Science Times: Studying ghostly neutrinos deep underground

Plus: 'Forever' chemicals, the great Lego spill and dinosaur footprints —

View in browser|nytimes.com September 3, 2024 Matthew Kapust/Sanford Underground Research Facility Mining for Neutrinos, and for Cosmic Answers In a South Dakota cavern, scientists are working to capture the most elusive particles in the universe. By Joseph Howlett Imperiled by Volcanic Eruptions, Iceland Scoops Up Answers From the Deep Earth scientists are working to determine the course of future lava flows in Iceland's southwestern corner one bucketful at a time. By Gaia Squarci and Robin George Andrews Emily Elconin for The New York Times Something's Poisoning America's Land. Farmers Fear 'Forever' Chemicals. Fertilizer made from city sewage has been spread on millions of acres of farmland for decades. Scientists say it can contain high levels of the toxic substance. By Hiroko Tabuchi Medar De La Cruz Rethinking Addiction as a Chronic Brain Disease Some researchers argue that the roles of social environment and personal choice have to be considered in order to make progress in treating people addicted to drugs. By Jan Hoffman Email us Let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. Vickery et al., Science Advances, 2024 Origins Our Bigger Brains Came With a Downside: Faster Aging A study comparing chimpanzee and human brains suggests that the regions that grew the most during human evolution are the most susceptible to aging. By Carl Zimmer Guy Martin for The New York Times Dragons and Sharks on a Beach Near You: The Story of the Great Lego Spill Nearly five million Lego pieces plunged into the sea in 1997. The pieces are still showing up — on England's coast, in Ireland, Belgium, France and possibly at the beach near you. By Aimee Ortiz Ismar de Souza Carvalho Scientists Discover Similar Dinosaur Footprints on Opposite Sides of the Atlantic More than 260 similar footprints found in Brazil and Cameroon help us understand a region that broke apart millions of years ago. By Alexandra E. Petri Andy Freeberg/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory James Bjorken, 90, Dies; Physicist Who Helped Prove That Quarks Exist His research enabled the discovery that protons and neutrons are made of smaller particles, contributing to a fuller picture of the subatomic universe. By Katrina Miller We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. HEALTH Michael Adno for The New York Times How a Leading Chain of Psychiatric Hospitals Traps Patients Acadia Healthcare is holding people against their will to maximize insurance payouts, a Times investigation found. By Jessica Silver-Greenberg and Katie Thomas Elenia Beretta‬‬‬ the new old age Dialysis May Prolong Life for Older Patients. But Not by Much. In one recent study, the challenging regimen added 77 days of life after three years. Often, kidney disease can be managed in other ways. By Paula Span Elizabeth White/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, via Associated Press What's in Your Fridge? Here Are Details About the Deli Meat Listeria Recall Seven million pounds of Boar's Head meats have been recalled since late July, when reports of serious illnesses and deaths began to occur. By Teddy Rosenbluth Michael Wyke/Associated Press Trump Called for I.V.F. to Be Free. How Would That Work? Getting the expensive fertility treatments covered would be possible, but an uphill battle, health policy experts said. By Sarah Kliff Eyad Baba/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Why Relief Agencies Are Rushing Polio Vaccines to Gaza A wider outbreak in the conflict zone would be difficult to contain and could spread far, experts fear. By Emily Baumgaertner An Obesity Drug Prevents Covid Deaths, Study Suggests People taking Wegovy were not protected from infection. But in a large trial, their death rates were markedly lower, for reasons that are not clear. By Gina Kolata Global Health No Vaccines, Tests or Treatments: Congo Lacks Tools to Confront Mpox The country at the center of a global health emergency is struggling even to diagnose cases and provide basic care. By Stephanie Nolen The Mosquito-Borne Virus Raising Alarms in the Northeast Recent infections from the Eastern equine encephalitis virus are worrying health officials. Severe cases can be deadly or leave lasting injuries. By Teddy Rosenbluth The Best Time to Get a Flu Shot There is such a thing as getting a vaccine too soon. Here's what to know. By Emily Schmall How to Eat for a Long and Healthy Life There's no one-size-fits-all approach, but certain dietary patterns are more associated with longer lives than others. By Alice Callahan 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. 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