Week in Science: The polar vortex is about to go haywire

Plus, do cats fart?                    

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November 6—Scientists noticed “sudden stratospheric warming” in the polar vortex, meaning it might be about to go haywire. Plus, an investigation into why cats seem to fart less than dogs, and how mental fatigue begins in the brain. Think you know all the science news from this week? Take our Friday quiz to find out. —Emma Gometz, Newsletter Editor Have thoughts or feedback on our coverage? Email newsletters@sciam.com anytime.

Top Stories

The polar vortex is about to go haywire “Everybody’s hair is on fire in the climate or meteorologist community” Jackie Flynn Mogensen

Do cats fart? An investigation into the mysteries of feline flatulence Dogs are constantly passing gas. So why don’t cats seem to? Jackie Flynn Mogensen

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This bull and male donkey formed an unusually deep social—and sexual—bond The unlikely pairing suggests that social relationships between males are more complex than we thought Mary Randolph

How does mental fatigue begin in the brain? New findings could help explain why cognitive exhaustion feels so crummy Cody Cottier

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Inca children were given hallucinogens before they were sacrificed to the gods New toxicology tests of Inca mummies found the kids were given not just cocaine but also alcohol and chemicals found in ayahuasca before the ceremony Adam Kovac

Hackers are turning supermarket freezers into heaters By hijacking built-in defrost controls, attackers have spoiled millions of euros’ worth of food across Europe. U.S. military bases may have been hit, too Peter Hall

How to tell if a voice recording is AI-generated I can clone my voice in seconds—but there are tricks to help tell real speech from AI Shafik Quoraishee

Hundreds of stunning ice age drawings discovered inside Spanish cave The find includes 280 engravings, including 55 depictions of animals Jackie Flynn Mogensen

The data center boom was on Tuesday ballots 41 times. It won once Across 10 states this Election Day, voters overwhelmingly backed restrictions on data center development or rejected measures that would have eased their construction Peter Hall

As SpaceX sunsets Falcon 9, a launch crunch is looming What happens when the most successful rocket in history stops flying? The world is about to find out Ramin Skibba

How to ‘fall back’ this weekend without losing your mind Time changes are more disruptive to our health than you might think. Here are some tips for a smooth transition Jackie Flynn Mogensen

NASA’s Swift telescope has a fiery, final homecoming The observatory had spent decades studying powerful cosmic explosions and was the target of an unsuccessful rescue mission earlier this year Adam Kovac

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