Science Times: The disease detectives investigating bird flu

Plus: Why do people make music? —

View in browser|nytimes.com May 21, 2024 Global Health The Disease Detectives Trying to Keep the World Safe From Bird Flu When a child in a small Cambodian town fell sick recently, his rapid decline set off a global disease surveillance system. By Stephanie Nolen and Thomas Cristofoletti Blue Origin, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images 63 Years Later, First Black Man Trained as Astronaut Goes to Space Edward Dwight was among the first pilots that the United States was training to send to space in 1961, but he was passed over. On Sunday, he finally made it on a Blue Origin flight. By Amanda Holpuch Supernova or Coronavirus: Can You Tell the Difference? A scientist finds beauty in the "visual synonyms" that exist in images seen through microscopes and telescopes. By Katrina Miller Album/Alamy Origins Why Do People Make Music? In a new study, researchers found universal features of songs across many cultures, suggesting that music evolved in our distant ancestors. By Carl Zimmer ADVERTISEMENT Email us Let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. Jillian Freyer for The New York Times A Conversation With Emma Seppälä Has Thoughts on How to Avoid Kneejerk Decisions The psychologist studies how to recognize emotions and cope with them. She learned the hard way. By Matt Richtel Erik Karits/Alamy Trilobites How the Cockroach Took Over the World A genetic analysis of the German cockroach explained its rise in southern Asia millenniums ago, and how it eventually turned up in your kitchen. By Sofia Quaglia Rory Doyle for The New York Times Farm Animals Are Hauled All Over the Country. So Are Their Pathogens. Tens of millions of farm animals cross state lines every year, traveling in cramped, stressful conditions that can facilitate the spread of disease. By Emily Anthes and Linda Qiu ESA/PDO/AMS82 - AllSky7 via Reuters Comet Fragment Explodes in Dark Skies Over Spain and Portugal A brilliant flash of blue, green and white on Saturday night came from a shard of an as yet unidentified comet that was moving around 100,000 miles per hour, experts said. By Robin George Andrews Trilobites When an Eel Takes a Bite Then an Octopus Might Claim an Eyeball Videos filmed by divers show that choking, blinding and sacrificing limbs are all in the cephalopods' repertoire. By Joshua Rapp Learn Trilobites The Itsy Bitsy Spider Inspired a Microphone If spiders use their webs like a large external eardrum, researchers reasoned, perhaps spider silk could be the basis for a powerful listening device. By Jordan Pearson Trilobites The Unusual Evolutionary Journey of the Baobab Tree New research shows the "upside-down trees" originated in Madagascar and then caught a ride on ocean currents to reach mainland Africa and Australia. By Rachel Nuwer Trilobites Fossil Catches Starfish Cousin in the Act of Cloning Itself The brittle star specimen suggests that the sea creatures have been splitting themselves in two to reproduce for more than 150 million years. By Jack Tamisiea ADVERTISEMENT CLIMATE CHANGE David J. Phillip/Associated Press Thunderstorms, Wind and Climate Change: Here's What to Know Scientists say storms like those that battered Houston could become more intense as the planet warms, though pinning down trends is still challenging. By Raymond Zhong Jorge Silva/Reuters Heat Stress Is Hitting Caribbean Reefs Earlier Than Ever This Year Scientists in the United States are reporting "unprecedented patterns" of surface warming, an ominous sign for coral. By Catrin Einhorn Arpad Benedek/Alamy Summer 2023 Was the Northern Hemisphere's Hottest in 2,000 Years, Study Finds Scientists used tree rings to compare last year's extreme heat with temperatures over the past two millenniums. By Delger Erdenesanaa We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. HEALTH Kayana Szymczak for The New York Times A Conversation With Does Legalizing Cannabis Increase Adolescent Use? This Expert Found Mixed Results. Contrary to expectation, a major study found that weed use among minors was lower in states where the drug was legal. By Matt Richtel Diana Cervantes for The New York Times In the House of Psychiatry, a Jarring Tale of Violence At the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting, a patient described a restraint that haunts him, more than eight years later. By Ellen Barry Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Study Suggests Waiting Longer Before Withdrawing Life Support A review of a limited number of cases of unresponsive patients with severe traumatic brain injuries raised questions about a custom of making a decision within 72 hours. By Gina Kolata Dr. G. Moscoso/Science Source Origins Scientists Calculated the Energy Needed to Carry a Baby. Shocker: It's a Lot. In humans, the energetic cost of pregnancy is about 50,000 dietary calories — far higher than previously believed, a new study found. By Carl Zimmer ADVERTISEMENT F.D.A. Approves Drug for Persistently Deadly Form of Lung Cancer The treatment is for patients with small cell lung cancer, which afflicts about 35,000 people in the U.S. a year. By Gina Kolata C.D.C. Warns of a Resurgence of Mpox A deadlier version of the infectious disease is ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo, while the type that caused a 2022 outbreak among gay and bisexual men is regaining strength. By Apoorva Mandavilli Overdose Deaths Dropped in U.S. in 2023 for First Time in Five Years Preliminary numbers show a nearly 4 percent decrease in deaths from opioids, largely fentanyl, but a rise in deaths from meth and cocaine. By Jan Hoffman Doctors Are Still Figuring Out Adult A.D.H.D. It's one of the most common psychiatric disorders in adults. Yet there are no U.S. guidelines for diagnosing and treating patients beyond childhood. By Christina Caron All About Ozempic and the Next Generation of Obesity Drugs How they work, what to expect when taking them and what the future holds. By Dani Blum Make a friend's day: Forward this email. Got this from a friend? Subscribe to the Science Times newsletter. Check out other New York Times newsletters (all free!) including: Climate Fwd: for climate coverage and expert analysis. The Upshot for a data-driven look at the news. Well for the latest on health, fitness and nutrition. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Science Times from The New York Times. To stop receiving Science Times, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. 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