A Vietnam Veteran Collected Fossils for 66 Years. One, Mislabeled ‘Baby Lamprey,’ Made Paleontologists Reconsider How Vertebrates Moved From Water to Land

A Vietnam Veteran Collected Fossils for 66 Years. One, Mislabeled ‘Baby Lamprey,’ Made Paleontologists Reconsider How Vertebrates Moved From Water to Land

The fossil turned out to be a hatchling of a crocodile-like creature, and it suggests, according to a new study, that early animals did not use metamorphosis to evolve to dwell on land Eli Stark-Elster | AAAS Mass Media Fellow June 18, 2026 2:15 p.m. Two fossils of juvenile embolomeres—crocodile-like creatures, illustrated here—suggest that they…

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Performa’s Broadway Benefit Brought Fresh Magic to an Old Format

Performa’s Broadway Benefit Brought Fresh Magic to an Old Format

Fragments of Barbara Kruger’s Untitled (Questions). Courtesy Performa, photo: Elyse Mertz There was a certain New York magic last Wednesday night—an unknown and unexpected thrill in the air. Knicks fans held their breath for Game 4, and a few blocks away, at the Town Hall theater near Times Square, Performa: Live on Broadway—a one-night-only, vaudeville-inspired…

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When a Team of Meteorologists and Combat Pilots Set Out to Understand Thunderstorms, They Made Flying Safer for Everyone

When a Team of Meteorologists and Combat Pilots Set Out to Understand Thunderstorms, They Made Flying Safer for Everyone

The sky was a very dangerous place in the early days of commercial aviation. By flying into storms to learn how they worked, these experts made air travel and weather forecasting much more predictable Lightning strikes in Peckham, Oklahoma. Mitch Dobrowner The 22 passengers who boarded Pennsylvania Central Airlines Flight 19 out of Washington, D.C. on…

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Why Cutting Humans Too Fast Could Backfire in the A.I. Era

Why Cutting Humans Too Fast Could Backfire in the A.I. Era

A.I. is transforming business faster than almost any technology before it, but companies removing humans before systems are ready may be creating confusion rather than competitive advantage. Unsplash+ A recent ad from the A.I. company Narwhal Labs featured an image of a woman who was half human, half cybernetic machine alongside the tagline: “She Outworks…

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Essential Queer Reading for Pride Month and Beyond

Essential Queer Reading for Pride Month and Beyond

The arrival of June, and thus Pride Month, is an annual opportunity for us to honor the lives of diverse L.G.B.T.Q.+ people and celebrate the ongoing movement for love and acceptance. It’s one that urgently continues today amidst a climate of transphobia and intolerance toward some of our most marginalized community members, and as such,…

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The Operating Room Where Anesthesia Was First Demonstrated Is Now a Landmark. But for the Men Who Claimed Credit, There Was Much Misery

The Operating Room Where Anesthesia Was First Demonstrated Is Now a Landmark. But for the Men Who Claimed Credit, There Was Much Misery

Medical procedures used to be a scream-filled endurance test until doctors at this Boston institution learned to tame the pain of patients Photographs by Ty Cole Text by Douglas Starr Summer 2026 The “Ether Dome” at Massachusetts General Hospital is now a National Historic Landmark. Ty Cole The most important demonstration in medical history was about…

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Director Cristian Mungiu Says ‘Fjord’ Is About the Limits of Freedom, Not Clashing Cultures

Director Cristian Mungiu Says ‘Fjord’ Is About the Limits of Freedom, Not Clashing Cultures

Cristian Mungiu. Photo by JB Lacroix/FilmMagic One of the unexpected triumphs of this year’s Cannes Film Festival was Cristian Mungiu’s bracing family drama Fjord winning the Palme d’Or. In a rare feat, the Romanian filmmaker has now won Cannes’ top prize twice. “It’s already wonderful to get one Palme d’Or,” he told French TV network…

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The Best Fashion From the 2026 Tony Awards Red Carpet

The Best Fashion From the 2026 Tony Awards Red Carpet

Tonight, the 79th Tony Awards will take place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, honoring the brightest stars on Broadway. The Tonys are theater’s biggest night, celebrating the best performances and productions of the 2025-2026 Broadway season. This year, Pink is taking over hosting duties, in what was, for some, a surprise…

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Joan Miró’s Joy Is as Infectious as Ever

Joan Miró’s Joy Is as Infectious as Ever

Joan Miró in Carl Holty’s studio, in front of the mural painting for the Terrace Plaza Hotel in Cincinnati, 1947. Photo: Arnold Newman © Arnold Newman / Getty Images There is a marked difference between a genuinely naïve artist and one that is faux naïve. The genuine naïve is where you start: finding your way,…

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