Science

To Protect Soldiers From Bombs, Military Scientists Build a Better Dummy By MARY ROACH The Army is developing a crash-test dummy that simulates the injuries suffered by soldiers in vehicles targeted by insurgents. How, and Why, to Hunt the Red-Spotted Newt By JAMES GORMAN First of all, newts and salamanders are just plain cool. Also, many species in the United States may be on the brink of a deadly fungal assault. TRILOBITES A Close Encounter for Earth and Mars By NICHOLAS ST. FLEUR The two planets will be at their closest in more than a decade, separated by just 47 million miles. For more science news, go to NYTimes.com/Science »