Science Times: What lies beneath the Vatican of the Zapotecs?

Plus: Creating a black hole out of thin air and streaming cat videos from deep space —

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story December 26, 2023 Meghan Dhaliwal for The New York Times What Lies Beneath the Vatican of the Zapotecs? An archaeological expedition in Mexico seeks what's left of the sprawling, centuries-old catacombs hidden below the ruins of Mitla. By Franz Lidz and Meghan Dhaliwal X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO/Ákos Bogdán; Infrared: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI Out There How to Create a Black Hole Out of Thin Air Black holes were thought to arise from the collapse of dead stars. But a Webb telescope image showing the early universe hints at an alternative pathway. By Dennis Overbye Bob Friel/Seadoc Society These Vets Make House Calls for Killer Whales With drones and infrared cameras, intrepid veterinarians are monitoring the health of wild orcas in the Pacific Northwest. By Emily Anthes Arne Hodalič What to Do With a Bug Named Hitler? Anophthalmus hitleri is a small, amber-colored beetle native to a few damp caves in Slovenia. It has one glaring problem. By Franz Lidz Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Email us Let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. Alexandre Dizeux 8 Stunning New Images From Neuroscience New technology is yielding extraordinary new levels of detail in brain imaging By Emily Baumgaertner The New York Times; satellite image by Maxar China Quietly Rebuilds Secretive Base for Nuclear Tests Beijing is investing heavily in the modernization of Lop Nur, a sprawling military site where it long detonated atom bombs and thermonuclear warheads. By William J. Broad, Chris Buckley and Jonathan Corum Todd Heisler/The New York Times The Year the Leaf-Cutter Ants Took Manhattan In January, the American Museum of Natural History's new insectarium gained 500,000 tenants. It has taken them some time to find their footing. By Emily Anthes Dave Barnes/British Antarctic Survey This Antarctic Octopus Has a Warning About Rising Sea Levels A huge ice sheet appears to have melted about 120,000 years ago, when temperatures were similar to those on Earth today, according to a DNA study that mapped octopus movements. By Delger Erdenesanaa NASA Streams Cat Video From Deep, Deep Space Using laser communication, NASA streamed a cat video from almost 20 million miles away, or 40 round-trip flights to the moon. By Sopan Deb Trilobites Ever Want to Curl Into a Ball? Here's How Trilobites Did It. Fossils collected more than 150 years ago show that the techniques some creatures use for defensive curling have not changed in millions of years. By Jack Tamisiea Overlooked No More: Ethel Lindgren, Anthropologist of Reindeer Herding Cultures She is best remembered for importing reindeer to the Scottish Highlands centuries after they were hunted to extinction. About 150 roam there today. By Naï Zakharia Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. HEALTH San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance the new old age This Gorilla's Caregivers Face Familiar Questions About Aging Winston, an older silverback, is getting enviable medical treatment. Now his keepers must confront an issue that vexes doctors and older humans, too: How much intervention is too much? By Paula Span Greg Kahn for The New York Times N.I.H.'s New Leader Wants to Broaden Participation in Medical Research In a wide-ranging interview, Dr. Monica M. Bertagnolli, the director of the National Institutes of Health, discussed drug patents, trust in science and her own experience as a cancer patient. By Sheryl Gay Stolberg Mike Ellis What's Your 'Biological Age'? New tests promise to tell you if you have the cells of a 30-year-old or a 60-year-old. Here's what to know about them. By Dana G. Smith Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press Americans Are Signing Up for Obamacare in Record Numbers On December 15 alone, nearly 750,000 people signed up for a plan on HealthCare.gov, the largest single-day total recorded so far. By Noah Weiland Healthy Snacks for Planes, Trains and Automobiles Eating well on the road takes a bit of forethought, but it's doable. By Markham Heid Do You Really Need That Antibiotic? It's antibiotic season. Brush up on how you should use them — and when to avoid them. By Dawn MacKeen F.D.A. Seizes Thousands of Units of Counterfeit Ozempic The agency and Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Ozempic, are testing the seized medications to determine what is in them. By Dani Blum Ask Well Your Top Health Questions of 2023, Answered We tackled congestion, constipation, coffee and more. Here's the advice you need for a vigorous new year. By Julia Calderone Sign Up for Well's 6-Day Energy Challenge Set yourself up for an invigorating new year. 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