NYT Science

The variant contains a mutation thought to help the virus dodge the immune system, scientists said.

The authorization of a third Covid-19 vaccine will bring millions more doses within days. But health officials worry that some people will see the vaccine as the inferior choice.

Federal wildlife authorities in California are working with a wind energy company to breed the endangered birds in captivity to replace any that may be killed by turbine blades. Conservationists are skeptical.

Two earlier high-altitude flights of the Starship spacecraft crashed spectacularly after successful liftoffs.

The first detailed studies of the so-called P.1 variant show how it devastated a Brazilian city. Now scientists want to know what it will do elsewhere.

In short: Very green. But plug-in cars still have environmental effects. Here’s a guide to the main issues and how they might be addressed.

As Deb Haaland, President Biden's choice for Interior secretary, heads toward a showdown vote, the department she would head is moving ahead on environmental policies.

B.1.351 may sound sweet to a molecular epidemiologist, but what’s the alternative, other than stigmatizing geographical names?

A dune buggy is about to set off on behalf of its human owners to fulfill a primordial yearning.

M.I.T. researchers have devised a virtual-reality technique that lets them read old letters that were mailed not in envelopes but in the writing paper itself after being folded into elaborate enclosures.

Officials have a new plan to manage rising water. Succeed or fail, it will very likely become a case study for other cities facing climate threats.

Scientists are urging Americans to upgrade their face coverings. But Amazon, Google and Facebook restrict the sale of medical-grade masks. Critics say the rules are outdated.

A new study highlights the persistent problems caused by an unstable work force, an underlying threat that may have led to staggering death tolls in the pandemic.

A reconstructed Neanderthal ear adds a new piece to the puzzle of whether the early humans could speak.

Growing numbers of surfers are taking to the Great Lakes — even when the weather is well below freezing.

The black-browed babbler has long been one of Indonesia’s most enigmatic birds.

The condition is becoming more common as immunization rates increase. Experts are suggesting ways to ease patients’ fears and avoid needless testing.

The discovery of Mediterranean recluse spiders at the University of Michigan prompted a two-day closure of one of its libraries.

With this last hurdle cleared, formal authorization of the one-dose vaccine is expected on Saturday and distribution within days.

At a federal compound in Connecticut, inmates in precarious health “are like sitting ducks,” one lawyer said.