Science

by Apoorva Mandavilli and Benjamin Mueller on March 2, 2021 at 4:25 pm

B.1.351 may sound sweet to a molecular epidemiologist, but what’s the alternative, other than stigmatizing geographical names?

by Christopher Flavelle and Patricia Mazzei on March 2, 2021 at 4:13 pm

Officials have a new plan to manage rising water. Succeed or fail, it will very likely become a case study for other cities facing climate threats.

by Lisa Friedman on March 2, 2021 at 3:21 pm

As Deb Haaland, President Biden’s choice for Interior secretary, heads toward a showdown vote, the department she would head is moving ahead on environmental policies.

by Carl Zimmer on March 2, 2021 at 2:24 pm

The first detailed studies of the so-called P.1 variant show how it devastated a Brazilian city. Now scientists want to know what it will do elsewhere.

by William J. Broad on March 2, 2021 at 1:44 pm

M.I.T. researchers have devised a virtual-reality technique that lets them read old letters that were mailed not in envelopes but in the writing paper itself after being folded into elaborate enclosures.

by Andrew Jacobs on March 2, 2021 at 1:44 pm

Scientists are urging Americans to upgrade their face coverings. But Amazon, Google and Facebook restrict the sale of medical-grade masks. Critics say the rules are outdated.

by Dennis Overbye on March 2, 2021 at 7:30 am

A dune buggy is about to set off on behalf of its human owners to fulfill a primordial yearning.

by Reed Abelson on March 2, 2021 at 12:49 am

A new study highlights the persistent problems caused by an unstable work force, an underlying threat that may have led to staggering death tolls in the pandemic.

by Sabrina Imbler on March 2, 2021 at 12:18 am

A reconstructed Neanderthal ear adds a new piece to the puzzle of whether the early humans could speak.

by Ryan Carter on March 1, 2021 at 8:53 pm

Growing numbers of surfers are taking to the Great Lakes — even when the weather is well below freezing.

by Rachel Nuwer on March 1, 2021 at 8:26 pm

The black-browed babbler has long been one of Indonesia’s most enigmatic birds.

by Denise Grady on March 1, 2021 at 8:14 pm

The condition is becoming more common as immunization rates increase. Experts are suggesting ways to ease patients’ fears and avoid needless testing.

on March 1, 2021 at 7:52 pm

Some simple math shows why America has an immunization numbers problem.

on March 1, 2021 at 4:00 am

In the search for alien civilizations, the first step is making sure we understand what it is we’re looking for.

by Christine Hauser on February 28, 2021 at 4:19 pm

The discovery of Mediterranean recluse spiders at the University of Michigan prompted a two-day closure of one of its libraries.

by Noah Weiland and Sharon LaFraniere on February 28, 2021 at 1:19 am

The authorization of a third Covid-19 vaccine will bring millions more doses within days. But health officials worry that some people will see the vaccine as the inferior choice.

by neuroskeptic@googlemail.com (Neuroskeptic) on February 28, 2021 at 12:00 am

Why is it so hard to picture COVID-19?

by Carl Zimmer and Noah Weiland on February 27, 2021 at 11:32 pm

With this last hurdle cleared, formal authorization of the one-dose vaccine is expected on Saturday and distribution within days.

by Roni Caryn Rabin on February 27, 2021 at 8:15 pm

At a federal compound in Connecticut, inmates in precarious health “are like sitting ducks,” one lawyer said.

by Roni Caryn Rabin on February 27, 2021 at 6:51 pm

Coronavirus cases at fitness centers in Chicago and Honolulu were linked to carelessness about masks and symptoms, federal health officials found.

by Apoorva Mandavilli on February 27, 2021 at 3:59 pm

Many scientists are expecting another rise in infections. But this time the surge will be blunted by vaccines and, hopefully, widespread caution. By summer, Americans may be looking at a return to normal life.