Category: Film & Series
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, giant of African literature, dies aged 87
Kenyan writer’s death announced by his daughter, who wrote: ‘He lived a full life, fought a good fight’ The Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, who was censored, imprisoned and forced into exile by the dictator Daniel arap Moi, a perennial contender for the Nobel prize for literature and one of few writers working in an…
Future of Maradona trial in doubt as judge steps down over TV show role
Julieta Makintach accused of behaving ‘like an actress’ after shooting documentary about trial of footballer’s medical team A key judge in the trial of the late Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona’s medical team has stepped down after it emerged she had been shooting a racy miniseries about the months-old trial, potentially breaking a string of ethics…
Presley Chweneyagae, star of Oscar-winning drama Tsotsi, dies aged 40
South African actor gained international recognition for his role in the drama which won best foreign language film Presley Chweneyagae, the South African actor who gained international recognition for his leading role in the 2005 film Tsotsi, which won South Africa’s first ever Oscar for best foreign language film, has died. He was 40 years…
Why the 2025 Tornado Season Has Been So Destructive
Why Tornado Season Has Been So Destructive Several devastating tornado outbreaks have cut swaths of destruction across the U.S. What’s driving these damaging storms? By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser A U.S. Air Force aerobatic team flies in formation over community members and crews cleaning up debris on May 18, 2025, in the community…
How The Handmaid’s Tale Ended After 6 Seasons With Burning Question
After six seasons on Hulu, The Handmaid’s Tale ended with the series finale on May 26. Find out the fate of Elisabeth Moss’ June Osborne and more Gilead characters. Warning: This story contains spoilers for The Handmaid’s Tale series finale. After six seasons, The Handmaid’s Tale is coming full circle. During the series finale on…
What If Mitochondria Aren’t Only the Powerhouse of the Cell?
New discoveries about mitochondria could reshape how we understand the body’s response to stress, aging and illness By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Jeffery DelViscio & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, right? Well, it turns out they might be way more complicated than that, and that could have implications for…
Single-Atom Quantum Computer Achieves Breakthrough Molecular Simulations
Single Atom Acts as a Quantum Computer and Simulates Molecules A quantum computer has used a single atom to model the complex dynamics of organic molecules interacting with light By Davide Castelvecchi & Nature magazine A view inside the trapped-ion quantum computer that carried out a first-of-its-kind simulation of molecular chemistry. Join Our Community of…
Inside Ukraine’s last maternity ward in a region surrounded by Russian forces
Eleanor Beardsley SLOVIANSK, Ukraine — The squalling cries of newborns echo through the hallway of Sloviansk City Clinical Hospital in the beleaguered Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Sitting by the window in her room, young mother Anastasia cradles her 1-day-old daughter Vasilisa. While she’s happy to share this private moment with NPR, she doesn’t wish…
Hurricane Season Is Soon—NOAA Says It’s Ready, but Weather Experts Are Worried
NOAA Says It’s Ready for Hurricane Season, but Weather Experts Are Worried As hurricane season approaches, thousands of weather and disaster experts have raised concerns about NOAA and NWS budget cuts and staffing shortages By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News The remnants of Hurricane Helene begin to dissipate over the United States in this NOAA…
The Creepy Calculus of Measuring Death Risk
The Creepy Calculus of Measuring Death Risk Meet micromorts and microlives, statistical units that help mathematicians to calculate risk By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas People are generally bad at assessing probabilities. That’s why we have irrational fears and why we overestimate our odds of winning the lottery. Whenever I have to travel by…
Who Won Survivor? Season 48 Winner Revealed
Survivor’s season 48 finale aired May 21 and Kyle Fraser claimed the $1 million prize, beating out Joe Hunter, Eva Erickson, Kamilla Karthigesu and Mitch Guerra. Warning: This article contains major spoilers for the season 48 finale of Survivor. Kyle Fraser‘s survival instincts just earned him $1 million. Of the 18 hopeful castaways that came to…
‘Then There Was One:’ A Book Review
Who wouldn’t want to read a mash-up of The Hunger Games and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None? As the title suggests, Then There Was One leans heavily on one while borrowing a little from the other. The result? An entertaining mystery and a compulsive Young Adult thriller. The book is set in the…
Where does your weather forecast come from?
Rebecca Hersher You’re about to walk your dog, but the sky looks ominous. You pull out your phone, open your favorite weather app, and see that it’s about to pour. You wait for the rain to pass. Or maybe you planned a summer vacation at the beach. A week before you’re supposed to leave, you…
Black Hole Mergers Show Strange Mathematical Link to String Theory
Deep Math from String Theory Appears in Clashing Black Holes Researchers have shown that abstract mathematical functions from the frontiers of theoretical physics have a real-world use in modeling gravitational waves By Ramin Skibba edited by Lee Billings An illustration of two black holes about to merge and emitting copious gravitational waves. And as the…
Nissan open to making cars for Chinese partner in Sunderland, says CEO
Ivan Espinosa says UK plant will not be hit by cost cuts as Japanese firm reveals seven factories to close Nissan’s new chief executive has said the Japanese carmaker would be open to building cars for a Chinese partner at its factory in Sunderland after he confirmed it would not be closed in a round…
Ten dead in ‘brutal’ attacks by Isis-linked militants on Mozambique wildlife reserve
Thousands have been displaced and conservation work halted as series of killings jeopardises decades of work in Niassa, one of Africa’s biggest protected areas One of Africa’s largest protected areas has been shaken by a series of attacks by Islamic State-linked extremists, which have left at least 10 people dead. Conservationists in Niassa reserve, Mozambique,…
Paleontologists discover a 500-million-year-old, 3-eyed predator
By Alana Wise The fossilized remains of one Mosura fentoni — nicknamed the “sea moth” — were found in the Burgess Shale of Canadian Rockies, presenting researchers with new insight into animal life in the Cambrian period, according to a paper published this week in the journal Royal Society Open Science. “It gives it almost…
Real Ice Experiments with Polar Geoengineering to Refreeze Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Polar Geoengineering Experiments Bet Big on Freezing Arctic Ice Refreezing the melting sea ice in the Arctic is more complicated than you would think. The U.K. is funding geoengineering experiments like this one to curb the effects of climate change. By Rachel Feltman, Alec Luhn, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura & Jeffery DelViscio This story was…
The first time we had ‘one big, beautiful bill’ we called it Reaganomics
Ron Elving Have some sympathy for the headline writers and TV chyron composers trying to describe what’s happening on Capitol Hill right now. Should they just call it the “budget bill” (yawn) or the “mega bill” (one eye opens) or the “gargantuan package deal”? Many simply succumb and adopt President Trump’s phrase “one big, beautiful…
Review – Absolute Batman #8: Deep Freeze
Ray: If there’s one thing that sets apart the Absolute Universe from the main one, it’s that the villains here are absolutely terrifying. They’re bigger, more vicious, and far more distanced from reality. That’s never clearer than with Mr. Freeze, who in the main continuity is a gimmick crook driven by love and obsession. In…
Review – Aquaman #5: Dagon’s Wrath
Ray: So far, Aquaman has sent our title character into the world of magic – a big change for Aquaman’s usual adventures. Atlantis has been spirited away to the realm of Dagon, a magic city ruled by a mad God-king, and assassins have come after Aquaman from that world, but we’ve never seen it –…
A federal appeals panel has made enforcing the Voting Rights Act harder in 7 states
Hansi Lo Wang A panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down one of the key remaining ways of enforcing the federal Voting Rights Act in seven mainly Midwestern states. For decades, private individuals and groups have brought the majority of lawsuits for enforcing the landmark law’s Section 2 protections against…
Review – Resurrection Man: Quantum Karma #2 – The Undying Man
Ray: The Black Label line is capable of doing things that no other DC book can, and this title makes the case that it’s at its best when it’s used to reinvent obscure and lower-tier heroes where there are no issues with branding. After a one-page prelude by the late, great Jackson “Butch” Guice, we’re…
Trump meets Syria’s interim president after pledging to lift sanctions
By Franco Ordoñez , Aya Batrawy RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump met Wednesday with Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, spending about half an hour speaking with him on the sidelines of a visit to Saudi Arabia. The meeting was added to Trump’s schedule as he announced he would lift U.S. sanctions against Syria, a…
‘Shrapnel Boys:’ A Book Review
This week sees the 80th anniversary of V.E. Day, and here in the UK, there have been fly pasts and street parties (blighted by the weather, of course) to celebrate. Following on from the excellent Under a Fire Red Sky, published last month, Usborne Books has brought us another first-class children’s novel set in World…
So far at Cannes: De Niro gets a Palme d’or, Trump gets criticized, nudity gets banned
Mandalit del Barco The 78th Cannes Film Festival kicked off on Tuesday in the French Riviera, where guests were asked to dress more modestly. “For decency reasons, nudity is prohibited on the Red Carpet, as well as in any other area of the Festival,” according to the 2025 festival’s website. “Voluminous outfits, in particular those…
How Trump’s National Weather Service Cuts Could Cost Lives
How Trump’s National Weather Service Cuts Could Cost Lives Weather experts warn that staff cuts at the National Weather Service that have been made by the Trump administration are a danger to public safety as tornadoes, hurricanes and heat loom this spring and summer By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser A house submerged in…
Michael Jordan joins NBC as the network revives its NBA coverage
By Ayana Archie Basketball legend Michael Jordan is taking his talents to television. NBC Sports announced Monday he will be joining its programming as a contributor when the upcoming NBA season starts in October. “I am so excited to see the NBA back on NBC,” Jordan said in a statement released by the network. “The…
Denver, Dallas among the Major U.S. Cities Sinking into the Ground
The 28 Most Populous Cities in the U.S. Are All Sinking Cities across the U.S., including inland ones such as Denver and Dallas, are settling into the earth, posing increased flooding risks and potentially damaging urban infrastructure By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser Flooding in Buffalo Bayou Park in Houston, Tex., following Hurricane Beryl…
Measuring Gluons and Quarks at the Brookhaven Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, the Nation’s Only Particle Collider
The Only Particle Collider in the U.S. Will Be Replaced with an Upgrade Brookhaven National Laboratory is pushing the boundaries of particle physics. By Rachel Feltman, Naeem Amarsy, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper & Jeffery DelViscio Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, this is Rachel Feltman. Today we’re taking you on another one of our…
Stronger Solar Activity Cycles May Be in the Sun’s Forecast
The Sun May Be Entering an Era of Stronger 11-Year Cycles The sun has produced stunning auroras on Earth in recent years as solar activity has peaked—but expect more in coming years By Meghan Bartels edited by Dean Visser Massive solar flares, graceful eruptions of solar material, and an enormous sunspot make up some of…
Large Hadron Collider Physicists Turn Lead into Gold—For a Fraction of a Second
Physicists Turn Lead into Gold—For a Fraction of a Second Scientists at Europe’s famous particle collider briefly created gold ions from lead in a modern twist on the alchemical goal By Elizabeth Gibney & Nature magazine LHC experiments don’t create large gold nuggets — but some particles within a beam of lead ions can turn…
FEMA leader is out, amid questions over future of the agency
By Lauren Sommer , Rebecca Hersher The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cameron Hamilton, has been replaced, according to a statement from the agency. The move comes at a time of turmoil for FEMA, after President Trump has said repeatedly that the country’s primary disaster response agency should be eliminated. Just a…
Canada medical mystery takes twist as study finds no evidence of brain illness
Researchers link suspected cases in New Brunswick to known diseases, suggesting ‘misdiagnosis and misinformation’ A new peer-reviewed scientific study has found no evidence of a mystery brain disease in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, suggesting instead a troubling combination of “misdiagnosis and misinformation”. The research comes as the Maritime province prepares its own assessment…
What to Know about Kosmos-482, the Soviet Spacecraft Crash-Landing on Earth
This Soviet Spacecraft Will Soon Crash-Land on Earth Kosmos-482, a failed mission to Venus from the former Soviet Union that stalled in Earth orbit in the 1970s, is about to fall back to our planet. Exactly where or when it will strike, however, remains unknown By Lee Billings edited by Dean Visser An artist’s concept…
Why ‘Evolving’ Dark Energy Worries Some Physicists
Latest Dark Energy Study Suggests the Universe Is Even Weirder Than We Imagined If dark energy is weakening, as suggested by recent results, then the cosmos is far stranger than most physicists had supposed By Lyndie Chiou edited by Lee Billings An artist’s concept of the dark energy-driven accelerating expansion of the universe. New results…
Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with a free concert for more than 2 million fans
By The Associated Press RIO DE JANEIRO — Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career. “Tonight, we’re making history. (…) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd. The Mother Monster,…
Florida lawmakers try to balance condo safety with cost
By Greg Allen Florida lawmakers have sent the governor a measure aimed at providing relief for tens of thousands of condominium owners struggling with rising costs in aging buildings. A law passed shortly after 98 people died in the 2021 collapse of a residential tower in the town of Surfside, located outside of Miami, placed…
Federal judge strikes down Trump order targeting the law firm Perkins Coie
Ryan Lucas A federal judge on Friday struck down President Trump’s executive order targeting the prominent law firm of Perkins Coie, finding it unconstitutional and declaring it an attack on the foundational principles of the American legal system. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell is the first to permanently block an executive order…
The Threatened Fungi on the IUCN Red List Are Important to our Ecology
These Fungi Are Facing Extinction—Here’s Why That Matters As conservation targets, fungi aren’t as appealing as giant pandas. But these scientists explain that the health of Earth’s fungal species is critically important. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Even if you don’t know…
The Real Housewives of Miami Season 7 Trailer Is Finally Here
From Larsa Pippen’s breakup to trips around the world and the shocking return of a series alum, The Real Housewives of Miami is back and better than ever in jaw-dropping season seven trailer. The Real Housewives of Miami is proving the wait was definitely worth it. Bravo has finally released the first look at season…
Keeping Kids Interested in Science Is a Matter of Language
Opinion The Science of ParentingMondays Keeping Kids Interested in Science Is a Matter of Language As children get older, their understanding of science and being a scientist changes. The words adults use are a critical part of keeping them engaged in discovery By Ryan F. Lei Cut through the claims: Get email alerts for The…
Trump wants to bypass immigration courts. Experts warn it’s a ‘slippery slope.’
Ximena Bustillo President Trump is chipping away at the right to due process within the immigration court system, immigration lawyers and former judges say, in an effort to fast-track deportations. Over the course of his first few months in office, the administration has removed some protections from deportation, cancelled grants that provided legal representation to…
Scientific American’s 1925 Coverage of Eclipses, Mediums and Inventions
Solar Shadow Play, Seances for Science, and More from Our 1925 Coverage We present a historical romp through Scientific American—100 years ago. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. I was out of the office taking a little break last week,…
Supreme Court to hear school disability discrimination case
Nina Totenberg The Supreme Court hears arguments Monday in a case testing the reach of federal laws that promise special help for children with disabilities in public schools. Ava Tharpe is a teenage girl who suffers from serious disabilities caused by a rare form of epilepsy. She needs assistance with everyday tasks like walking and…
Wild NYC Author Ryan Mandelbaum Takes a Wildlife-Filled Walk in Prospect Park
How to Find Hidden Nature in Any Urban Park Near You Take a walk through Prospect Park with Wild NYC writer Ryan Mandelbaum and learn to connect with nature no matter how urban your environment is. By Rachel Feltman, Kylie Murphy, Alex Sugiura, Jeffery DelViscio, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper & Carin Leong Jeffery DelViscio/Scientific American…
Weather tracker: thunderstorms lash Italy in aftermath of Storm Hans
Authorities warn of mudslides during intense rainfall, as Kenya is hit by deadly flash flooding After Storm Hans battered northern Italy in the runup to Easter, severe weather continued to lash much of the country this week. Since Tuesday, the conditions have triggered potent showers and thunderstorms, and yellow and orange weather warnings have been…
Dear Life Kit: I’m not sure about her sexuality. Should I try to kiss her anyway?
By Andee Tagle , Malaka Gharib Dear Life Kit is NPR’s advice column, where experts answer tricky questions about relationships, social etiquette, work culture and more. Send us your anonymous questions. For our next episode, we’re looking for your queries on doubt and decision-making in relationships. These questions were answered by Haley Nahman of the…
How You Ended for Penn Badgley’s Joe Goldberg After 5 Seasons
Netflix released season five of You April 24, revealing the fate of Penn Badgley’s serial killer character Joe Goldberg. Find out what happened in the series finale. Warning: This story contains spoilers from the You season five finale. In the end, only a Brontë could take down the literary lover that is Joe Goldberg. Season…
Decades later, the Microsoft antitrust case casts a shadow over the Google trial
Jaclyn Diaz A legendary legal case looms large over the ongoing, landmark antitrust case involving Google and the U.S. government. A federal judge has ruled that the tech giant operated as a monopoly because it illegally stifled competition in the search engine market. For the next few weeks, the judge is hearing arguments from the…
The Major NJ Wildfire Shows Unexpected Urban Areas Are at Risk
Why New Jersey Is Actually a Place with Major Wildfire Risk A forest fire that erupted in New Jersey and spread overnight highlights the major wildfire risk faced by the state and other urban areas By Stephanie Pappas edited by Jeanna Bryner Firefighters try to extinguish a fast-moving brush fire along on November 19, 2024…
Slither, by Stephen S. Hall, Explores Our Fear and Fascination around Snakes
Misunderstood and Maligned Snakes Are Worthy Of Our Sympathy In a new book called Slither, Stephen S. Hall takes a deep dive into the biology and history of one of the most reviled animals. By Rachel Feltman, Stephen S. Hall, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura & Naeem Amarsy Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m…
‘The devil wants this pattern of mass death repeated’: Actors Guild of Nigeria calls for better regulation after two actors die
After two actors died in Owerri, Imo State, AGN head Emeka Rollas drew comparisons to events last year, when popular Nollywood actor Junior Pope drowned The president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria has called for mass prayers and increased unionisation after the death of two actors in Owerri, the capital city of Imo State.…
Trump Cuts Threaten Key NOAA Work to Improve Weather Forecasts and Monitor Toxic Algal Blooms
Proposed Trump Cuts to NOAA Threaten Hurricane Hunters and Toxic Algal Bloom Monitoring The Trump administration has proposed gutting NOAA’s cooperative institutes, which study everything from improving lifesaving weather forecasts to monitoring fish stocks By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News Commander Mark Nelson, with NOAA, climbs the steps to one of the hurricane hunter planes…
Mahmoud Khalil misses son’s birth after ICE official denies his request to be there
Adrian Florido Immigration authorities denied an urgent request by Mahmoud Khalil to be temporarily released from detention, under monitoring, so he could attend the birth of his first child. His wife, Noor Abdalla, delivered their son on Monday in New York. Khalil, who is being held at a remote Louisiana detention center, instead experienced part…
Wild chimpanzees filmed by scientists bonding over alcoholic fruit
Humans have gathered to feast and enjoy a tipple together for thousands of years, but research suggests chimpanzees may also bond over a boozy treat. Wild chimpanzees in west Africa have been observed sharing fruit containing alcohol – not in quantities to get roaring drunk but, possibly, enough for a fuzzy beer buzz feeling. The…
The Real Reason Autism Rates Are Rising
RFK, Jr., Is Wrong about Cause of Rising Autism Rates, Scientists Say Autism rates are rising, but RFK, Jr., is wrong about the reasons. Here’s what the science says By Stephanie Pappas edited by Jeanna Bryner Research suggests that autism is between 60 and 90 percent heritable. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., head of the Department…
Scientific American Editor Gary Stix Talks about His 35 Years of Editing the Magazine
Hear takeaways from 35 years at Scientific American from Gary Stix, our recently retired mind and brain editor. By Rachel Feltman, Gary Stix, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. It goes without saying that a lot has changed at Scientific American since our first issue came…
9-1-1 Killed Off a Major Character in Intense Season 8 Episode
After eight seasons on the ABC procedural drama 9-1-1, one character was killed off in a surprise twist to fans. Warning: This article contains major spoilers for 9-1-1’s April 17 episode “Lab Rats.” It’s time for one character to hang up their uniform. After eight seasons as 9-1-1’s leading man, Peter Krause’s character Captain Bobby…
A wind project is stalled in New York. Experts worry about impacts across the U.S.
By Julia Simon , Jeongyoon Han U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has ordered a halt to an offshore wind project near the coast of Long Island. Today, Equinor, the Norwegian energy company that owns and operates the project, announced it is complying with the order and suspending all construction. President Trump, a longtime…
The Lyrid meteor shower is expected to dazzle the night sky beginning this week
By Alana Wise The Lyrid meteor shower, one of the oldest annual meteor showers known to humankind, will once again grace Earth’s sky beginning this week. This year, the meteors are expected to come into view on Wednesday night and last through April 25. The Lyrids, like all meteor showers, are the flying trails of…
Outer Banks’ Rudy Pankow Reveals First Role Since Leaving the Show
Rudy Pankow, who departed Outer Banks earlier this year, has been cast in the upcoming adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel Reminders of Him, alongside Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers. Rudy Pankow is trading in the outer banks for a new adventure. The Outer Banks actor is set to join Universal Pictures’ adaptation of the Colleen Hoover novel, Reminders of Him, Universal…
A Colossal Squid Has Been Filmed in the Deep Sea for the First Time
This Is the First Colossal Squid Filmed in the Deep Sea—And It’s a Baby! A colossal squid was filmed for the first time in its natural habitat near the South Sandwich Islands during a recent expedition, and it turned out to be a baby By Ashley Balzer Vigil edited by Andrea Thompson This is the…
Sudan’s war is 2 years in and shows no signs of slowing, as talks take place
Emmanuel Akinwotu LONDON — Foreign ministers from 20 countries are meeting in London Tuesday as part of a diplomatic effort to restart stalled peace talks over Sudan’s civil war that began two years ago. The United Nations says the conflict has prompted the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and the most devastating famine in decades. Despite…
Hot off her NCAA title, Paige Bueckers cruises for 1st pick in the WNBA draft
Becky Sullivan Barely a week after cutting down the nets at the women’s Final Four, Paige Bueckers is expected to get yet another jewel in her crown. At Monday night’s WNBA Draft, the 23-year-old combo guard is expected to be selected first overall by the Dallas Wings. The pick could transform the franchise, which hasn’t…
Harry Potter Series Reveals Spellbinding Cast: John Lithgow & More
HBO’s Harry Potter series confirmed John Lithgow and Paapa Essiedu have been cast as Professors Dumbledore and Snape and announced casting for other characters such as McGonagall and Hagrid. The new Harry Potter TV series solemnly swears to be absolutely magical. Especially since HBO has finally confirmed the cast taking on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft…
Neutrino Mass Mystery Shrinks with Latest KATRIN Results
Physicists Are Closer Than Ever to Solving the Puzzle of the Ghostly Neutrino’s Mass In just the first 259 days of data collection, KATRIN, a beta-decay-based detector in Germany, has set the smallest upper limit yet on the mass of the neutrino—the universe’s lightest massive particle By Gayoung Lee edited by Lee Billings Laser Raman…
Noninvasive Prenatal Blood Testing Finds Cancer in Some Pregnant People
How Is This Prenatal Blood Test Detecting Cancer in Pregnant Patients? Researchers are trying to understand how a common prenatal blood test called NIPT is detecting cancer in some pregnant patients. By Rachel Feltman, Laura Hercher, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. For more than a…
Trump admin tells judge man wrongly deported to El Salvador is alive, still detained
By Chandelis Duster A Maryland man who was wrongly deported to El Salvador is alive and still detained in the country, the Trump administration said in a filing to a federal judge on Saturday. Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia is being held at El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, according to Michael G. Kozak, a senior official…
Ted Kotcheff, director of First Blood, Weekend at Bernie’s and Wake in Fright, dies aged 94
Prolific Canadian director also made one of the country’s first internationally successful films, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, starring Richard Dreyfuss Ted Kotcheff, the prolific Canadian director of films including First Blood, Weekend at Bernie’s, Wake in Fright and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, has died aged 94. His daughter Kate Kotcheff told the Canadian…
Trump administration ends temporary protected status for thousands of Afghans
Juliana Kim The Department of Homeland Secretary will not renew temporary protections for thousands of Afghans in the U.S. — setting them up for potential deportation starting on May 20. Temporary protected status, or TPS, is a government protection for people from countries experiencing conditions such as war or natural disasters, who cannot return there…
Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice Casts Emma Corrin and Olivia Colman
Emma Corrin, Jack Lowden and Olivia Colman will star in Netflix’s upcoming Pride and Prejudice limited series, written by Dolly Alderton. This group is taking pride in their upcoming project. After all, Emma Corrin and Olivia Colman will star in Netflix’s upcoming Pride and Prejudice adaptation as Elizabeth Bennet and Mrs. Bennet, respectively. As for…
HHS will review guidance on the addition of fluoride to drinking water
By Alana Wise The Department of Health and Human Services is directing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make new recommendations on the addition of fluoride to U.S. water sources. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has blamed the fluoridation of water for a number of health problems. The agency is directing the…
Black Communities Affected By Opioids Have Been Mostly Ignored in Settlements
Opinion Black Communities Affected By Opioids Have Been Mostly Ignored in Settlements The settlements that have come out of opioid lawsuits should be going to communities affected most. This isn’t what’s happening for Black communities By Jerel Ezell After a troubling spike that began in 2019, the total number of drug overdose deaths dropped in…
UK adventurer apologises for record trek claim after Inuit backlash
Camilla Hempleman-Adams, who says she is first woman to traverse Canada’s Baffin Island solo, accused of ‘privilege and ignorance’ Camilla Hempleman-Adams, 32, covered 150 miles (240km) on foot and by ski while pulling a sledge across Baffin Island, Nunavut, in temperatures as low as -40C and winds of 47mph during the two-week expedition last month.…
Tory peer helped secure meeting with minister for Canadian firm he advises
Ian Duncan ‘facilitated an introduction’ for Terrestrial Energy, which was seeking government funding A Conservative peer helped to secure a meeting with a minister for a Canadian company he was advising while it was seeking government funding worth millions of pounds. The meeting with Andrew Bowie, the nuclear minister at the time, enabled the chief…
20 musicians who should get to go to space before Katy Perry
Neda Ulaby When the news first broke that pop star Katy Perry will hop inside a Blue Origin rocket and blast off to outer space in a launch scheduled for April 14, NPR music editor Hazel Cills took to an internal NPR Music Slack channel. “Quick name 20 artists who should get to go to…
National Recording Registry adds Tracy Chapman, Hamilton and the Minecraft game soundtrack
Neda Ulaby The original cast recording of Hamilton, the score of the videogame Minecraft and a milestone 1970 album by Miles Davis are among the 25 latest additions to the National Recording Registry. Created in 2000 by the Library of Congress to help bring attention to its preservation efforts, the registry now contains 675 titles.…
Alex Ovechkin scores goal #895 to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL scoring record
Becky Sullivan For Alex Ovechkin, the goal in Sunday’s game came just like so many before it did — on the power play, from the top of the left faceoff circle, a powerful shot right to the goal. But this one was history. For the Washington Capitals star, this 895th goal of his regular season…
How automakers are responding to the 25% car tariffs so far
Emma Bowman President Trump’s 25% tariffs on imported cars took effect on Thursday. The import tax has already triggered big moves by automakers, from layoffs to pauses in car shipments to delayed price hikes. As a result, industry analysts expect consumers to see higher car prices, and some buyers have been rushing to the dealerships…
L.A. Dodgers bound for the White House to celebrate World Series championship
By Steve Futterman The L.A. Dodgers are headed to the White House Monday for a celebration of their World Series triumph, and for some players it’s been a difficult decision. Shortstop Mookie Betts announced Friday that he would attend, but he said it was especially challenging for him. “Being Black in America in a situation…
Grilled by Senate, Boeing CEO admits to “serious missteps” on safety
By David Schaper Under sharp questioning from U.S. Senators Wednesday, the CEO of Boeing acknowledged a lax safety culture existed at the aircraft manufacturer but denied workers on Boeing’s factory floors were being pressured to speed up lagging production. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who was appointed to his post just last August, appeared before the…
NIH Director Removes Four Main Scientists amid Massive Staff Purge
NIH Director Removes Four Main Scientists amid Massive Staff Purge The Trump Administration has fired four leaders and thousands of employees at the National Institutes of Health in “one of the darkest days” By Max Kozlov & Nature magazine Jay Bhattacharya took office as director of the US National Institutes of Health on April 1,…
6 tales of mystery and mishap — all hitting book stores on April Fools’ Day
Colin Dwyer Don’t worry, you’ve come to a safe space. To be clear, the same can’t be said for the rest of the internet, which every April Fools’ Day lards its usual mystery blend of fact, rumor and misinformation with, well, still more misinformation — this time in the service of what some allege to…
Judge pauses Trump administration plans to end deportation protection for Venezuelans
By The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge on Monday paused plans by the Trump administration to end temporary legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, a week before they were scheduled to expire. The order by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco is a relief for 350,000 Venezuelans…
Academy apologizes for not adequately supporting Oscar-winning Palestinian director
Chloe Veltman Ballal, who won this year’s feature-length documentary Academy Award for co-directing the film No Other Land about the difficulties of life under Israeli occupation, said he was attacked on Monday by Israeli settlers. He was then arrested by the Israeli army. Israeli authorities released the director the following day, saying Ballal had been…
PFAS Found in Nearly Half of Americans’ Drinking Water
Nearly Half of People in the U.S. Have Toxic PFAS in Their Drinking Water New data released by the EPA show that nearly half of people in the U.S. have drinking water contaminated by toxic “forever chemicals,” or PFAS By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser Join Our Community of Science Lovers! New data recently…
Rubio Says He Has Revoked 300 or More Visas in Trump’s Deportation Push
Campus Crackdown The secretary of state said he was trying to expel “lunatics” who had taken part in campus movements, as well as criminals. Some are permanent U.S. residents. By Edward Wong Reporting from aboard the U.S. secretary of state’s plane between Paramaribo, Suriname, and Miami Secretary of State Marco Rubio estimated that he had…
COVID Research Funding to Be Slashed, NIH Documents Show
COVID Research Funding to Be Slashed, NIH Documents Show Studies on COVID, climate change and South Africa are on the latest list of terminated grants by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, according to updated documents obtained by Nature By Max Kozlov & Nature magazine Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (greenish brown)…
Judge accuses Trump administration of trying to undermine judiciary
Ryan Lucas A federal judge on Thursday rejected the Justice Department’s bid to remove her from a case challenging one of President Trump’s executive orders, accusing the department of attacking her as part of broader campaign to try to undermine the judicial system. The order from U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell, nominated to serve on…
Who Will Build the Next Giant Particle Collider?
Who Will Build the Next Giant Particle Collider? The European physics laboratory CERN is planning to build a mega collider by 2070. Critics say the plan could lead to ruin By Davide Castelvecchi & Nature magazine The CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. On the Swiss–French border, at the headquarters of the European laboratory…
Appeals court sides with judge who blocked deportations under wartime authority
Joel Rose A three-judge panel from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has denied the White House’s push to restart deportations under a rarely used wartime authority. By a vote of 2 to 1, the judges on Wednesday left in place a lower court order that temporarily blocked the Trump administration from quickly deporting alleged…
How a journalist was sent the U.S. war plans. And, challenging the Alien Enemies Act
By Brittney Melton here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. In a significant security breach, a journalist was unintentionally added to a group chat with top U.S. national security officials to discuss plans to bomb the Houthis in Yemen.…
FEMA Disaster Aid Review Could Deter Migrants from Seeking Help in Extreme Weather
FEMA Disaster Aid Review Could Deter Migrants from Seeking Help in Extreme Weather A previously undisclosed FEMA review could block disaster assistance to millions of undocumented people and deter legal immigrants from seeking help in extreme weather By Thomas Frank & E&E News People are seen outside a wildfire shelter at the Pasadena Convention Center…
How Real Is Severance? The Show’s Neurosurgery Consultant Breaks Down Its Science
The Neurosurgeon Who Advised Severance Breaks Down Its Science A neurosurgeon who has acted as a consultant for Severance explains the science behind the show’s brain-altering procedure—and whether it could ever become reality. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Naeem Amarsy & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Today we’re…
How Tariffs Work—And What Economic Studies Show about Their Real Impact
The Science behind Tariffs and How They Work President Donald Trump is threatening steep tariffs on virtually all imports. Here’s what that means and what economics research suggests would be the impact By Meghan Bartels edited by Jeanna Bryner Container port, Shenzhen, China. Confusion over tariffs has largely shaped the first months of President Donald…
Movie Math Reveals the Formula for a Hollywood Blockbuster
Math Reveals the Formula for a Hollywood Blockbuster Most movies follow one of six emotional arcs. Which one sells the most tickets? By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas What was the last movie you saw in theaters? I rarely go to the movies anymore, partly because I prefer TV series—particularly action shows with spies…
Israel strikes multiple sites in southern Lebanon in response to rocket attack
By Kat Lonsdorf TEL AVIV, Israel — The Israeli military said it struck multiple Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon, after several rockets were fired from there toward northern Israel Saturday morning. Lebanese health officials said two people had been killed, including a child, and several more were injured. Sirens rang out in the northern Israeli…
‘My Africa’ field notes: Portraits of hope for Africa’s elephants
Editor’s note: On April 20, Conservation International will release its new virtual reality film, “My Africa,” at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, with a world release on April 30. The film tells the story of a young Samburu woman in Kenya whose community is working to save elephants, reknitting an ancient coexistence between…
Frozen Cosmic Sound Bubbles Suggest Dark Energy Is Shockingly Changeable
Shocking Dark Energy Findings Challenge the Standard Model of the Universe A new map of cosmic expansion suggests that dark energy evolves over time, hinting that the universe doesn’t work the way we thought it did By Zack Savitsky edited by Clara Moskowitz DESI’s 3D map of the universe can show how dark energy may…