Science Times: Can 70 whale moms save a species?

Plus: Pompeii, wooden satellite and a running vampire bat —

View in browser|nytimes.com November 12, 2024 Georgia Department of Natural Resources, NOAA permit #20556-01 Can 70 Moms Save a Species? Here's the story of Squilla, a rare North Atlantic right whale mother, and her firstborn. To help their species continue, they'd have to navigate an increasingly dangerous ocean. By Catrin Einhorn Cesare Abbate/EPA, via Shutterstock With DNA, Pompeii Narratives Take a Twist In 79 A.D., a volcanic eruption engulfed a town's residents. They weren't all who scientists thought, newly extracted genetic material suggests. By Franz Lidz The NYU Amheida Excavations Church in Egyptian Desert Reveals Early Christian Burial Practices A basilica from the 4th century held a surprising number of tombs with women and children, researchers found. By Alexander Nazaryan Irene Wang/Reuters Japanese Scientists Bet on an Ancient Material for Their New Satellite: Wood Scientists in Japan constructed the first satellite made of wood by blending age-old woodworking techniques with rocket science. By John Yoon and Hisako Ueno Email us Let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. JPL/NASA Uranus Might Have Experienced a Freak Event When Voyager 2 Visited Much of the understanding of the seventh planet comes from a brief flyby nearly 40 years ago, which researchers now say overlapped with an exceptional solar event. By Jonathan O'Callaghan Urban et al., Current Biology 2024 Trilobites This Elephant Uses a Hose to Give Herself a Shower Every Day In the Berlin Zoo, Mary demonstrated another example of clever elephantine tool use while another animal exhibited a form of mischief with a hose that resembled a prank. By Emily Anthes Aaron Fowler After a 2,000-Mile Trip, a Penguin Finds Itself on an Australian Beach "This is the furthest north I've heard of an emperor penguin," an expert said. By Victor Mather John Raoux/Associated Press 25 Escaped Monkeys of 43 Are Captured in South Carolina The monkeys escaped after a worker at a research center left an enclosure unlocked. One monkey was captured Saturday, and another 24 on Sunday, while the rest remain at large. By Sara Ruberg Last N.I.H. Chimps to Move From New Mexico Facility The retired research chimpanzees, which had previously been deemed too frail to move, will be relocated to a Louisiana sanctuary. By Emily Anthes Trilobites You May Not Be Able to Outrun a Vampire Bat Scientists put the bloodsucking mammals on a treadmill to understand how they get the energy to chase down their next meal. By Jack Tamisiea CLIMATE CHANGE Doug Mills/The New York Times Musk Believes in Global Warming. Trump Doesn't. Will That Change? The Tesla billionaire is a key figure in the president-elect's orbit. One question is whether his views on climate and clean energy will have any sway. By Brad Plumer Mladen Antonov/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images News Analysis U.S. Election Sends Alarming Message for Global Climate Efforts The Trump victory sets back the world's attempt to rein in dangerous levels of warming and potentially isolates the United States in the global energy transition. By Somini Sengupta Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters The World Isn't Spending Nearly Enough to Adapt to Climate Shocks, U.N. Says A new report, urging rich nations to give more climate aid to poorer ones, comes as Donald Trump's election throws global climate talks into disarray. By Brad Plumer We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. HEALTH As the Pandemic Deepened, Americans Kept Drinking More Excessive drinking persisted in the years after Covid arrived, according to new data. By Roni Caryn Rabin Luisa Jung the new old age For Older Unmarried Couples, Caregiving Obligations Can Be Murky What should be expected of an intimate partner when a companion suffers a health crisis? Seniors and their families increasingly confront the question. By Paula Span Andrew Mangum for The New York Times A Conversation With … He's the F.D.A.'s Cancer Chief, Not a Fortune Teller Dr. Richard Pazdur for 25 years has overseen innovations in the treatment of deadly diseases at the agency. By Gina Kolata Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Foe of Drug Makers and Regulators, Is Poised to Wield New Power President-elect Donald Trump has encouraged him to "go wild on health" but has not made clear what role Mr. Kennedy will play. By Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Rebecca Davis O'Brien Getty Images Why the Next Dietary Guidelines Might Not Tackle Ultraprocessed Foods There's not enough evidence to recommend avoiding them, a scientific advisory committee says. Some experts disagree. By Alice Callahan F.D.A. Proposes Removing Ineffective Nasal Decongestant From Stores It was added to cold and flu remedies in the 1990s when another ingredient went behind the counter over illicit meth lab concerns. By Christina Jewett 8 Factors That Can Raise Your Heart Disease Risk Doctors are thinking differently about what drives cardiovascular issues. It's no longer just about blood pressure and cholesterol. By Nina Agrawal An Idaho Health Department Is Barred From Offering Covid Shots Experts worry the unusual move, driven by vaccine misinformation, could fuel further efforts to interfere with immunizations. By Dani Blum Ask Well What's the Best Way to Get Rid of Plantar Warts? These common growths are stubborn, but doctors say there are several options to try. By Erica Sweeney 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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