They scanned the pattern of microscopic imperfections on an ancient limestone slab, and used A.I. to figure out how a game might have been played.

A new book describes how cutting-edge genomics techniques yielded “extraordinary proof” that Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings.

A bipartisan group in Congress and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California have floated ideas for building a mechanism that would instantly power down an A.I. system. Only no one really knows how.

Dog behavior experts offered a variety of explanations for why Nash the golden retriever wagged his tail and carried a toy near a man who broke into his owner’s home.

Maintenance projects have been put off around the country and resources diverted to the president’s favored projects in Washington.

The species, called a tilcayo, is smaller than a house cat and lives in the cloud forests of the Andes Mountains in Bolivia.

The discovery of “hypersoft” X-ray beacons could help solve some mysteries about the universe.

Nearly 1,000 readers sent us their questions about artificial intelligence, its potential and its potential risks.

The gene is found predominantly in Southern Appalachia and may be one of the most powerful cancer-risk mutations ever found.

Scientists have discovered a powerful gene-targeting system in viruses. Billions of years old, VIPR seems to predate CRISPR and may be even more effective.

The Democratic candidate for governor backed restrictions on disposal of fracking wastewater around a hard-hit town, and called for a “thorough investigation” of the dangers.

Experts say that after childbirth, intrusive thoughts are common and mostly benign. Lindsay Clancy’s story provides a disturbing exception.

“Alignment” is the science of teaching A.I. to do what is in line with human preferences, ethics and judgment. But, at times, the systems have gone rogue.

An experiment with roots at M.I.T. used A.I. and satellite images to grow a coastline in the Maldives. More projects are planned for Boston and Miami.

It’s the only example of a dinosaur-era feather found within rock that wasn’t completely flattened through the centuries.

The European Organization for Nuclear Research, or CERN, will dismantle the Large Hadron Collider, which helped discover the so-called God Particle, in order to build a more powerful particle accelerator.

Conservationists set up a colony of white storks in southern England, touching off a debate over whether they truly belong there.

Rising temperatures contributed to the disaster by destabilizing the permafrost and ice around the collapsed rock, scientists concluded.

An internal memo reinterprets the law so that only the intentional killing of animals, not collateral harm, is illegal.

Surging drug use has contributed to an epidemic in the Pacific island nation, where one in 60 adults is estimated to be living with the virus.