NPR Health&Science
When Is the Right Time To Give?
Volunteer firefighter Mark Bezos tells a story of an act of heroism that didn't go quite as expected — but that taught him a big lesson: Don't wait — give now.
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What Did I Do Last Summer? Oh, I Discovered How To Make Babies Without Sex. And You?
Sex is nice, but can animals make babies without it? One summer, two little boys, their tutor and the tutor's two friends did an experiment to explore this question. What they discovered, back in 1740, shocked the world.
A Small Shock To The System May Help Brain With Math
The results are preliminary, and alpha parents seeking an edge for their children shouldn't risk electrocution. Still, the findings are provocative and may lead researchers down a new road.
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Looking Ahead With The Wonders Of Krulwich
In the latest installment of our "Looking Ahead" series, NPR science correspondent and Radiolab co-host Robert Krulwich talks about reporting on big ideas in imaginative ways, the old days at NPR and what he's wondering about today.
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Human Scent Is Even Sweeter For Malaria Mosquitoes
Scientists used a Dutch woman's dirty stocking to learn that mosquitoes infected with malaria find humans hard to resist. Like a fungus that turns ants into zombies, the parasite seems to change the behavior of the mosquitoes for its own benefit.
Stem Cell Milestone Revives Intense Ethical Debate
Scientists in Oregon have achieved something that has eluded researchers for years. They have created stem cells that are tailored to individual patients, made from cloned embryos. That would open the door to treating many diseases, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, spinal cord injuries and many others. But researchers face ethical dilemmas.
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Cloning, Stem Cells Long Mired In Legislative Gridlock
The news that scientists have successfully cloned a human embryo seems almost certain to rekindle a political fight that has raged, on and off, since the creation of Dolly the sheep. It's a fight that has, over the past decade and a half, produced a lot of heat and light and not a lot of policy.
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Water Trapped For 1.5 Billion Years Could Hold Ancient Life
Scientists have discovered water that was sealed in Canadian bedrock for nearly half of Earth's history. It may contain the descendants of ancient microbes. The discovery could give scientists new insights into early life on Earth and inform the search for life on other planets.
NASA Says Kepler's Planet-Searching Days May Be Numbered
The mission launched in 2009 to hunt for Earth-like planets circling distant stars may be coming to an end because of a faulty part in the space telescope.
How Researchers Cloned Human Embryos
After decades of trying, scientists say they've finally figured out how to make personalized embryonic stem cells. One day, these designer cells may help treat an array of diseases. A jolt of caffeine and and a little electric shock helped to do the trick.
Dam Removal Ushers In New Life In Washington State
New life is coming to Washington State's Olympic Peninsula. Two dams along the Elwha River are being removed, bringing a rush of sediment downstream and exposing hundreds of acres of once-submerged land. The dams were built in the early 1900s to power nearby timber mills. But they blocked salmon migration and their power is no longer needed, so they're coming out. This story originated as part of the public media collaboration, EarthFix.
Dam Removal Ushers In New Life In Washington State
New life is coming to Washington State's Olympic Peninsula. Two dams along the Elwha River are being removed, bringing a rush of sediment downstream and exposing hundreds of acres of once-submerged land. The dams were built in the early 1900s to power nearby timber mills. But they blocked salmon migration and their power is no longer needed, so they're coming out.
Go Fish (Somewhere Else): Warming Oceans Are Altering Catches
Fish are moving away from the equator and toward the poles in order to maintain their preferred water temperature. That means, for example, that fishermen are seeing swordfish normally found in the Mediterranean swimming near Denmark. But in the tropics, there are no fish to replace the ones that are leaving.
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Go Fish (Somewhere Else): Warming Oceans Are Altering Catches
Fish are moving away from the equator and toward the poles to maintain their preferred water temperature. That means, for example, that fishermen are seeing swordfish normally found in the Mediterranean swimming near Denmark. But in the tropics, there are no fish to replace the ones that are leaving.
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Analyzing The Language Of Suicide Notes To Help Save Lives
About a third of people who attempt suicide leave a note. John Pestian and others at Cincinnati Children's Hospital are merging psychology and computer analysis to see if such notes can help diagnose suicidal tendencies in the living.
Scientists Clone Human Embryos To Make Stem Cells
The achievement is a long-sought step toward harnessing the potential power of such cells to treat diseases. But the discovery raises ethical concerns because it brings researchers closer to cloning humans.
Road Crew In Belize Destroys Ancient Pyramid
Only a small core of the 2,300-year-old Mayan structure remains after earth-moving equipment destroyed the rest, archaeologists say.
Huge Boost In U.S. Oil Output Set To Transform Global Market
The International Energy Agency says U.S. shale output and petroleum from Canada's tar sands are transforming global energy markets.
With Rising Seas, America's Birthplace Could Disappear
By the end of the century, ocean levels could rise by 2 or 3 feet. That's enough to flood the colonists' first settlement at Jamestown, Va. And it's putting pressure on archaeologists to get as many artifacts out of the ground as quickly as possible — before it's too late.
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With Rising Seas, America's Birthplace Could Disappear
By the end of the century, ocean levels could rise by 2 or 3 feet. That's enough to flood the colonists' first settlement at Jamestown, Va. And it's putting pressure on archaeologists to get as many artifacts out of the ground as quickly as possible — before it's too late.
