PBS NewsHour - Science

A group of gray seals in Rhode Island are making a splash. They were rescued in March and April after becoming entangled in fishing gear and other debris near Block Island. Several were recently released after being rehabilitated. John Yang has the story. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Sharks have been cast as the ultimate villain ever since the movie “Jaws” was released 50 years ago this summer. The film tells the story of a great white shark terrorizing beachgoers, but in reality, humans pose the greater threat to sharks. Ali Rogin speaks with endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh, who wants to get that message out by swimming around Martha’s Vineyard, where “Jaws” was filmed. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The EPA has reportedly drafted a plan to eliminate all limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence technology, demand on power plants is increasing, in large part due to AI’s reliance on data centers. Ali Rogin speaks with Kenza Bryan, climate reporter for The Financial Times, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In late April, the Trump administration told hundreds of scientists and experts that they were no longer needed to compile the next national climate assessment, a flagship report mandated by Congress to catalog the ways climate change affects the country. John Yang speaks with Elizabeth Koebele, an associate professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, who was among the recipients of that message. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Doctors announced this week that they have treated a newborn baby with a rare genetic disease using the world’s first personalized gene editing therapy. Geoff Bennett discussed the treatment and its potential with Dr. Peter Marks. He oversaw gene therapy treatment and vaccine safety and approval for the FDA before he left in March. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Cheetahs, the fastest mammals on Earth, are now in a race against extinction. It’s estimated that fewer than 7,000 exist in the wild. John Yang speaks with Laurie Marker, a woman who has already helped dramatically reduce one threat to cheetahs and is tackling new ones that have emerged, for our Weekend Spotlight. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The deep sea covers about two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, but according to a new study, humans are estimated to have observed less than .001 percent of the deep seafloor — an area roughly the size of Rhode Island. Stephanie Sy speaks with the study’s author, Katy Croff Bell, who is working to change that. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In a remote part of Alaska, global warming is being blamed for endangering a treasure trove of Indigenous artifacts. Archaeologists at one dig site near the Bering Sea say they’re in a race against time. Nelufar Hedayat reports for the nonprofit news organization Evident Media. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Earlier in April, doctors at the National Institutes of Health made a promising step in the fight against cancer, announcing an immunotherapy treatment was able to shrink gastrointestinal tumors for about a quarter of patients. But NIH staffing shortages, layoffs and cuts are threatening to delay the rollout of this promising development. William Brangham speaks with Dr. Steven Rosenberg for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Coral reefs are a crucial part of the marine ecosystem, providing habitats for all sorts of marine life and protecting coastlines from storm damage. But scientists say rising ocean temperatures are posing a grave threat to the future of the world’s reefs. Ali Rogin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

After more than a decade of mapping billions of stars across the Milky Way and beyond, a groundbreaking spacecraft is retiring. The European Space Agency’s space-based observatory known as Gaia is leaving behind a legacy of stunning discoveries that changed what we know about the universe. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For years, Black women have used synthetic braids to help style their hair. But a recent study by Consumer Reports found that these fake hair strands can contain dangerous chemicals that pose a health threat. Ali Rogin reports on the history of braiding in Black culture and speaks with Adana Llanos, co-leader of the Cancer Population Science Program at Columbia University, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As the world races to curb climate change, scientists are taking aim at cows, a surprisingly potent source of greenhouse gases. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien traveled from California to Mexico and Australia to explore a bold idea that could make a big impact. It's part of our series, Tipping Point. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Artificial, human-made reefs have been deployed around the country to enhance and protect coastlines. The Department of Defense is working to deploy them in waters off its coastal military bases with its “Reefense” project. Ali Rogin speaks with Catherine Campbell, who manages the program, to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

While ocelots are widespread in South and Central America, in the United States they are on the brink of extinction. They were once overhunted for their coats, and now they face shrinking habitats. Researchers hope that the key to restoring this species can be found in fertility treatments. John Yang reports for our series, “Saving Species.” PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

What can centuries-old whaling ship logs tell us about today’s extreme weather? According to scientists, the answer is a lot. They’re using the information recorded by mariners going back hundreds of years to push the frontier of modern-day climate science. Special correspondent Pamela Watts with Rhode Island PBS reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Trump administration is waging a ‘wholesale assault on U.S. science’ that threatens the country’s health, economic development, national security and scientific preeminence. That's according to an open letter published by nearly 2,000 doctors, scientists and researchers. William Brangham discussed the letter with Dr. Steven Woolf, one of its authors. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The National Institutes of Health has terminated dozens of grants for scientific research projects related to vaccine use and hesitancy, informing researchers that their studies no longer aligned with the Trump administration’s priorities. Ali Rogin speaks with Sophia Newcomer, one of the researchers whose grant was cancelled, whose work focuses on health care access in rural communities. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

This past week, the EPA said it is reconsidering the scientific finding that greenhouse gases are a danger to public health. This comes as research shows average global temperatures in 2024 likely rose above a 1.5 degree Celsius threshold that for years has been a red line for climate change. Ali Rogin speaks with Michael Mann at the University of Pennsylvania to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

This past week, beavers were legally released into the English countryside for the first time since they were hunted into extinction there in the 17th century. Conservationists hailed it as a watershed moment for this keystone species, which helps combat flooding and drought by engineering the landscape with dams and channels. Alex Thomson of Independent Television News reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Sea turtles are considered one of the oldest living species on Earth, but it’s been a mystery where their babies go after heading out to sea. Known as their “lost years,” the lack of information makes it hard for conservationists to protect these turtles. Now, a team of marine scientists is working to change that. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles is featuring two exhibitions that explore the relationship between movies and technology as part of PST ART: Art & Science Collide. PBS Student Reporting Labs Ebonie Shelley has the story for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

NASA’s partnership with the private sector took a key step forward with a successful moon landing. The Blue Ghost lunar lander, built by the company, Firefly Aerospace, stuck the landing safely early Sunday, making it the first commercial spacecraft to do so. It's carrying a number of experiments for NASA as part of a larger effort to have private companies make deliveries. Miles O'Brien reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

At this year’s Oscars, there is a subplot of controversy over the use of artificial intelligence in the production of a number of nominated films, including some in the running for best picture. Katey Rich, awards editor at The Ankler and host of the podcast Prestige Junkie, joins John Yang to discuss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, the long wait to return to Earth is almost over. They went to the International Space Station last June in a Boeing Starliner spacecraft. They were supposed to return a week later, but because of problems with the Starliner, they’ve stayed at the station for over 250 days. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Williams, Wilmore and crewmate Nick Hague. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The origins of life on our planet remains one of science’s great mysteries. Now, a NASA mission that brought a piece of an ancient asteroid back to Earth has revealed that the building blocks of life may have been scattered throughout the solar system billions of years ago. Ali Rogin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Beavers and the dams they build are not always embraced in the areas where they do their work. But there's a growing recognition that they also are building a kind of natural infrastructure that helps with water management and the climate. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien went to see the beavers at work during their busy season and has the story for our ongoing coverage of Tipping Points. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Trump and Republican candidates made rolling back federal protections for transgender people a big issue, spending hundreds of millions of dollars on TV ads, much of it focused on gender-affirming care for minors. Despite the attention, a new study finds that gender-affirming medications are very rarely prescribed to adolescents. John Yang speaks with KFF's Lindsey Dawson to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Eighty percent of all global trade travels by sea, and the ships carrying those goods account for 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Now, some shipping companies are taking a new tack as they try to navigate the industry to sustainability on the high seas. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Ever since the deadly wildfires began in Los Angeles two weeks ago, residents have largely turned to one app for the most up-to-date information. It's called Watch Duty and Stephanie Sy spoke to two members of the small team that makes it possible. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Scientists say they have tapped into an extraordinary archive of the Earth's climate in the ice deep beneath Antarctica. They hope it will help them understand both how the climate changed in the past, how it's changing now and how it may change in the future. John Yang reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Scientists have found the beginnings of a young universe that may offer insights into the beginnings of our own Milky Way Galaxy. Geoff Bennett and Miles O'Brien discussed why scientists are excited by the discovery, one that has a little holiday sparkle of its own, so to speak. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

With the growth of offshore wind farms there are many questions surrounding their impact. In the second of two stories about what researchers are finding, science correspondent Miles O'Brien takes us to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where local officials are trying to strike a balance between greener, renewable energy and a potential impact on the critical fishing industry in that region. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The Biden administration just approved a wind farm project off the coast of Massachusetts. It's the eleventh commercial-scale wind project of its kind to get approval and comes at a key moment for the sector, as President-elect Trump, a frequent critic, prepares to take office. Miles O'Brien reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A type of white-tailed deer unique to the Florida Keys has been on the endangered species list for nearly 60 years. Only about 800 Key deer remain, and their habitat is under growing threat from rising sea levels. William Brangham reports for our series, "Saving Species." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

A pair of NASA astronauts who have been stuck at the International Space Station since June will have to wait a little longer to come back to Earth. NASA says astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams won't return now until late March or even April, which means they will have lived and worked in orbit for more than nine months. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Yuma County, Arizona, is known as the "Winter Salad Bowl Capital." From lettuce to cilantro to broccoli, the region produces almost all the leafy green vegetables consumed in the U.S. during winter months. Farmers there rely on the nearby Colorado River and as the West contends with drought and a changing climate, they've had to adapt. Stephanie Sy reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In another sign of the climate crisis, 2024 is on track to be the hottest year ever on record. Last year, the Biden administration established the American Climate Corps to train people for green jobs and empower Americans to help combat climate change. With thousands of Climate Corps members dispatched across the country, we hear from some of them about their experiences. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In schools nationwide, educators are hoping to empower students with knowledge and inspire them to dream up ways to ensure a better climate future. At a high school in Bloomington, Indiana, students pitched their ideas to scientists this past spring. WFYI investigative education reporter Lee Gaines reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

This past week, the White House detailed the scope of a massive Chinese hacking campaign that reaped information from American cell phone networks. But an HBO original documentary, "Surveilled," says some governments use commercial spyware to monitor their own citizens. To learn more, John Yang speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Ronan Farrow, who produced the documentary. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

The association between bats and Halloween dates back thousands of years, based on the superstition that the flying mammals are omens of death. But for nearly two decades, North American bats have been facing a deadly threat themselves: a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome. Ali Rogin speaks with New York Times columnist Carl Zimmer for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Two major laws passed by Congress and signed by President Biden provide new money and new requirements for reducing potent methane emissions, including those coming from abandoned oil and gas wells. The federal government has started awarding some contracts for capping those wells, but the election could impact whether this work will continue. Science correspondent Miles O'Brien reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders