How Close Are the Planet’s Climate Tipping Points?
Earth’s warming could trigger sweeping changes in the natural world that would be hard, if not impossible, to reverse.
By Raymond Zhong and
The New York Times inEducation
This section has been designed as a resource to connect Times journalism with key areas of study for students and faculty through our Education Subscription Program. If you are affiliated with a U.S. college or university, visit accessnyt.com to learn if your institution provides campus-wide access. All others should inquire with their library. If you are a faculty member, librarian, or administrator interested in bringing The New York Times to your school, visit the Group Subscriptions Page.
This section has been designed as a resource to connect Times journalism with key areas of study for students and faculty through our Education Subscription Program. If you are affiliated with a U.S. college or university, visit accessnyt.com to learn if your institution provides campus-wide access. All others should inquire with their library. If you are a faculty member, librarian, or administrator interested in bringing The New York Times to your school, visit the Group Subscriptions Page.
Advertisement
Highlights
CreditMira Rojanasakul/The New York Times Piecing Together an Ancient Epic Was Slow Work. Until A.I. Got Involved.
Scholars have struggled to identify fragments of the epic of Gilgamesh — one of the world’s oldest literary texts. Now A.I. has brought an “extreme acceleration” to the field.
By
CreditThierry Ollivier/Musée du Louvre - Trilobites
How the World’s Oldest Humpback Whale Has Survived Is a Mystery
Old Timer, a male first photographed in 1972, was spotted last month near Alaska, enduring in the Pacific Ocean while some other humpbacks have struggled in a changing environment.
By
CreditAdam Pack/NOAA Research Permit 26953 Brands Love Influencers (Until Politics Get Involved)
Marketing firms are using artificial intelligence to help analyze influencers and predict whether they will opine about the election.
By
CreditAndrea Chronopoulos
Advertisement
inEducation: American Government
More in inEducation: American Government ›As Democrats Gather in Chicago, These Audiobooks Offer Context
Political histories, a courtroom drama and the memoir of a daughter of the South Side illuminate the legacy of the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
By
CreditIllustration by The New York Times; photographs, via Associated Press and Getty Images The Hacking of Presidential Campaigns Begins, With the Usual Fog of Motives
Donald J. Trump said Iranians hacked his campaign but only obtained “publicly available” data. Microsoft said a “high-ranking official” at a presidential campaign was a hacking target.
By David E. Sanger and
CreditDoug Mills/The New York Times 2024 Presidential Election Calendar
Here are important dates and voting deadlines for the 2024 election.
By Andrew Park and
CreditThe New York Times 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
CreditHunter French Tracking the Swing States for Harris and Trump
The presidential race will most likely come down to voters in 10 states that remain competitive.
By Lily BoyceEli Murray and
CreditThe New York Times
inEducation: Biology
More in inEducation: Biology ›I Am the Walrus but This Fossil Was Not
Although an extinct animal was from a different group of marine mammals, an examination of fossils showed it evolved a way of eating that was very similar to that of modern walruses.
By
CreditJaime Bran Beware the Toxic and Explosive Blue Backpack This Termite Carries
Scientists studied the unusual chemical reaction used by a species of the insect in an act of self-sacrifice to save nests from invaders.
By
CreditAleš Buček Unresponsive Brain-Damaged Patients May Have Some Awareness
Many patients thought to be in vegetative or minimally conscious states may be capable of thought, researchers reported.
By
CreditZephyr/Science Source How Glue Helps Frogs Out of Sticky Situations
You’ve heard of a “frog in your throat,” but probably not like this.
By
CreditShabnam Zaman
Advertisement
inEducation: Computer Science
More in inEducation: Computer Science ›How ‘Deepfake Elon Musk’ Became the Internet’s Biggest Scammer
An A.I.-powered version of Mr. Musk has appeared in thousands of inauthentic ads, contributing to billions in fraud.
By
CreditThe New York Times A.L.S. Stole His Voice. A.I. Retrieved It.
In an experiment that surpassed expectations, implants in a patient’s brain were able to recognize words he tried to speak, and A.I. helped produce sounds that came close to matching his true voice.
By
CreditIan C. Bates for The New York Times How the World’s Oldest Humpback Whale Has Survived Is a Mystery
Old Timer, a male first photographed in 1972, was spotted last month near Alaska, enduring in the Pacific Ocean while some other humpbacks have struggled in a changing environment.
By
CreditAdam Pack/NOAA Research Permit 26953 A California Bill to Regulate A.I. Causes Alarm in Silicon Valley
A California state senator, Scott Wiener, wants to stop the creation of dangerous A.I. But critics say he is jumping the gun.
By Cade Metz and
CreditJason Henry for The New York Times
inEducation: English
More in inEducation: English ›A 481-Year Age Difference? For Some Readers, That’s Hot.
Disappointed by swipe culture and, perhaps, reality, some readers pine for the much (much) older “shadow daddies” of romantasy novels.
By
CreditKaitlin Brito Piecing Together an Ancient Epic Was Slow Work. Until A.I. Got Involved.
Scholars have struggled to identify fragments of the epic of Gilgamesh — one of the world’s oldest literary texts. Now A.I. has brought an “extreme acceleration” to the field.
By
CreditThierry Ollivier/Musée du Louvre Do You Know These Novels That Were Adapted Into Video Games?
Try this short quiz on popular fiction that has been transformed into interactive adventures.
By
CreditBen Hickey Artists and Activists Both Have a Role. But Not the Same One.
As the literary world is roiled by fights over politics and war, are we losing sight of the writer’s purpose?
By
CreditPhoto illustration by Derek Brahney
Advertisement
inEducation: Environmental Science
More in inEducation: Environmental Science ›How Close Are the Planet’s Climate Tipping Points?
Earth’s warming could trigger sweeping changes in the natural world that would be hard, if not impossible, to reverse.
By Raymond Zhong and
CreditMira Rojanasakul/The New York Times Want to See Coral Reefs Grow? Freeze Them.
We have to buy time while we wait for the world to slow, and hopefully, one day reverse climate change.
By
CreditSarah Mafféïs Parts of Canada’s Boreal Forest Are Burning Faster Than They Can Regrow
The delicate balance of one of the planet’s largest natural systems for storing carbon depends on the humble black spruce tree.
By Manuela AndreoniBryan Denton and
CreditBryan Denton for The New York Times Half Their Land Burned in a Decade: The California Counties Constantly on Fire
Park fire became California’s fourth largest this month. It erupted in a part of the state that is increasingly covered with the scars of wildfires.
By
CreditThe New York Times
inEducation: Finance and Economics
More in inEducation: Finance and Economics ›The Economy Moves to Center Stage in the Election
Inflation is cooling but hiring is slowing as Kamala Harris and Donald Trump fine tune their pitch to voters.
By Andrew Ross SorkinRavi MattuBernhard WarnerSarah KesslerMichael J. de la MercedLauren Hirsch and
CreditErin Schaff/The New York Times Inflation Cools to 2.9%, Shoring Up Case for a Fed Rate Cut
The Consumer Price Index reading in July was the mildest year-over-year increase since 2021.
By
CreditKarl Russell What’s Behind All the Stock Market Drama?
Analysts and investors have many explanations, including worries about the health of the U.S. economy and shifts in the value of the Japanese yen.
By Joe Rennison and
CreditAva Pellor for The New York Times Market Crashes Happen. They Don’t Necessarily Mean Much.
Don’t trust anyone who “explains” what just happened to stocks.
By
CreditIllustration by Sam Whitney/The New York Times; images by alberto clemares expósito and Thai Liang Lim/Getty Images U.K. Economy Buoyed by Reports on Growth, Inflation and Jobs
After ending last year in a recession, Britain’s economy has so far bounced back this year.
By
CreditSam Bush for The New York Times
Advertisement
inEducation: The Arts
More in inEducation: The Arts ›New Public Art Rides the Rails in Chicago, Timed to the Convention
When the Democratic National Convention kicks off on Aug. 19, an array of art tied to the election season will greet visitors and Chicagoans alike.
By
CreditJamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times An Artist Faces Climate Disaster With Hard Data and Ancient Wisdom
Research meets poetry in Imani Jacqueline Brown’s exploration of oil extraction and its consequences for her native New Orleans — and for the planet.
By
CreditMichael Tyrone Delaney for The New York Times 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
CreditKris Graves/MoMA PS1 Austin’s Artful Blanton Museum Says: Come On In
When a director envisioned a museum you couldn’t walk by, Snohetta’s architects and designers added bright entryways, varied landscaping and impossible-to-miss “petals” on campus.
By
CreditCasey Dunn
inEducation: Health Sciences
More in inEducation: Health Sciences ›A.L.S. Stole His Voice. A.I. Retrieved It.
In an experiment that surpassed expectations, implants in a patient’s brain were able to recognize words he tried to speak, and A.I. helped produce sounds that came close to matching his true voice.
By
CreditIan C. Bates for The New York Times They All Got Mysterious Brain Diseases. They’re Fighting to Learn Why.
Doctors in Canada have identified dozens of patients with similar, unexplained symptoms — a scientific puzzle that has now become a political maelstrom.
By
CreditBrendan George Ko for The New York Times The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency over an outbreak that has spread to more than a dozen African countries.
By
CreditArlette Bashizi/Reuters Unresponsive Brain-Damaged Patients May Have Some Awareness
Many patients thought to be in vegetative or minimally conscious states may be capable of thought, researchers reported.
By
CreditZephyr/Science Source
Advertisement
inEducation: History
More in inEducation: History ›As Democrats Gather in Chicago, These Audiobooks Offer Context
Political histories, a courtroom drama and the memoir of a daughter of the South Side illuminate the legacy of the 1968 Democratic National Convention.
By
CreditIllustration by The New York Times; photographs, via Associated Press and Getty Images The Last Survivors of an Atomic Bomb Have a Story to Tell
On the anniversaries of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we must listen to the few who can still speak to the horror nuclear weapons can inflict.
By Kathleen KingsburyW.J. Hennigan and
CreditKentaro Takahashi for The New York Times 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
CreditHunter French 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
CreditAlbum/Alamy 
Credit
inEducation: Leadership
More in inEducation: Leadership ›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
Credit 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
CreditPete Gamlen When making difficult decisions, you won’t help matters by over-explaining that you did what was best for everyone.
By
CreditPhoto Illustration by Margeaux Walter for The New York Times 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
Credit
Advertisement
inEducation: Psychology
More in inEducation: Psychology ›F.D.A. Declines to Approve MDMA Therapy, Seeking More Study
The agency said there was insufficient data to allow the use of a treatment for PTSD that involves the drug known as Ecstasy.
By
CreditPYMCA/Avalon/Getty Images How ‘Inside Out’ and Its Sequel Changed Therapy
Mental health professionals and educators say the movies are remarkably helpful in providing a common language they can use with children and parents.
By
CreditKezia Gabriella How ‘Coaching’ Became Silicon Valley’s Hack for Therapy
In the Bay Area, therapists are embracing a new kind of practice: advising executives on becoming their best selves.
By
CreditIllustration by Tim Enthoven The American obsession with individually defining, tracking and boosting happiness may be making us miserable.
By
CreditStephan Dybus
inEducation: Sociology
More in inEducation: Sociology ›How Extreme Heat Is Threatening Education Progress Worldwide
Children today face many more extreme weather hazards that can undermine global gains in education.
By
CreditEzra Acayan/Getty Images The American obsession with individually defining, tracking and boosting happiness may be making us miserable.
By
CreditStephan Dybus 
CreditBelinda Jiao/Reuters How ‘Brat’ Green Killed ‘Barbie’ Pink
Our take on the color of the summer.
By Kate LoPrestiSara CurtisLynn LevyDiane WongStella BugbeeCallie Holtermann and
CreditPhoto Illustration by The New York Times; Photo: Cristina Matuozzi/Sipa USA, via Alamy
Advertisement