Science Times: Was J. Robert Oppenheimer a communist?

Plus: The Nobel Prizes, a 'once-in-a-lifetime' comet and the fly brain —

View in browser|nytimes.com October 8, 2024 Mirko Ilic An Old Clash Heats Up Over Oppenheimer's Red Ties As Harvard and a top biographer square off, proponents of a middle path see a tangled life in which the superstar of science was, and was not, a true Communist at the same time. By William J. Broad Jonathan Nackstrand/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Nobel Physics Prize Awarded for Pioneering A.I. Research by 2 Scientists With work on machine learning that uses artificial neural networks, John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton "showed a completely new way for us to use computers," the committee said. By Derrick Bryson Taylor, Cade Metz and Katrina Miller Jonathan Nackstrand/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Discovery in Tiny Worm Leads to Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2 Scientists The prize was awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA, which helps determine how cells develop and function. By Teddy Rosenbluth and Derrick Bryson Taylor Some Scientists May Never Win a Nobel, but They Still Deserve Big Prizes The Nobel Foundation offers prizes in only three scientific disciplines, but other awards have been created to honor scientists in different fields. By Katrina Miller and Teddy Rosenbluth Email us Let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. Mariana Suarez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images How to See the 'Once-in-a-Lifetime' Comet Flaring in Our Night Skies Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is nearing Earth and getting brighter. By Katrina Miller Tyler Sloan and Amy Sterling for FlyWire, Princeton University After a Decade, Scientists Unveil Fly Brain in Stunning Detail Scientists have mapped out how 140,000 neurons are wired in the brain of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. By Carl Zimmer Mariana Rodriguez-Santiago Origins When Two Sea Aliens Become One Primitive animals called comb jellies can fuse their bodies and nervous systems together. By Carl Zimmer Universal History Archive/Getty Images Researchers Find Cannibalized Victim of 19th-Century Arctic Voyage A new study offers clues to a 179-year-old mystery that killed more than 100 explorers on the Franklin expedition in the Canadian Arctic. By Alexander Nazaryan Erika Blumenfeld & Joseph Aebers/JSC/NASA The Food of Space Travel Could Be Based on Rocks Scientists are studying whether future astronauts on deep-space journeys could transform compounds in asteroids into food. By Sarah Scoles Trilobites Scientists Found a Surprising Way to Make Fungus Happy The discovery that sound improves the growth rate of beneficial fungus suggests that dirges in the dirt may help restore forests. By Veronique Greenwood Ex-OceanGate Employee's Remarks Hint at Titan Disaster Lawsuits to Come A former Coast Guard specialist's testimony capped two weeks of hearings into the implosion of a submersible that killed five during an attempt to explore the Titanic. By William J. Broad The World's Oldest Termite Mound Is 34,000 Years and Counting Scientists recently found the planet's longest continuously occupied termite colony in an arid region of South Africa. It dates to the time of the Neanderthals. By Franz Lidz DNA Reveals the Origin Stories of America's Captive Tigers Scientists have wondered if the many captive tigers in the United States could one day help restore the species in the wild. By Annie Roth CLIMATE CHANGE Shutterstock Helene Knocked Out a Key Facility for Monitoring the Global Climate The National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, N.C., sweep together data from around the world to help track Earth's warming. By Raymond Zhong <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/raymond-zhong">Raymond Zhong</a> and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/mira-rojanasakul">Mira Rojanasakul</a> See the Ocean Heat Fueling Hurricane Milton, in One Chart The waters of the Atlantic Ocean have been abnormally warm, providing copious amounts of energy that can intensify storms. By Raymond Zhong and Mira Rojanasakul Raphael Alves/EPA, via Shutterstock A Changing Climate Is Scorching the World's Biggest River As a punishing drought dries up stretches of the Amazon River, Brazil is resorting to dredging to try to keep food, medicine and people flowing along the watery superhighway. By Ana Ionova We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. HEALTH Getty Images Have We Reached Peak Human Life Span? After decades of rising life expectancy, the increases appear to be slowing. A new study calls into question how long even the healthiest of populations can live. By Dana G. Smith Oliver Doyle/Reuters As Bird Flu Spreads, Two New Cases Diagnosed in California Both patients were dairy workers whose illnesses were mild. Investigators are continuing to evaluate the contacts of a Missouri patient who had no exposure to animals. By Apoorva Mandavilli iStock/Getty Images Plus You're Due for a Colonoscopy, but What if You Don't Want It? Doctors can provide alternative forms of screening for colon and rectal cancer but sometimes have a good reason to stick with the colonoscope. By Gina Kolata Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times Trump Promised to Release His Medical Records. He Still Won't Do It. If elected again, he would become the oldest president by the end of his term. Yet he is refusing to disclose even basic health information. By Emily Baumgaertner and Maggie Haberman How Do You Know if You're Addicted to Weed? Nearly 6 percent of American teens and adults have cannabis use disorder. By Dana G. Smith Gilead Agrees to Allow Generic Version of Groundbreaking H.I.V. Shot in Poor Countries Many middle-income countries are left out of the deal, widening a gulf in access to critical medicines. By Stephanie Nolen Officials Cast Doubt on a Dementia Drug, but Human Trials Continue The S.E.C. alleged shortcomings in research said to support the drug, and its developer agreed to a $40 million settlement. Some experts wonder why clinical trials have not been stopped. By Teddy Rosenbluth Should You Exercise When You're Sick? If you have a cold, Covid or the flu, here's how to determine whether it's wise to work out. By Talya Minsberg This Disease Can Damage the Liver for Years Without Being Detected Four in 10 people are thought to have a potentially serious liver condition known as MASLD. Reversing it is possible if you catch it early. By Nina Agrawal 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