Science Times: Science goes to the Olympics

Plus: Signs of past life in a Martian rock? —

View in browser|nytimes.com July 30, 2024 SUPPORTED BY S.E.L.C. The New York Times Artificial Intelligence Gives Weather Forecasters a New Edge The brainy machines are predicting global weather patterns with new speed and precision, doing in minutes and seconds what once took hours. By William J. Broad Google Deepmind Move Over, Mathematicians, Here Comes AlphaProof A.I. is getting good at math — and might soon make a worthy collaborator for humans. By Siobhan Roberts NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS NASA Did Not Say It Found Life on Mars. But It's Very Excited About This Rock. The rock, studied by NASA's Perseverance rover, has been closely analyzed by scientists on Earth who say that nonmicrobial processes could also explain its features. By Kenneth Chang Email us Let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. Bill Ingalls/NASA Three Meteor Showers Are Active: How and When to Watch Fireball Season The Southern Delta Aquarids and the Alpha Capricornids are reaching their peak this week. The Perseids, one of the best shows of the year, are also ramping up. By Katrina Miller NASA/KARI/Arizona State University The Moon's Most Shadowy Places Can't Hide From NASA's New Camera ShadowCam, a NASA instrument aboard a South Korean spacecraft, is taking pictures of the moon where the sun doesn't shine. By Kenneth Chang Emil Lippe for The New York Times Origins The Chimps Who Learned to Say 'Mama' Old recordings show captive chimps uttering the word, which some scientists believe may offer clues to the origins of human speech. By Carl Zimmer Joshua Bright for The New York Times Championship Snail Racing at 0.006 M.P.H. Last one to the finish line is a miserable slug. Sea Search Rabies Is Spreading in South African Seals, Scientists Say The outbreak may be the first ever documented in marine mammals. By Emily Anthes A MESSAGE FROM S.E.L.C. WEBINAR: Decisions shaping our environmental future Join the Southern Environmental Law Center tomorrow, July 31, at 12:30pm ET for a free webinar about key decisions being made that will chart our future, and how we can ensure the right choices are made. From utilities locking us into fossil fuels through a methane gas grab to the chance to save natural treasures like the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, learn how we are blocking bad decisions and driving smarter solutions in the South. We have a chance to get this right but we must act now. REGISTER TODAY Trilobites Secrets Emerge From a Fossil's Taco Shell-Like Cover An examination of an aquatic, shrimplike creature that lived half a billion years ago offers insight into how arthropods with mandibles became so common. By Rebecca Dzombak How a Crisis for Vultures Led to a Human Disaster: Half a Million Deaths The birds were accidentally poisoned in India. New research on what happened next shows how wildlife collapse can be deadly for people. By Catrin Einhorn Trilobites Fossil Hints That Jurassic Mammals Lived Slow and Died Old Scientists found an unexpected aging pattern in a mostly intact juvenile mammal skeleton from the paleontological period. By Jack Tamisiea Not Afraid of Sharks? Well, Now They're on Cocaine. Researchers have confirmed the presence of cocaine in sharks off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, though questions remain about the effects of the drug. By Sarah Hurtes CLIMATE CHANGE Agence France-Presse, via Jasper National Park A Canadian Wildfire Grew So Intense It Made Its Own Weather Blazes that generate such stormy conditions can be nearly impossible to put out and pose special dangers to firefighters. By Austyn Gaffney Leon Neal/Getty Images Can Fees on Polluting Cars Clean the Air? London Has New Evidence. The city's expanded low-emissions zone, which was politically fraught, has cut emissions that contribute to health problems like asthma, new numbers show. By Somini Sengupta Philip Cheung for The New York Times Looking From Space, Researchers Find Pollution Spiking Near E-Commerce Hubs Research showed truck-related releases of nitrogen dioxide, which can cause asthma, concentrated around some 150,000 warehouses nationwide. By Hiroko Tabuchi We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. HEALTH Jackie Molloy for The New York Times Pediatricians Warn Against Overuse of Tongue-Tie Surgeries In a new report, the American Academy of Pediatrics said that breastfeeding problems were rarely caused by infant tongue-ties. By Sarah Kliff Guardant Health F.D.A. Approves Blood Test for Colon Cancer Detection While not a perfect alternative to colonoscopies, experts hope the test could lead to more people getting screened for colorectal cancers. By Gina Kolata Thomas Deerinck, NCMIR/Science Source A Blood Test Accurately Diagnosed Alzheimer's 90% of the Time, Study Finds It was much more accurate than primary care doctors using cognitive tests and CT scans. The findings could speed the quest for an affordable and accessible way to diagnose patients with memory problems. By Pam Belluck Album/Alamy For Epidemics to Cross Oceans, Viruses on Ships Had to Beat the Odds In the era when people traveled by sailing ship and steamer, illnesses usually burned themselves out before boats reached shore, a new study finds. By Gina Kolata Evan Richman for The New York Times A Disease That Makes Children Age Rapidly Gets Closer to a Cure Progress in the quest to help progeria patients suggests that gene editing techniques may help treat other ultrarare conditions. By Gina Kolata Is It Safe to Exercise When the Air Is Smoky? The answer depends on your overall health, along with the length and intensity of your workout. By Melinda Wenner Moyer Breast Cancer Survival Not Boosted by Double Mastectomy, Study Says A large study showed that for most patients, having both breasts removed after cancer was detected in one made no difference. By Gina Kolata Halting the Bird Flu Outbreak in Cows May Require Thinking Beyond Milk A new study paints a complex picture of the outbreak, suggesting that the virus could be spreading in multiple ways and that it is not always mild in cows. By Emily Anthes Impulsive and Hyperactive? It Doesn't Mean You Have A.D.H.D. Many other conditions have similar symptoms, experts say, so avoid the pull of self-diagnosis. By Christina Caron 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. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018