Science News
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.
Big Insurers Try to Shift Blame for High Health Costs to Hospitals and Drug Makers
At two congressional hearings, lawmakers slammed executives of major companies, saying they were failing to rein in the cost of medical care for consumers.
RFK Jr. Plan to Test a Vaccine in West African Babies Is Blocked
A planned U.S.-funded study of a hepatitis B vaccine drew widespread condemnation from researchers. Now the host country says it cannot proceed.
Energy Dept. Says It Is Canceling $30 Billion in Clean Energy Loans
Many of the cancellations had been known for months, but the announcement underscored the drastic change in the energy landscape under President Trump.
Trump Administration Cuts Off Funding for Fetal Tissue Research. Again.
The prohibition halts support for projects both inside and outside the N.I.H. President Biden had restored funding after an earlier ban by President Trump during his first term.
Sonic Booms and Seismic Waves Can Reveal Where Space Junk Crash-Lands
The sensors used to listen for earthquakes could help protect people from the hazards created by falling spacecraft.
A 67,800-Year-Old Handprint May Be the World’s Oldest Rock Art
“It was hiding in plain sight all this time,” one researcher said.
Some Immune Systems Defeat Cancer. Could That Become a Drug?
Researchers found an antibody that seems to play a role in people with better lung cancer prognoses, but turning it into a treatment could be difficult.
Rising Global Temperatures May Affect Choices for Winter Olympic Venues
Future games will need to be held at higher altitudes, and spread over multiple venues in order to adapt to a changing climate, new research suggests.
What’s a Human Life Worth? The E.P.A. Says Zero Dollars.
The Environmental Protection Agency has stopped estimating the dollar value of lives saved in the cost-benefit analyses for new pollution rules.
Scientists Set Up Camp on Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica
Low clouds have lifted long enough for helicopters to ferry scientists and their gear to a fast-melting glacier on the edge of Antarctica.
Democrats Seek Investigation of $3.5 Million Deal by Interior Official’s Husband
Records show that Karen Budd-Falen, a top Interior Department official, didn’t disclose a contract between her husband and the developers of a mine approved by the agency.
Thing-Like Robotic Hand Makes Life Resemble ‘The Addams Family’
The very capable robotic picker-upper can grasp things on both sides and roam around freely.