Science Times: Ancient desert art in Chile scarred by off-road racers

Plus: A leggy tyrannosaur, baobab trees and 3,600-year-old cheese —

View in browser|nytimes.com October 1, 2024 Luis Pérez Reyes Desert Racers Demolish Art Carved by Ancient People in Chile Preservationists say governments at all levels have failed to prevent authorized and illegal off-road racers from driving through giant figures of animals, humans and objects. By Humberto Basilio Christian Monterrosa for The New York Times How Helene Wrought So Much Havoc, So Far From the Coasts Hurricanes typically weaken over land. But if the ground is already wet from earlier rains, storms can receive an extra jolt that keeps them churning. By Raymond Zhong U.S. Coast Guard, via Reuters Titan Sub Tragedy: Coast Guard Hearings Reveal New Insights Contrary to public reports last year, the passengers probably had no idea that the vessel was about to implode. By William J. Broad Adam Makarenko/Keck Observatory The Sun Will Destroy the Earth One Day, Right? Maybe Not. Astronomers spotted a potential Earth-size rocky world orbiting a white dwarf, suggesting a future in which our planet outlives its star. By Jonathan O'Callaghan Email us Let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. Ocean Infinity Wreck of 'Ghost Ship of the Pacific' Found Off California The rediscovery of the vessel, which was captured by the Japanese for a time during World War II, highlights the potential of underwater autonomous vehicles to map the ocean floor. By Michael Greshko Frank Bienewald/LightRocket, via Getty Images Trilobites Why Mount Everest Is Growing Taller Every Year Researchers say that two rivers merged some 89,000 years ago and gave the mightiest peak in the Himalayas a huge growth spurt. By Robin George Andrews Rivera-Sylva and Longrich, Fossil Studies 2024 Trilobites A Leggy Tyrannosaur Emerges From a Mexican Desert Scientists say that the fossil of a close relative of Tyrannosaur rex bolsters their case for a distinctive southern population of the fearsome dinosaurs. By Asher Elbein Sarah Venter Trilobites Things Are Looking Up for Africa's Upside-Down Baobab Trees A researcher followed up on a study warning that the massive trees were in danger, and found many venerable specimens thriving. By Rachel Nuwer E. Wernquist/D. Nelson (IllustrisTNG Collaboration)/M. Oei Out There This Black Hole Has a Cosmic Wingspan Astronomers have discovered a black hole emitting energy in jets longer than the width of 140 Milky Way galaxies. By Dennis Overbye SpaceX Launches Mission to Bring Back Starliner Astronauts Two astronauts — one American, one Russian — are headed to the International Space Station with two empty seats for crewmates who are already in orbit. By Kenneth Chang Trilobites This Fish Evolved Legs That It Uses to Taste Stuff on the Seafloor While the sea robin has legs, it still doesn't need a bicycle. By Sofia Quaglia Trilobites This Cheese Stood Alone for 3,600 Years The cheese was dug up with mummified human remains in the Xinjiang region of China and offers insights into the origins of the dairy product known as kefir. By Kate Golembiewski The Evolution Garden, a Green Journey Through Geologic History This newly redesigned space at the Natural History Museum in London traces 540 million years of the past while creating an outdoor laboratory for the future. By Keridwen Cornelius CLIMATE CHANGE Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times Buying Time Conspiracy Theorists and Vaccine Skeptics Have a New Target: Geoengineering Around the country, people with a deep distrust of government want to preemptively ban the use of aerosols to reduce heat from the sun. By Christopher Flavelle Ian C. Bates for The New York Times buying time Silicon Valley Renegades Pollute the Sky to Save the Planet Some restless entrepreneurs are releasing pollutants in the sky to try to cool the planet. By David Gelles and Ian C. Bates We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. HEALTH Andri Tambunan for The New York Times California Sues Hospital for Denying Patient an Emergency Abortion The state said that despite a doctor's recommendation and state law, a Catholic hospital declined to provide an abortion because fetal heart tones were present. By Pam Belluck Jackie Molloy for The New York Times Breast Cancer Continues to Rise Among Younger Women, Study Finds Death rates are declining among U.S. women with breast cancer. But the disease is turning up more often in women under age 50. By Roni Caryn Rabin Ramin Rahimian for The New York Times Biden Officials Stave Off Sticker Shock on Medicare Drug Premiums Federal regulators spent billions of dollars to avoid a spike in costs for older Americans that could have been politically damaging to the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris. By Rebecca Robbins and Reed Abelson Cynthia Goldsmith/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Possible Cluster of Human Bird-Flu Infections Expands in Missouri Seven people in contact with a patient hospitalized with bird flu also developed symptoms, the C.D.C. reported. Some are undergoing further tests. By Apoorva Mandavilli and Emily Anthes James Cavallini/BSIP/Universal Images Group, via Getty Images The Global Threat of Antibiotic Resistance Health experts, gathering at the U.N., have begun to shift their focus to try to provide access to basic drugs in countries where preventable deaths from infections occur too frequently. By Andrew Jacobs The Heart-Healthy Diet Hardly Anyone Is Talking About The DASH diet was shown to lower blood pressure decades ago, yet few people follow it. Here's how to give it a try. By Alice Callahan the new old age After Your Death, Who Takes Care of the Dog? A pet trust designates a new guardian for companion animals and sets aside funds for their care. Better yet, it's legally binding. By Paula Span Risk of Heart Defects Higher in Babies Conceived With I.V.F. The birth defects were more likely, but still very uncommon, in infants conceived through certain fertility treatments, a large study found. By Teddy Rosenbluth F.D.A. Approves the First New Schizophrenia Drug in Decades Available antipsychotic treatments work by blocking dopamine receptors. The new drug, Cobenfy, takes a different approach. By Ellen Barry and Christina Jewett 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