Science Times: Back to Mars Again!

Could Life Ever Have Lived on the Red Planet?

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story July 28, 2020 NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona   How NASA Found the Ideal Hole on Mars to Land In Jezero crater, the destination of the Perseverance rover, is a promising place to look for evidence of extinct Martian life. By Kenneth Chang Miguel Porlan   3 Great Mysteries About Life on Mars How habitable was early Mars? Why did it become less hospitable? And could there be life there now? By Becky Ferreira Andrew Schuerger, University of Florida   The Doctor From Nazi Germany and the Search for Life on Mars Astrobiologists have used Mars Jars for decades. Many didn’t know about the controversial Air Force scientist who started them. By Sarah Scoles Miguel Porlan   Bringing Mars Rocks to Earth: Our Greatest Interplanetary Circus Act NASA and the European Space Agency plan to toss rocks from one spacecraft to another before the samples finally land on Earth in 2031. By Kenneth Chang     Exploring the Solar System A guide to the spacecraft beyond Earth’s orbit. By Jonathan Corum Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Email us Let us know how we’re doing at sciencenewsletter@nytimes.com. Morgan Hornsby for The New York Times   Out There Coming of Age on Mars In a new book, planetary scientist Sarah Stewart Johnson recalls how the Red Planet drew her to become a scientist. By Dennis Overbye NASA/JPL/University of Arizona   Why the ‘Super Weird’ Moons of Mars Fascinate Scientists What’s the big deal about little Phobos and tinier Deimos? By Robin George Andrews Agence France-Presse — Getty Images   China Will Answer ‘Heavenly Question’: Can It Land on Mars? A goal of the Tianwen-1 launch is to catch up with decades of American success on the red planet, all in one mission. By Steven Lee Myers Miguel Porlan   Too Much Mars? Let’s Discuss Other Worlds Two veteran space journalists discuss why so much attention and budget seems to be directed to the red planet. By Rebecca Boyle and David W. Brown MORE SCIENCE NEWS Charles Phelps Cushing/ClassicStock, via Getty Images   Viking Age Smallpox Complicates Story of Viral Evolution An extinct version of the smallpox virus dating to 1,400 years ago prompts speculation about viruses becoming more lethal over time. By James Gorman incamerastock/Alamy   Large DNA Study Traces Violent History of American Slavery Scientists from the consumer genetics company 23andMe have published the largest DNA study to date of people with African ancestry in the Americas. By Christine Kenneally Noah H. Rose   Why Some Mosquitoes Prefer Humans A few species find us irresistible; the rest are unimpressed. A three-year-long experiment offers an explanation for the difference in taste. By Angela Chen Jeenah Moon for The New York Times   With Covid-19, a Seismic Quiet Like No Other Coronavirus shutdowns led to “the longest and most coherent global seismic noise reduction in recorded history,” scientists report. By William J. Broad Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Ronald L. Graham, Who Unlocked the Magic of Numbers, Dies at 84 He was pre-eminent in the field of discrete mathematics, coming up with “some really pretty cool stuff.” (He was also a world-class juggler.) By Kenneth Chang trilobites Vampire Bats Self-Isolate, Too When these mammals are ill, they have fewer interactions with family and friends, a new study suggests. “It’s like us,” said one researcher. By David Waldstein trilobites Nature’s Noisiest Liars Carry Secrets in Their Calls Many mammals that have loud calls to deceive other animals seem to have a particular learning style in common. By Joshua Sokol trilobites Can Trees Live Forever? New Kindling for an Immortal Debate Some trees can live for thousands of years, but we may not be around long enough to really know whether they can die of old age. By Cara Giaimo Why Everyone’s Talking About the ‘Green Banana’ Off Florida’s Coast Scientists will soon embark on a mission to one of the deepest “blue holes” in the ocean’s floor. By Heather Murphy THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK Hans Pennink/Associated Press   Moderna and Pfizer Begin Late-Stage Vaccine Trials The studies each aim to enroll 30,000 people and determine whether the vaccines are safe and effective. By Denise Grady Frederick Florin/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images   Your Coronavirus Antibodies Are Disappearing. Should You Care? Declining antibody levels do not mean less immunity, experts say. Besides, two widely used tests may detect the wrong antibodies. By Apoorva Mandavilli Dustin Chambers for The New York Times   Masks May Reduce Viral Dose, Some Experts Say People wearing face coverings will take in fewer coronavirus particles, evidence suggests, making disease less severe. By Katherine J. Wu Rich Saal/The State Journal-Register, via USA TODAY NETWORK   The Doctor Behind the Disputed Covid Data Dr. Sapan Desai, who supplied the data for two prominent and later retracted studies, is said to have a history of cutting corners and misrepresenting information in pursuit of his ambitions. By Ellen Gabler and Roni Caryn Rabin Gilead Sciences, via Reuters   Who Gets the Covid-19 Vaccine First? Here’s One Idea A weighted lottery gives everyone a chance at a drug or vaccine in short supply. But some have a better shot than others. By Gina Kolata     How to Test More People for Coronavirus Without Actually Needing More Tests Pooled testing, which can make one coronavirus test as powerful as five, is particularly useful when the infection rate is low. Its use could free up more tests for places where the virus is more widespread. By Quoctrung Bui, Sarah Kliff and Margot Sanger-Katz Kayana Szymczak for The New York Times   Can You Get Covid-19 Again? It’s Very Unlikely, Experts Say Reports of reinfection instead may be cases of drawn-out illness. A decline in antibodies is normal after a few weeks, and people are protected from the coronavirus in other ways. By Apoorva Mandavilli Getty Images   The Checkup The Pandemic’s Toll on Children With Special Needs and Their Parents Missing social contacts and altered routines, disturbed sleep and eating habits can be particularly intense for the kids with developmental challenges. By Perri Klass, M.D. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT HEALTH Gracia Lam   Personal Health With Eating Disorders, Looks Can Be Deceiving Distorted eating behaviors occur in young people irrespective of their weight, gender, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation. By Jane E. Brody Hayley Wall   Beyond the Law’s Promise: 30 Years Since the Passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act This series explores how the Americans With Disabilities Act has shaped modern life for people with disabilities in the 30 years since it was passed. By The New York Times Hayley Wall   Once Science Fiction, Gene Editing Is Now a Looming Reality The prospect of erasing some disabilities and perceived deficiencies hovers at the margins of what people consider ethically acceptable. By Katie Hafner iStock   Phys Ed The Lightness of Being a Couch Potato May Work to Keep Us Fat Sitting may confuse cellular sensors into thinking we are lighter than we are, prompting the body to put on weight. By Gretchen Reynolds Yahya Arhab/EPA, via Shutterstock   Gut Microbes Might Keep Malnourished Children From Growing Bacteria in the small intestine may drive inflammation that makes it harder for children to get the calories and nutrients they need. By Katherine J. Wu Patient, Can You Spare a Dime? Hospitals are increasingly soliciting donations from patients, and the patients don’t much like it, a new survey finds. By Gina Kolata A Paleontologist’s Guide to Playing with Your Dinosaur-Obsessed Kid Paleontologists say parents should nurture children’s romance with playing with dinosaurs, for “Paleontology is the gateway to science.” By Nicholas St. Fleur the checkup To Get People to Wear Masks, Look to Seatbelts, Helmets and Condoms The ways we built habits around other routine safety measures can inform mask-wearing, experts say. By Perri Klass, M.D. Make a friend’s day: Forward this email. Got this from a friend? Subscribe to the Science Times newsletter. 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