Science Times: Nobel Prize in Physics is awarded for work on neutrinos

October 6, 2026

Christine Olsson/TT News Agency, via Reuters

Nobel Prize in Physics Is Awarded for Work on Neutrinos

The award committee recognized Francis Halzen for his work on the bountiful but elusive subatomic particles that could give astronomers a new look at the universe.

A newborn baby swaddled in a lavender blanket wears a black brain monitoring device on it's head while a gloved hand rests on its chest.

Andrea Edwards

Are Babies Conscious?

By pinpointing when it begins in young humans, scientists hope to better understand what consciousness is, and how it arises, in all of us.

By Carl Zimmer

The cratered lunar surface is partially lit in the foreground against the backdrop of space. A small blue crescent of Earth is visible in the distance.

NASA

Superpowers Race to Put Nuclear Reactors on the Moon

The United States wants a reactor on the moon by 2030. A Russian-Chinese alliance is working on one for 2036. Some leading scientists say the danger is great.

By Selam Gebrekidan

A silver helium balloon in the shape of a question mark floats on a dark blue background surrounded by smokey clouds.

Photo illustration by Jane Stockdale for The New York Times

What Are the Biggest Questions in Science Today? 100 Scientists Weigh In.

We asked 100 scientists about unsolved problems in their fields. They sent back provocations — on the origins of life, the possibilities for human progress and much more.

By Bill Wasik

João Menezes

These Birds Are Louder Than Elephants, Jackhammers and Chain Saws

A new study has identified two species of Brazilian birds, the bare-throated bellbird and the red-legged seriema, as the loudest in nature.

By Taylor Mitchell Brown

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Jonathan Nackstrand/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Nobel Prize Awarded for Tool That Probes the Living Brain

Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel were recognized for their work on light-gated ion channels and optogenetics, a technique that uses pulses of light to activate neurons in the brain.

By Carolyn Y. Johnson and Leo Sands

A finger points to a computer screen showing bright, blue microscope images of cells.

Fox Chase Cancer Center

Scientists Untangle the Biology of an ‘Undruggable’ Cancer Gene

Found in 70 percent of cancers, the gene is seen as a grand orchestrator, but has been surprisingly difficult to stop.

By Carolyn Y. Johnson

An aerial view of the city of Hangzhou, China.

Jade Gao/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

In Race With U.S., China Struggles to Recruit Foreign A.I. Researchers

China’s booming artificial intelligence sector has given local researchers good reason to remain in the country, but it has yet to lure overseas scientists despite a government push.

By Zeyi Yang

Angela Weiss/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Scientists Warn of Another Unseen Risk From Fire: Ozone

Small particulates sent up by wildfires are a well-documented health hazard. But recent research finds that ground-level ozone is now on the rise, too.

By Clayton Dalton

The Humanoid Robot Future Has Arrived at a South Korean Park. Sort of.

I went to Galaxy Robot Park in Seoul to see how we might one day live with robots. It was part cutting-edge technology, part theatrics.

By Yan Zhuang and Jiwoong Hong

A Hacking Competition Shows the Power of China’s Approach to A.I.

The winner of a cybersecurity contest prevailed by relying on an ‘open weight’ Chinese model — another sign that available A.I. systems could already be too powerful to easily regulate.

By Cade Metz

Pavel Gurvich standing in an office with blue whiteboard markings on the glass.

Agency Diverted $1.4 Billion in Science Funds Mandated by Congress

The move, affecting about one-fifth of the National Science Foundation’s primary research budget, is the latest sign of how the White House is asserting more control over grants.

By Adam Sella, Christopher Flavelle and Irena Hwang

The U.S. National Science Foundation building.

CLIMATE CHANGE

A tangle of towering refinery pipes and scaffolding stands against a cloudy blue sky behind several yellow flowers.

Mark Makela for The New York Times

A Supreme Court Battle Over Climate Change Begins

The justices are about to hear a lawsuit that could determine whether the oil industry faces billions of dollars in liability for damages caused by global warming.

By Karen Zraick

A large yellow and blue buoy topped with a tower is midway in the air as people in hardhats stand below it on a pier next to a docked boat.

Kristina Barker for The New York Times

After Outcry, Monitors the Trump Administration Tried to Scrap Return to Sea

Under pressure from Congress, a network of ocean monitors that provides vital data to meteorologists, climate scientists, oceanographers and the fishing industry is being restored.

By Eric Niiler