NPR Health&Science
The Promise And Limitations Of Telemedicine
Telemedicine is nothing new, but advancements in technology have made it even more widely available. Neurologists can now treat Parkinson's patients from miles away, therapists can reach service members overseas, and general practitioners can work in rural areas without actually going there at all.
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Maybe It's Time To Swap Burgers For Bugs, Says U.N.
A new report makes the case that insects may be essential to feeding a planet of 7 billion people. Why? They're nutritious, better for the environment than other protein sources and can generate jobs, according to the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization.
What Is It About Bees And Hexagons?
Bees could build flat honeycombs from just three shapes: squares, triangles or hexagons. But for some reason, bees choose hexagons. Always "perfect" hexagons. Why?
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Why Humans Took Up Farming: They Like To Own Stuff
The appeal of owning your own property — and all the private goods that came with it — may have convinced nomadic humans to settle down and take up farming. So says a new study that tried to puzzle out why early farmers bothered with agriculture.
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Is It Safe To Use Compost Made From Treated Human Waste?
Treated human waste has been used on farmland for decades, but the ick factor has not entirely faded. Some environmentalists think the treatment process may not get rid of all the harmful contaminants that could be in the waste.
Is It Safe To Use Compost Made From Treated Human Waste?
Treated human waste has been used on farmland for decades, but the ick factor has not entirely faded. Some environmentalists think the treatment process may not get rid of all the harmful contaminants that could be in the waste.
For Year-Round Buzz, Beekeepers 'Fast-Forward Darwinism'
Honeybees are in trouble across the U.S., but one association in Massachusetts is hoping to boost the population in its own area. The bees it currently uses have a hard time surviving the winter and battling other foes that have been killing bees nationwide. So beekeepers in Plympton decided to breed their own.
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Schools? How About A Science Laureate At The Super Bowl?
There's a move in Congress to name a science laureate. Astronomer Mike Brown hopes that person would do much more than visit schools to encourage kids to consider careers in science. He'd like to see a laureate reach out to the public in all sorts of ways.
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Astronauts Go On Spacewalk To Fix Ammonia Leak
NASA sent two astronauts on a spacewalk Saturday to fix an ammonia leak in one of International Space Station's power systems.
Astronauts Plan Spacewalk To Plug Space Station Leak
The leak in a cooling system was discovered Thursday when "snowflakes" of ammonia were seen flying away from the station. Engineers on Earth were up overnight plotting an impromptu spacewalk.
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Science To Get Its Very Own Promoter, Thanks To Congress
The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives managed to overcome their differences on a less contentious issue this week. Both acted in a bipartisan fashion this week to approve bills calling on the government to create a science laureate position. He or she would promote science in the same way a poet laureate promotes poetry. Host Scott Simon talks to Cal Tech Astronomy professor Mike Brown about the proposal.
Astronomy's Little Secret: The Hidden Art Of 'Moonsweeping'
If you live in North America, this week we had a crescent moon — a skinny sliver of light shaped like a toenail in the sky. Why that shape? Astronomers say it's a "phase." Most of the moon is in shadow. Pixar knows better. Meet the Moon Sweepers. A Grandpa, a dad and a boy.
Tiny Mites Spark Big Battle Over Imports Of French Cheese
Microscopic bugs called cheese mites are responsible for the distinctive rind and flavor of the bright orange French cheese Mimolette. But now, the FDA has blocked more than a ton of Mimolette from entering the country, because the agency says the mites left on it make it unfit for consumption.
Atop A Hawaiian Mountain, A Constant Sniff For Carbon Dioxide
Since 1958, researchers have been measuring the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at the Mauna Loa Observatory. The remote outpost has just reported a carbon dioxide level of 400 parts per million — the highest it has climbed in the modern age.
Atop A Hawaiian Mountain, A Constant Sniff For Carbon Dioxide
Since 1958, researchers have been measuring the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at the Mauna Loa Observatory. The remote outpost has just reported a carbon dioxide level of 400 parts per million — the highest it has climbed in the modern age.
Microexpressions: More Than Meets The Eye
David Matsumoto, a psychology professor at San Francisco State University, trains national security officials and police officers to recognize "microexpressions"--fleeting, split-second flashes of emotion across someone's face. Matsumoto says those subtle cues may reveal how an interview subject is feeling, helping officials to hone their line of questioning.
The Myth Of Multitasking
How long can you go without checking email, or glancing at your smartphone? Clifford Nass, a psychology professor at Stanford University, says today's nonstop multitasking actually wastes more time than it saves--and he says there's evidence it may be killing our concentration and creativity too.
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Exploring An Ever-Expanding Universe
Saul Perlmutter shared the 2011 Nobel Prize in physics for his discovery that the universe was expanding at an accelerating rate. Perlmutter explains how supernovae and other astronomical artifacts are used to measure the expansion rate, and explains what physicists are learning about "dark energy" — the mysterious entity thought to be driving the acceleration.
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Experts Percolate on How To Brew Coffee
Sam Penix and Sam Lewontin, of Everyman Espresso in New York City, and Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking, explain how to get the most out of your grounds. The brewmasters discuss brewing devices, from wood necks to chemex, and filter out reasons you might choose one over another.
Microexpressions: More Than Meets The Eye
David Matsumoto, a psychology professor at San Francisco State University, trains national security officials and police officers to recognize "microexpressions"--fleeting, split-second flashes of emotion across someone's face. Matsumoto says those subtle cues may reveal how an interview subject is feeling, helping officials to hone their line of questioning.
