Lionel Messi of Argentina is seen on a screen after Spain won the World Cup final against Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., July 19, 2026. “The goal of Miami’s ownership group was always to turn Inter Miami into Leo Messi’s Inter Miami,” writes Paul Tenorio of The Athletic. (Vincent Alban/The New York Times) By PAUL TENORIO / THE ATHLETIC Fifteen hours after his plane landed back in Florida from his father’s funeral in Argentina, Lionel Messi stood at Nu Stadium in Miami, h

By ALEXA ROBLES-GIL Giant manta rays are otherworldly leviathans gliding through the world’s seas on massive wings. But even though they are the largest ray species in the world, a fundamental part of their lives remains obscure: where they give birth. “The big unknown for us now is where females go to pup and where these pups hang out,” said Joshua Stewart, a marine ecologist at Oregon State University. Now a team of scientists in Mexico has reported the first use of underwa

By RAYMOND ZHONG Last month tied July 2023 as the planet’s hottest month on record, European scientists said Thursday, as human-caused warming pushes the Northern Hemisphere’s muggiest, most uncomfortable time of year into new realms of stickiness and discomfort. Dangerous heat hammered Europe for the fifth time since May. Temperatures soared into the triple digits across the southern United States from California to Texas. South Korea recorded its highest temperature reading

Demonstrators protest outside Anthropic’s offices in San Francisco, July 21, 2026. For years, the artificial intelligence industry raced to improve its technology as quickly as possible; now some researchers are increasingly sounding the alarm about the need to slow down. (Lucas Foglia/The New York Times) By KATE CONGER For years, the artificial intelligence industry raced to improve its technology as quickly as possible. Now some researchers are increasingly sounding the ala