Science Times: The last sigh of the Big Bang, heard in New Jersey 59 years ago

Plus: Humanity's ancestors nearly died out 930,000 years ago —

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story September 5, 2023 SUPPORTED BY PENDULUM Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Back to New Jersey, Where the Universe Began A half-century ago, a radio telescope in Holmdel, N.J., sent two astronomers 13.8 billion years back in time — and opened a cosmic window that scientists have been peering through ever since. By Dennis Overbye and Hiroko Masuike Mirosław Blicharski Undying Dread: A 400-Year-Old Corpse, Locked to Its Grave In 17th-century Europe, the dead were a constant threat to rise again and bedevil the living. Now archaeologists have found the remains of a suspected child revenant. By Franz Lidz Natural History Museum, London, via Alamy Origins Humanity's Ancestors Nearly Died Out, Genetic Study Suggests The population crashed following climate change about 930,000 years ago, scientists concluded. Other experts aren't convinced by the analysis. By Carl Zimmer David Brewster/Star Tribune, via Getty Images Invasive Species Are Costing the Global Economy Billions, Study Finds A new scientific report offers the most exhaustive look yet at how nonnative plants and animals can drive extinctions, disrupt food systems and harm human health. By Manuela Andreoni Continue reading the main story A MESSAGE FROM PENDULUM Do you know about Akkermansia yet? Known for its incredible ability to strengthen the gut lining, Akkermansia is a next-generation strain that's been featured in over 3,000 scientific publications. Akkermansia isn't found in food, but through high-resolution DNA sequencing, the team of doctors and scientists at Pendulum have patented it as a daily probiotic. In a market saturated with probiotics, Akkermansia stands out as the keystone strain for gut health. Save 20 percent on your first month with code NYTSCIENCE20. Shop Akkermansia Email us Let us know how we're doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. R. Satish Babu/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images India Launches Its First Solar Mission The goal is to study the sun's outer layers, to better understand its physics and dynamics and to improve understanding of space weather. By Hari Kumar and Mujib Mashal Andrew Higley Trilobites This Tiny Snake Has a Big Mouth New research indicates that, relative to their size, the snakes that can gulp down the largest meals are harmless and three feet long. By Kate Golembiewski ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, M. Barlow (UCL), N. Cox (ACRI-ST), R. Wesson (Cardiff University) 7 Spectacular Space Images From August This month's highlights. Martin Zwick/Reda&Co/Universal Images Group, via Getty Images Europe's Boars Still Hold Radioactivity. What Surprised Scientists Is Why. Some wild boar hunted in German forests have radiation levels that exceed the limit deemed safe for human consumption. New research suggests that it's not just because of Chernobyl. By Christopher F. Schuetze U.S. Seeks to Block Recovery of Titanic Artifacts Washington has gone to court to become a party to the salvage case involving the famous liner so it can stop any expedition it deems objectionable. By William J. Broad Bird Flu Raced Through South America. Antarctica Could Be Next. More than 100 million birds breed in the region, and many are likely to be vulnerable to the virus, scientists warned. By Emily Anthes Marilyn Lovell, Astronaut's Wife in the Spotlight, Is Dead at 93 She embodied the glamour and the hardship of being married to an American hero. Her husband, Jim Lovell, was the captain of the ill-fated Apollo 13 mission in 1970. By Alex Traub Douglas Lenat, Who Tried to Make A.I. More Human, Dies at 72 He spent decades working on artificial intelligence, striving to create computers that could replicate common sense. By Cade Metz Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT CLIMATE CHANGE Johanna Turner Urban Animals Can't Take the Heat, Study Finds A warming climate could make cities even less hospitable to wild mammals, according to new research. By Emily Anthes Moses Sawasawa for The New York Times Clean Energy Projects Are Booming Everywhere. Except in Poor Nations. A big obstacle is the lack of loans, a subject of intense disagreement between richer and poorer countries. But in Congo, a hard-fought solar investment shows a possible path forward. By Max Bearak Alana Paterson for The New York Times In a Storied River, Fish Are Dying in Droves as Climate Change Scorches Canada The effects of a summer of environmental catastrophes were felt everywhere in Canada, from its vast boreal forests to a river on Vancouver Island once fished by Hollywood royalty. By Norimitsu Onishi Keith Birmingham/The Orange County Register, via Associated Press Waves Along California's Coast Are Getting Bigger, Study Says Climate change is fueling storms that have increased the size and frequency of big waves, according to a recent study published by the Journal of Geophysical Research. By Livia Albeck-Ripka Enjoy all of The New York Times in one subscription — the original reporting and analysis, plus puzzles from Games, recipes from Cooking, product reviews from Wirecutter and sports journalism from The Athletic. Experience it all with a New York Times All Access subscription. HEALTH Emily Elconin for The New York Times the new old age Long Covid Poses Special Challenges for Seniors Older people are less likely to be diagnosed but more likely to experience certain kinds of illnesses, research suggests. By Paula Span ABC Affiliate WCPO, via Reuters Mitch McConnell May Be Experiencing Small Seizures, Doctors Suggest Two episodes, where the Republican senator froze and did not respond to some questions, may be symptoms of a serious illness, according to neurologists not involved in his medical care. By Benjamin Mueller Getty Images Women May Face Higher Risk of Stroke Following Infertility Treatment In the largest study of its kind, scientists found higher odds of stroke after childbirth among women who had received the treatments. Still, the number of strokes remained very low overall. By Roni Caryn Rabin Tonje Thilesen for The New York Times Can't Sleep? Try This Proven Alternative to Medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is considered the most effective treatment for people who continually struggle to fall or stay asleep. By Christina Caron Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Ballet Is a Great Workout for an Aging Body Classes for 'silver swans' can help you improve balance and find joy. By Dorie Chevlen and Magdalena Wosinska Federal Officials Propose New Nursing Home Standards to Increase Staffing Citing worker shortages, nursing home operators said the standard could not be met without additional funding for higher wages. By Jordan Rau Many Children May Have Lost Medicaid Coverage Because of State Errors Federal officials warned state agencies to review their systems for establishing eligibility, as they pare back Medicaid rolls. Children in particular may have been affected. By Noah Weiland Narcan Is Headed to Stores: What You Need to Know The overdose-reversal drug should be more widely available, health experts have said. It arrives in many stores next week, no prescription necessary. By Jan Hoffman and Noah Weiland Make a friend's day: Forward this email. Got this from a friend? 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