The New York Times inEducation

The Founders Saw This Insane Political Moment Coming 237 Years Ago

They were worried about what we would do with democracy. They had good reason to be.

 By Stacy Schiff

Warning of ‘Extreme’ Agenda, Biden Calls for Supreme Court Overhaul

In a speech in Austin, Texas, the president outlined a proposal that included term limits and an enforceable ethics code for the justices but that faces long odds in a divided Congress.

 By Katie Rogers

More States Are Passing Book Banning Rules. Here’s What They Say.

Discussion about what books children should access has diminished on the national stage. But most rules pertaining to schools and libraries are made at the state and local level.

 By Elizabeth A. Harris

The Major Supreme Court Decisions in 2024

In a momentous term, the Supreme Court issued major victories for former President Donald J. Trump, a sustained attack on the power of administrative agencies and mixed signals on guns and abortion.

 By Adam LiptakAbbie VanSickle and Alicia Parlapiano

Fish That School Together Save Energy, Study Finds

Like Olympic cyclists, fish expend less effort when swimming in tight groups than when alone. The finding could explain why some species evolved to move in schools.

 By Katrina Miller

How Did Roses Get Their Thorns?

The “prickles,” as botanists call them, evolved in roses and other plants thanks to a single gene, a new study found.

 By Carl Zimmer

The Chimps Who Learned to Say ‘Mama’

Old recordings show captive chimps uttering the word, which some scientists believe may offer clues to the origins of human speech.

 By Carl Zimmer

Secrets Emerge From a Fossil’s Taco Shell-Like Cover

An examination of an aquatic, shrimplike creature that lived half a billion years ago offers insight into how arthropods with mandibles became so common.

 By Rebecca Dzombak

Artificial Intelligence Gives Weather Forecasters a New Edge

The brainy machines are predicting global weather patterns with new speed and precision, doing in minutes and seconds what once took hours.

 By William J. Broad

Underwater Robot Reveals ‘Enigmatic’ Shapes on the Bottom of Antarctic Ice

The new images of the melting underside of an ice shelf could help scientists better forecast how the continent is contributing to rising sea levels.

 By Raymond Zhong

Robots Are Coming, and They’re on a Mission: Install Solar Panels

Energy companies say a labor shortage is one big obstacle to installing more solar power. They’re turning to machines to speed things up.

 By Brad Plumer

China Is Closing the A.I. Gap With the United States

In recent weeks, Chinese tech companies have unveiled technologies that rival American systems — and they are already in the hands of consumers and software developers.

 By Meaghan Tobin and Cade Metz

They Translated the Books of Others. Now They’re Writing Their Own.

Recognized literary translators — Jennifer Croft, Anton Hur, Bruna Dantas Lobato among them — are making the jump to publishing rosters as authors themselves.

 By Celia McGee

The Irreconcilable Versions of J.D. Vance in ‘Hillbilly Elegy’

Even before the Republican vice-presidential nominee aligned himself with Donald Trump, contradiction was central to his rags-to-riches biography.

 By Mike McIntire

More States Are Passing Book Banning Rules. Here’s What They Say.

Discussion about what books children should access has diminished on the national stage. But most rules pertaining to schools and libraries are made at the state and local level.

 By Elizabeth A. Harris

How Well Do You Know These Works of the Harlem Renaissance?

Try this short quiz about the vibrant cultural movement that came together a century ago — and continues to be influential.

 By J. D. Biersdorfer

Underwater Robot Reveals ‘Enigmatic’ Shapes on the Bottom of Antarctic Ice

The new images of the melting underside of an ice shelf could help scientists better forecast how the continent is contributing to rising sea levels.

 By Raymond Zhong

Robots Are Coming, and They’re on a Mission: Install Solar Panels

Energy companies say a labor shortage is one big obstacle to installing more solar power. They’re turning to machines to speed things up.

 By Brad Plumer

This Scientist Has a Risky Plan to Cool Earth. There’s Growing Interest.

David Keith wants to spray a pollutant into the sky to block some sunlight. He says the benefits would outweigh the danger.

 By David Gelles

Armed With Saran Wrap, She Sinks in the Muck to Save the Planet

A dogged paleoecologist named Dorothy Peteet is digging through the salt marshes of New York in the hope of preserving the city’s best natural defense against climate change.

 By Christopher Maag

Fed Opens Door to September Rate Cut if Inflation Stays Cool

Federal Reserve officials left interest rates unchanged but signaled that a rate cut could be imminent as they watch inflation and the labor market.

 By Jeanna Smialek

Bank of England Cuts Interest Rates for First Time Since 2020

Central bank policymakers lowered rates to 5 percent amid lower inflation in Britain, but they warned that future rate cuts would come slowly.

 By Eshe Nelson

Productivity Surges 2.3%, Beating Forecasts

Output was up sharply in the second quarter, with the rise in goods produced far exceeding the increase in hours worked.

 By Talmon Joseph Smith

Keep Sahm and Carry On

A recession indicator may soon be triggered, but don’t panic.

 By Paul Krugman

This Cowgirl’s Saddles Are Beautiful. The Wait Time Is Six Years.

Nancy Martiny’s ornate pieces, which sell for $5,000 and up, are meant to be ridden by working cowboys and cowgirls like herself.

 By Susan Shain and Sasha Arutyunova

Stitch by Stitch, Pacita Abad Crossed Continents and Cultures

The Filipino American artist is having her first retrospective at MoMA PS1 as the mainstream art world finally catches up to her work. “You will regret missing it,” our critic says.

 By Andrew Russeth

Dance Leads the Way as Art Meets Sport at the Cultural Olympiad

A program of arts events shown in conjunction with the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games looks at the relationship between art and sport.

 By Gia Kourlas

What to See at 5 Top Art Museums? We Asked Guards for Their Favorite Works.

After years of standing by their sides, these guards find these pieces of art deeply meaningful. You might too.

 By Noëlle de Leeuw

For Epidemics to Cross Oceans, Viruses on Ships Had to Beat the Odds

In the era when people traveled by sailing ship and steamer, illnesses usually burned themselves out before boats reached shore, a new study finds.

 By Gina Kolata

A Blood Test Accurately Diagnosed Alzheimer’s 90% of the Time, Study Finds

It was much more accurate than primary care doctors using cognitive tests and CT scans. The findings could speed the quest for an affordable and accessible way to diagnose patients with memory problems.

 By Pam Belluck

F.D.A. Approves Blood Test for Colon Cancer Detection

While not a perfect alternative to colonoscopies, experts hope the test could lead to more people getting screened for colorectal cancers.

 By Gina Kolata

Why, Exactly, Are Ultraprocessed Foods So Hard to Resist? This Study Is Trying to Find Out.

Understanding why they’re so easy to overeat might be key to making them less harmful, some researchers say.

 By Alice Callahan and Lexey Swall

More Evidence Links Ultraprocessed Foods to Dementia

Recent research, including a new study on processed meat, has suggested these foods can affect brain health. Experts are trying to understand why.

 By Dana G. Smith and Alice Callahan

The Founders Saw This Insane Political Moment Coming 237 Years Ago

They were worried about what we would do with democracy. They had good reason to be.

 By Stacy Schiff

For Epidemics to Cross Oceans, Viruses on Ships Had to Beat the Odds

In the era when people traveled by sailing ship and steamer, illnesses usually burned themselves out before boats reached shore, a new study finds.

 By Gina Kolata

The Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius Wasn’t Pompeii’s Only Killer

While the volcano’s eruption was deadly, research shows that many people in the ancient Roman city died in building collapses from the earthquake associated with the outburst.

 By Jordan Pearson

6 Podcasts About the Past That Resonate

Covering everything from ancient civilizations to 20th-century war craft, these shows deliver incisive and engaging history lessons.

 By Emma Dibdin

Flashback: Your Weekly History Quiz, August 3, 2024

Can you sort 8 historical events?

If A.I. Can Do Your Job, Maybe It Can Also Replace Your C.E.O.

Chief executives are vulnerable to the same forces buffeting their employees. Leadership is important, but so is efficiency — and cost-cutting.

 By David Streitfeld

The Quiet Magic of Middle Managers

Amid a wider national atmosphere of division, distrust, bitterness and exhaustion, middle managers are the frontline workers trying to resolve tensions and keep communities working.

 By David Brooks

It’s Lonely at the Top

When making difficult decisions, you won’t help matters by over-explaining that you did what was best for everyone.

 By Roxane Gay

Elon Musk’s Mindset: ‘It’s a Weakness to Want to Be Liked’

In an interview, the tech billionaire slams advertisers for pulling back from X and discusses his emotional state.

 By Andrew Ross SorkinEvan RobertsElaine ChenDan Powell and Kelly Pieko

Impulsive and Hyperactive? It Doesn’t Mean You Have A.D.H.D.

Many other conditions have similar symptoms, experts say, so avoid the pull of self-diagnosis.

 By Christina Caron

Is Cutting Off Your Family Good Therapy?

Encouraged on social media, many Americans are estranging themselves from their families as a therapeutic step.

 By Ellen Barry

Take Our Dream Quiz

Scientists aren’t exactly sure why we have dreams, but they may help us rehearse situations and work through emotions. See how much you know.

 By Jancee Dunn

The Chimps Who Learned to Say ‘Mama’

Old recordings show captive chimps uttering the word, which some scientists believe may offer clues to the origins of human speech.

 By Carl Zimmer

How ‘Brat’ Green Killed ‘Barbie’ Pink

Our take on the color of the summer.

 By Kate LoPrestiSara CurtisLynn LevyDiane WongStella BugbeeCallie Holtermann and Madison Malone Kircher

Why Are So Many Americans Choosing to Not Have Children?

It’s probably not selfishness, experts say. Even young adults who want children see an increasing number of obstacles.

 By Teddy Rosenbluth

When A.I. Fails the Language Test, Who Is Left Out of the Conversation?

The use of artificial intelligence is exploding around the world, but the technology’s language models are primarily trained in English, leaving many speakers of other languages behind.

 By Sara Ruberg

Tired of Influencers, TikTok Users Try ‘Underconsumption Core’ to Cut Costs

The trend of “underconsumption core” romanticizes buying and using only what you need. Yes, being normal is now trending. Experts say it’s a response to a period of economic hardship.

 By Remy Tumin