Will A.I. Kill Us? Can It Hack My Bank Account? Your A.I. Questions Answered
Nearly 1,000 readers sent us their questions about artificial intelligence, its potential and its potential risks.
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NASA Telescope Helps Scientists Find a New Type of X-ray Object
The discovery of “hypersoft” X-ray beacons could help solve some mysteries about the universe.
This week in science: T. rex footprints, solar 'superflares,' and benefits of reading
Paleontologists have discovered the tracks of a giant — the fossilized footprints of T. rex. Plus, solar "superflares" and the brain benefits of reading in this week's Short Wave science news roundup.
A Feather Found in Dinosaur Poop Might Explain How Birds Beat Extinction
It’s the only example of a dinosaur-era feather found within rock that wasn’t completely flattened through the centuries.
Scientists Overhaul Giant Particle Collider in Search of Universe’s Hidden Building Blocks
The European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, will dismantle the Large Hadron Collider, which helped discover the so-called God Particle, in order to build a more powerful particle accelerator.
Microscopic Videos That Show the Invisible Wonders Around Us
The winners of this year’s Nikon Small World in Motion competition showcase the wiggly, feathery, undulating beauty of invisible life.
Microscopic Videos That Show the Invisible Wonders Around Us
The winners of this year’s Nikon Small World in Motion competition showcase the wiggly, feathery, undulating beauty of invisible life.
These Mice Have Partly Human Brains
The animals may help reveal the causes of brain disease in people and point the way to treatments. But researchers already are calling for new ethical guidelines.
T. Rex, King of the Dinosaurs, Had a Body Temperature of 97 Degrees
Hotter than a crocodile, cooler than a chicken, T. Rex was definitely warm-blooded, according to a new study.
Massive Black Holes May Have Started as Little Red Dots
A new simulation suggests little red dots, unusually compact objects seen in photos from space, might be one stage in the evolution of black holes.
The Liftoff Scenario That Terrifies A.I. Doomsayers
“Recursive self-improvement” is the idea that artificial intelligence could learn to build and train itself, creating exponential new progress — and risk.
Mothers’ Intrusive Thoughts Are Mostly Benign. Lindsay Clancy’s Case Is an Exception.
Experts say that after childbirth, intrusive thoughts are common and mostly benign. Lindsay Clancy’s story provides a disturbing exception.
Does the Stork’s Return to Britain Restore History or Rewrite It?
Conservationists set up a colony of white storks in southern England, touching off a debate over whether they truly belong there.
A T. Rex Walked Here: Teacher Finds Rare Footprints in North Dakota
Kent Hups, a high school science teacher in Colorado, discovered a 23-foot trackway of fossilized dinosaur footprints, which offer a glimpse of how the apex predator moved 66 million years ago.
Disaster Survivors Sticking Together
We found grace, humanity and friendship in the stories of disparate Americans hit by climate chaos.
Tiny krill are turning up in deep-sea hydrothermal vents. Scientists want to know why
Antarctic krill serve as a crucial food source for penguins, seals, and whales. They recycle nutrients used by algae. Now researchers say they've found krill in a surprising place: hydrothermal vents.
Harold Freeman, Who Helped Remove Barriers to Cancer Treatment, Dies at 93
He developed a program that became a model for hospitals around the world, making it easier for poor Black patients to navigate an onerous bureaucratic system.
FEMA Could Still Lose More Jobs Despite Court Ruling
A plan to halve the agency’s sprawling work force was illegal, a judge ruled. But the court is not blocking other FEMA cuts.
Exoplanets Offer Clues to What Lies Beyond Our Solar System
Thousands of planets have been discovered beyond our solar system, offering clues to where life might thrive and whether Earth is truly unique.
U.S. Has Deployed Weapons in Space, Air Force Secretary Says
Troy E. Meink’s comments were the first public acknowledgment of American weapons in orbit. The Pentagon has been preparing for potential conflict in space with Russia or China.
Whether Chemistry or the Cosmos, Always Looking at the Bigger Picture
The Times’s Science section is introducing new columns, projects and more as part of its online relaunch.
Do You Have Questions About A.I.? We Want to Answer Them.
The New York Times is soliciting readers’ questions about the dangers — and benefits — posed by artificial intelligence.
An Armadillo Arrives in … Ohio?
Traditionally found in warm climates, like the American Southwest, armadillos have been migrating farther and farther north, researchers say.
Mercury Is Shrinking, and Faster Than We Thought
New estimates using the planet’s surface wrinkles show that our smallest planet is growing even smaller, at a faster clip than expected.