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Gladys West, Unsung Figure in Development of GPS, Dies at 95
As a Navy mathematician in the 1950s and beyond, she played an unheralded but foundational role in making possible the global satellite-based mapping system.
Peter H. Duesberg, 89, Renowned Biologist Turned H.I.V. Denialist, Dies
His pioneering work on the origins of cancer was later overshadowed by his contrarian views, notably his rejection of the established theory that H.I.V. causes AIDS.
Radar Scans of Antarctica Offer Clues to What’s Happening on Jupiter’s Moon
Scientists are using radar to study damaged ice both in Antarctica and, with the help of a NASA spacecraft, on Jupiter’s ocean moon of Europa.
A Shift for NOAA’s Surveys: From Science to Mining
A $20 million agency project will aid companies prospecting the sea for rare-earth elements.
How Computer Warfare Is Becoming Part of the Pentagon’s Arsenal
The military tested a new approach in Venezuela and during strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Michigan Sues Oil Giants, Saying They Collude to Make Energy Costlier
The lawsuit accuses the companies of raising prices by working against solar and wind power and by downplaying the risks of climate change.
U.S Has Officially Withdrawn From the Paris Climate Accord
The United States is the only country to pull out of the global agreement among nations to fight climate change. European diplomats say the U.S. reputation is suffering.
You Wouldn’t Want to Butt Heads With This Small Dinosaur
A newly discovered raptor had a knobby bump on its head, suggesting that, like some larger dinosaurs, it engaged in competitive head bashing.
Thomas Fogarty, 91, Who Helped Revolutionize Vascular Surgery, Dies
Drawing on his love of fly-fishing, he developed a balloon catheter that removes blood clots from patients’ limbs in a minimally invasive way. It has saved millions of lives.
430,000-Year-Old Wooden Tools Are the Oldest Ever Found
The finding, along with the discovery of a 500,000-year-old hammer made of bone, indicates that our human ancestors were making tools even earlier than archaeologists thought.
A New Way to Flirt: Dazzle Potential Mates With Patterns Invisible to Humans
Cuttlefish attract prospective sexual partners by creating a pattern on their skin, based on the orientation of light waves.
Edith Flanigen, Award-Winning Research Chemist, Dies at 96
She and her staff at Union Carbide created synthetic materials that improved various industrial processes, including purifying water. She also developed a way to make emeralds.
William H. Foege, Key Figure in the Eradication of Smallpox, Dies at 89
His containment strategy helped wipe out the disease in the 1970s, one of the world’s greatest public health triumphs. He also led the C.D.C. and promoted childhood vaccination worldwide.
Is Climate Change Weakening the Polar Vortex?
Rising Arctic temperatures and melting sea ice could be causing cold air to flow into the Northern Hemisphere. But not all scientists agree.
Genetic Data From Over 20,000 U.S. Children Misused for ‘Race Science’
The National Institutes of Health failed to protect brain scans that an international group of fringe researchers used to argue for the intellectual superiority of white people.
Pedro Sanchez, Who Helped Feed the Developing World, Dies at 85
A soil scientist, he partnered with the United Nations and other organizations to bring productive agricultural practices to uncooperative terrain.
Louis E. Brus, Nobel Laureate Who Illuminated the Nanoworld, Dies at 82
He accidentally created some of the first quantum dots, tiny semiconductors that now power many electronics.
Vaccine Panel Chair Says Polio and Other Shots Should Be Optional, Rejecting Decades of Science
Dr. Kirk Milhoan, a pediatric cardiologist who leads the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said a person’s right to refuse a vaccine outweighed concerns about illness or death from infectious diseases.
Increased Scrutiny Leads to an Improved Organ Transplant System
A crackdown on problems with fairness and safety is achieving results, including a big drop in the number of sick patients being passed over for transplants.
An Antarctic Mission to Recover a Robot’s Data
In the unforgiving polar wilderness, scientists go to great lengths to safeguard the devices that gather precious data.
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