 Northern California counties between late June 24 and July 3 might also be affected. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/science/meteorite-new-jersey.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/science/meteorite-new-jersey.html A New Jersey couple helped scientists uncover the makeup of an unusual asteroid after it fell into their bedroom. Robin George Andrews Wed, 15 Jul 2026 18:00:15 +0000 New Jersey Asteroids Meteors and Meteorites Roofs Research Science Advances (Journal) https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/science/meet-earths-newest-monkey-and-check-out-its-orange-lips.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/science/meet-earths-newest-monkey-and-check-out-its-orange-lips.html It is only the fifth new African monkey identified as a new species in the past 75 years. Kate Golembiewski Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:23:30 +0000 Monkeys and Apes Endangered and Extinct Species Animal Behavior PLoS One (Journal) Congo, Democratic Republic of (Congo-Kinshasa) Research Africa your-feed-science internal-open-access-from-nl https://www.nytimes.com/article/heat-air-pollution-climate.html https://www.nytimes.com/article/heat-air-pollution-climate.html Days that are both extremely hot and polluted come with higher risks of respiratory ailments and other health hazards. Claire Brown and Christina Kelso Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:24:38 +0000 Wildfires Global Warming Air Pollution Heat and Heat Waves Asthma Environment Lungs Medicine and Health Laura Proctor/The Canadian Press, via Associated Press A hazy street in Toronto as wildfire smoke blanketed the city on Wednesday. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/well/mass-shootings-traffic-deaths-link.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/well/mass-shootings-traffic-deaths-link.html Some gun violence experts are skeptical. But the research raises questions of whether there’s a cause-and-effect relationship and if so, what’s behind it. Roni Caryn Rabin Wed, 15 Jul 2026 15:01:06 +0000 Traffic Accidents and Safety Deaths (Fatalities) Mass Shootings Gun Control JAMA Psychiatry (Journal) Harvard Medical School Research United States Amanda Kathleen Greene for The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/science/archaeology-homer-odyssey-ithaca.html https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/15/science/archaeology-homer-odyssey-ithaca.html The ruins of a 2,400-year-old complex suggest that, to the Greeks of antiquity, Homer’s protagonist was not just a character in a poem but a figure of genuine devotion. Franz Lidz Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:33:04 +0000 Greek Civilization Archaeology and Anthropology Myths and Mythical Creatures Books and Literature The Odyssey (Book) Homer Movies The Odyssey (2026) (Movie) Fine Art Images/Heritage Images, via Getty Images A 19th-century painting by the Swiss painter Arnold Bocklin depicting Odysseus fleeing the Cyclops Polyphemus.