Science Times: Is there an ethical way to kill rats?

Plus: Earth's innermost core, dinosaur sounds and salty ices —

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story February 28, 2023 Michael Hanson for The New York Times Is There an Ethical Way to Kill Rats? Should We Even Ask? Welcome to the rat trapper's dilemma. By Oliver Whang Drew Whitehouse, National Computational Infrastructure's Vizlab, Australian National University What's Inside Earth's Inner Core? Seismic Waves Reveal an Innermost Core. Shaking from large earthquakes provides hints about something different at the center of the planet. By Kenneth Chang Tatsuya Shinmura TRILOBITES What Sounds Did Dinosaurs Make? A new study of a fossilized ankylosaur suggests it could have uttered birdlike calls. By Carolyn Wilke NASA/JPL/JUNO Take Water. Add Sodium Chloride. Chill and Squeeze Into Salty Ices. The lab-created compounds — never seen before — might exist naturally on icy moons in the outer solar system. By Kenneth Chang Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Email us Let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. Ng Han Guan/Associated Press What We Know and Don't Know About the Origins of Covid Scientists and spy agencies have tried to determine where the coronavirus originated, but conclusive evidence is hard to come by and the nation's intelligence agencies are split. By Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Benjamin Mueller The Natural History Museum, London/Science Source TRILOBITES We Regret the Fossil Error. It Wasn't the First. A recent announcement that a fossil discovery in India was just residue from a bee's nest was a reminder of the importance of science correcting itself. By Joshua Sokol Chris McGrath/Getty Images Turkey's Earthquake Zone Is a Lot Like California's. Here's What That Means. Scientists are analyzing the disaster for clues about the potential strength and location of future West Coast quakes. By Henry Fountain Drew YoungeDyke/National Wildlife Federation, via Associated Press How Widespread Are These Toxic Chemicals? They're Everywhere. Researchers created a map showing where PFAS compounds, linked to cancer in humans, have been detected in wildlife. It spans the globe. By Catrin Einhorn Where New York's Sick Sea Turtles Go for Rehab and Squid Snacks At New York State's only sea turtle rehabilitation center, workers are nursing a record number of sick patients back to health. By Dodai Stewart and Anna Watts Ward Stone, Wildlife Coroner Who Warned Against PCBs, Dies at 84 As New York State's animal pathologist, he ventured far afield to investigate the impact of toxic chemicals on humans. By Sam Roberts Paul Berg, Nobel-Winning Pioneer of Genetic Engineering, Is Dead at 96 In 1971, he transferred material from one organism to another, creating the first recombinant DNA, or rDNA. He later helped lead a historic effort to write protocols for genetic research. By Don R. Hecker Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CLIMATE CHANGE The Salton Sea, an Accident of History, Faces a New Water Crisis The vast California lake relies on runoff from cropland to avoid disappearing. But as farmers face water cuts due to drought and an ever drier Colorado River, the Salton Sea stands to lose again. By Henry Fountain and Mette Lampcov Walker Pickering for The New York Times The U.S. Has Billions for Wind and Solar Projects. Good Luck Plugging Them In. An explosion in proposed clean energy ventures has overwhelmed the system for connecting new power sources to homes and businesses. By Brad Plumer As Heat Pumps Go Mainstream, a Big Question: Can They Handle Real Cold? The devices are increasingly the target of misconception and, at times, misinformation. We've got the facts. By Elena Shao Subscribe Today We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times with this special offer. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT HEALTH Ruth Fremson/The New York Times Rural Hospitals Are Shuttering Their Maternity Units Citing costs, many hospitals are closing labor and delivery wards, expanding so-called maternity care deserts. By Roni Caryn Rabin Neeta Satam for The New York Times THE NEW OLD AGE Why Aren't Doctors Screening Older Americans for Anxiety? Anxiety disorders are common among seniors, but an influential panel seems likely to recommend against routine screening. Some experts disagree. By Paula Span Ana Galvañ REM Sleep Is Magical. Here's What the Experts Know. Dreaming, memory-making, problem-solving: A lot happens during the most active sleep phase By Carolyn Todd Lucira Health First At-Home Combination Test for Flu and Covid Is OK'd by the F.D.A. But the company that created the 30-minute, over-the-counter test has filed for bankruptcy, so the product's eventual availability to consumers remains unclear. By Christina Jewett and Emily Anthes 12 States Sue F.D.A., Seeking Removal of Special Restrictions on Abortion Pill The suit argues that rules applying to mifepristone unnecessarily limit patients' access to medication abortion. By Pam Belluck Soy, Oat and Almond Drinks Can Be Called Milk, F.D.A. Says Plant-based beverage makers hailed the agency's decision but objected to the recommendation for labels to specify the nutritional differences with cow's milk. By Andrew Jacobs Global Declines in Maternal Mortality Have Stalled Death rates in the United States have increased in recent years, as they have in Europe, the W.H.O. reported. By Roni Caryn Rabin Mpox Often Leads to Severe Illness, Even Death, in People With Advanced H.I.V. The death rate among these patients is about 15 percent, researchers reported. The virus should be added to the list of opportunistic infections seen in patients with advanced H.I.V., scientists said. 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