NPR News: Smiling faces might help the drug ketamine keep depression at bay

Smiling faces might help the drug ketamine keep depression at bay
In a recent small study, the antidepressant effects of ketamine lasted longer when an intravenous dose was followed with computer games featuring smiling faces or words aimed at boosting self-esteem.

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Science - October 31, 2022 at 04:02PM - Smiling faces might help the drug ketamine keep depression at bay

NPR News: Preventing wildfire with the Wild Horse Fire Brigade

Preventing wildfire with the Wild Horse Fire Brigade
William Simpson wants to deploy the wild horses across public lands, to live and graze — and ultimately, prevent the worst wildfires.

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Science - October 30, 2022 at 06:00PM - Preventing wildfire with the Wild Horse Fire Brigade

NPR News: Talking to strangers might make you happier, a study on 'relational diversity' finds

Talking to strangers might make you happier, a study on 'relational diversity' finds
A study finds that we are happier the more we talk with different categories of people — colleagues, family, strangers — and the more evenly our conversations are spread out among those groups.

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Science - October 29, 2022 at 06:00PM - Talking to strangers might make you happier, a study on 'relational diversity' finds

NPR News: Abortion is on the ballot in Montana. Voters will decide fate of the 'Born Alive' law

Abortion is on the ballot in Montana. Voters will decide fate of the 'Born Alive' law
Voters in the state are being asked to approve a law declaring that an embryo or fetus is a legal person with a right to medical care if born prematurely or survives an attempted abortion.

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Science - October 27, 2022 at 03:47AM - Abortion is on the ballot in Montana. Voters will decide fate of the 'Born Alive' law

NPR News: The International Space Station had to move to dodge space junk

The International Space Station had to move to dodge space junk
A piece of what used to be a Russian satellite was coming uncomfortably close to the International Space Station. Space junk is a growing problem and has major implications for satellite services.

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Science - October 26, 2022 at 04:00PM - The International Space Station had to move to dodge space junk

NPR News: Why experts say you shouldn't bag your leaves this fall

Why experts say you shouldn't bag your leaves this fall
It's best to chop up and leave a thin layer of leaves in the grass. Rake excess amounts into a landscape bed or garden.

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Science - October 25, 2022 at 04:00PM - Why experts say you shouldn't bag your leaves this fall

NPR News: Omicron keeps finding new evolutionary tricks to outsmart our immunity

Omicron keeps finding new evolutionary tricks to outsmart our immunity
SARS-CoV-2 is evolving "rapidly," spawning one new variant after another. But omicron continues to dominate, raising new questions about how evolution of the virus is headed.

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Science - October 25, 2022 at 04:00PM - Omicron keeps finding new evolutionary tricks to outsmart our immunity

NPR News: The last solar eclipse of the year happens today

The last solar eclipse of the year happens today
Tuesday's partial solar eclipse will be seen across Europe, northern Africa and western Asia.

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Science - October 25, 2022 at 03:55PM - The last solar eclipse of the year happens today

NPR News: Recycling plastic is practically impossible – and the problem is getting worse

Recycling plastic is practically impossible – and the problem is getting worse
A new report from Greenpeace found that people may be putting plastic into recycling bins — but almost none of it is actually being recycled. Meanwhile, plastic production is ramping up.

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Science - October 25, 2022 at 05:31AM - Recycling plastic is practically impossible – and the problem is getting worse

NPR News: Researchers have found a link between chemical straighteners and uterine cancer

Researchers have found a link between chemical straighteners and uterine cancer
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks to Alexandra White of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences about the link between chemical hair straighteners and uterine cancer.

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Science - October 23, 2022 at 06:54PM - Researchers have found a link between chemical straighteners and uterine cancer

NPR News: NASA announces the team members for its UFO study

NASA announces the team members for its UFO study
The 16-member team will begin the study on Monday. The research, which will use unclassified data, will lead to a report that will be made available to the public next year.

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Science - October 23, 2022 at 07:00AM - NASA announces the team members for its UFO study

NPR News: It's not your imagination. Research says some people are more attractive to mosquitos

It's not your imagination. Research says some people are more attractive to mosquitos
Why do mosquitos bite some people more than others? NPR's Scott Simon talks with researcher Leslie Vosshall, who looked into this phenomenon and has some answers.

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Science - October 22, 2022 at 06:52PM - It's not your imagination. Research says some people are more attractive to mosquitos

NPR News: The fastest ever laundry-folding robot is here. And it's likely still slower than you

The fastest ever laundry-folding robot is here. And it's likely still slower than you
Researchers and companies have tried over the years to automate the chore with limited success. Using a brand new method, researchers have taught a robot to fold a record 30-40 garments per hour.

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Science - October 22, 2022 at 05:00PM - The fastest ever laundry-folding robot is here. And it's likely still slower than you

NPR News: A murder case — solved by vultures

A murder case — solved by vultures
In 2013, detective Bradley Marr of Louisiana was investigating a murder. Forensic scientist Lauren Pharr Parks and detective Marr share how vultures helped crack the case.

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Science - October 21, 2022 at 06:27PM - A murder case — solved by vultures

NPR News: Health department medical detectives find 84% of U.S. maternal deaths are preventable

Health department medical detectives find 84% of U.S. maternal deaths are preventable
More than half of these deaths occur well after the mom leaves the hospital. To save lives, mothers need more support in the "fourth trimester, that time after the baby is born," one researcher says.

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Science - October 21, 2022 at 04:00PM - Health department medical detectives find 84% of U.S. maternal deaths are preventable

NPR News: Hubble's 1995 image of a star nursery was amazing. Take a look at NASA's new version

Hubble's 1995 image of a star nursery was amazing. Take a look at NASA's new version
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured NASA's most detailed image of the Pillars of Creation that is helping scientists better understand how stars form.

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Science - October 21, 2022 at 12:50AM - Hubble's 1995 image of a star nursery was amazing. Take a look at NASA's new version

NPR News: Scientists are using microphones to measure how fast glaciers are melting

Scientists are using microphones to measure how fast glaciers are melting
Scientists are analyzing sounds from glaciers to predict exactly how quickly ice is melting and what that could mean for the rise in sea level.

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Science - October 17, 2022 at 04:13PM - Scientists are using microphones to measure how fast glaciers are melting

NPR News: Researchers uncover the first Neanderthals that are related to each other

Researchers uncover the first Neanderthals that are related to each other
Researchers have uncovered the first Neanderthals that are related to each other. The finding shows that these ancient people lived in clans similar to those of modern humans.

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Science - October 20, 2022 at 03:37AM - Researchers uncover the first Neanderthals that are related to each other

NPR News: 'Swift-footed lizard' is named the Massachusetts state dinosaur

'Swift-footed lizard' is named the Massachusetts state dinosaur
Podokesaurus holyokensis, which lived millions of years ago in what is now Massachusetts, has been named the state's official dinosaur under legislation signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker.

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Science - October 20, 2022 at 03:16AM - 'Swift-footed lizard' is named the Massachusetts state dinosaur

NPR News: Hair straightening chemicals may increase women's risk of uterine cancer, study finds

Hair straightening chemicals may increase women's risk of uterine cancer, study finds
The findings are a concern for Black women, researchers say, who are far more likely to report using straightening products such as relaxers.

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Science - October 19, 2022 at 04:01PM - Hair straightening chemicals may increase women's risk of uterine cancer, study finds

NPR News: British physicist writes 1,750 Wikipedia bios to chronicle more female scientists

British physicist writes 1,750 Wikipedia bios to chronicle more female scientists
According to one estimate, only 19% of the English-language biographies on the site are about women. Jess Wade got busy. In five years she made almost 2,000 entries for women and minority scientists.

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Science - October 18, 2022 at 04:59PM - British physicist writes 1,750 Wikipedia bios to chronicle more female scientists

NPR News: Former NASA astronaut Jim McDivitt, who led Gemini and Apollo missions, dies at 93

Former NASA astronaut Jim McDivitt, who led Gemini and Apollo missions, dies at 93
McDivitt commanded two early Gemini and Apollo missions in the 1960s that played a key role in preparing for the moon landing in 1969.

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Science - October 18, 2022 at 01:57AM - Former NASA astronaut Jim McDivitt, who led Gemini and Apollo missions, dies at 93

NPR News: D.C. is filled with hidden fossils. Searching for them helped me find perspective

D.C. is filled with hidden fossils. Searching for them helped me find perspective
Fossils are a humble, hidden constant in the city's bustling ecosystem. And in my overstimulated life, seeking out a few constants in the world sounded pretty good.

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Science - October 17, 2022 at 06:00PM - D.C. is filled with hidden fossils. Searching for them helped me find perspective

NPR News: What to know now that hearing aids are available over the counter

What to know now that hearing aids are available over the counter
The shift in hearing health care is due to a recent rule change by the FDA, which recently cleared the way for the devices to be sold in retail stores without the need for buyers to see a doctor.

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Science - October 17, 2022 at 04:00PM - What to know now that hearing aids are available over the counter

NPR News: Why did he suspect a COVID surge was coming? He followed the digital breadcrumbs

Why did he suspect a COVID surge was coming? He followed the digital breadcrumbs
A theory about online candle reviews and COVID cases was put under the microscope, and has taken on new relevance amid concern at the lack of official data heading into another winter.

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Science - October 16, 2022 at 06:00PM - Why did he suspect a COVID surge was coming? He followed the digital breadcrumbs

NPR News: Animal populations shrank an average of 69% over the last half-century, a report says

Animal populations shrank an average of 69% over the last half-century, a report says
A new report from the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London analyzed years of data on wildlife populations across the world and found a downward trend in the Earth's biodiversity.

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Science - October 14, 2022 at 04:00PM - Animal populations shrank an average of 69% over the last half-century, a report says

NPR News: A black hole is releasing some strange burps, baffling scientists

A black hole is releasing some strange burps, baffling scientists
Astronomers were stunned to find that the black hole was emitting energy, two years after it pulled apart a star that had come too close.

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Science - October 15, 2022 at 06:00PM - A black hole is releasing some strange burps, baffling scientists

NPR News: It's Short Wave's third birthday, so All Things Considered hosts test their knowledge

It's Short Wave's third birthday, so All Things Considered hosts test their knowledge
In honor of Short Wave's third birthday, hosts Aaron Scott and Emily Kwong quiz All Things Considered hosts about some of the many nuggets of information the science podcast has shared with listeners.

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Science - October 15, 2022 at 03:18AM - It's Short Wave's third birthday, so All Things Considered hosts test their knowledge

NPR News: Brain cells in a lab dish learn to play Pong — and offer a window onto intelligence

Brain cells in a lab dish learn to play Pong — and offer a window onto intelligence
A dish of brain cells learned to play the 1970s video game Pong. The research could help computers become more intelligent

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Science - October 14, 2022 at 05:00PM - Brain cells in a lab dish learn to play Pong — and offer a window onto intelligence

NPR News: Animal populations shrunk an average of 70% over the last half-century, a report says

Animal populations shrunk an average of 70% over the last half-century, a report says
A new report from the World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological Society of London analyzed years of data on wildlife populations across the world and found a downward trend in the Earth's biodiversity.

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Science - October 14, 2022 at 04:00PM - Animal populations shrunk an average of 70% over the last half-century, a report says

NPR News: Colonoscopies save lives. Doctors push back against European study that casts doubt

Colonoscopies save lives. Doctors push back against European study that casts doubt
Colon cancer specialists worry that results of a study published this week in the New England Journal of Medicine could be misconstrued, and keep patients from getting lifesaving cancer screening.

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Science - October 13, 2022 at 10:36PM - Colonoscopies save lives. Doctors push back against European study that casts doubt

NPR News: Eyeballs and AI power the research into how falsehoods travel online

Eyeballs and AI power the research into how falsehoods travel online
Getting a sense of falsehoods online might sound straightforward, but it isn't. Researchers use state-of-the-art algorithms but it also comes down to lots of scrolling and reading.

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Science - October 13, 2022 at 04:01PM - Eyeballs and AI power the research into how falsehoods travel online

NPR News: Human cells in a rat's brain could shed light on autism and ADHD

Human cells in a rat's brain could shed light on autism and ADHD
Scientists have devised a new model for studying disorders like autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. It uses clusters of human brain cells grown inside the brain of a rat.

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Science - October 12, 2022 at 11:37PM - Human cells in a rat's brain could shed light on autism and ADHD

NPR News: An ornithologist, a cellist and a human rights activist: the 2022 MacArthur Fellows

An ornithologist, a cellist and a human rights activist: the 2022 MacArthur Fellows
This year's MacArthur Fellows include scientists, artists and historians. The so-called MacArthur 'geniuses' receive unrestricted grants of $800,000 for their "exceptional creativity" and "promise."

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Science - October 12, 2022 at 11:02PM - An ornithologist, a cellist and a human rights activist: the 2022 MacArthur Fellows

NPR News: NASA says its asteroid defense test was a success

NASA says its asteroid defense test was a success
NASA smashed a spacecraft into an asteroid in an attempt to throw it off course. The mission succeeded beyond expectations, officials said.

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Science - October 12, 2022 at 02:35AM - NASA says its asteroid defense test was a success

NPR News: She wrote a Bigfoot book for kids. It was no small feat

She wrote a Bigfoot book for kids. It was no small feat
The Search for Sasquatch, a new book for pre-teens, explores Bigfoot through a scientific lens. Its author hopes to model how to balance curiosity and exploration with staying grounded in the facts.

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Science - October 11, 2022 at 04:00PM - She wrote a Bigfoot book for kids. It was no small feat

NPR News: Artificial intelligence could soon diagnose illness based on the sound of your voice

Artificial intelligence could soon diagnose illness based on the sound of your voice
Everything from your vocal cord vibrations to breathing patterns when you speak offers potential information about your health. Researchers are collecting voice data to one day use in an app.

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Science - October 10, 2022 at 04:00PM - Artificial intelligence could soon diagnose illness based on the sound of your voice

NPR News: Saying goodbye to NPR's longtime science correspondent Joe Palca

Saying goodbye to NPR's longtime science correspondent Joe Palca
Correspondent Joe Palca is retiring after 30 years covering science for NPR. We have an homage to his work - sometimes silly, sometimes serious, always scientific.

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Science - October 8, 2022 at 07:00PM - Saying goodbye to NPR's longtime science correspondent Joe Palca

NPR News: Jennifer Vail: How tribology can change the way you view the material world

Jennifer Vail: How tribology can change the way you view the material world
Have you brushed your teeth today? Or gotten a shot recently? As tribologist Jennifer Vail explains, these mundane activities are among the many in our daily lives that are made possible by friction.

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Science - October 7, 2022 at 08:18PM - Jennifer Vail: How tribology can change the way you view the material world

NPR News: COMIC: How foraging restored my relationship with food

COMIC: How foraging restored my relationship with food
For forager Alexis Nikole Nelson, who has a very popular TikTok with more than 4 million followers, there's something soul-nourishing about connecting with your food.

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Science - October 7, 2022 at 04:01PM - COMIC: How foraging restored my relationship with food

NPR News: See this year's Nobel Prize-winning scientists swig bubbly and get cheered at work

See this year's Nobel Prize-winning scientists swig bubbly and get cheered at work
What do you do when you (or a colleague) wins a Nobel Prize for your scientific research? Party! Or at least that's what these honorees in medicine and chemistry did.

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Science - October 7, 2022 at 02:12AM - See this year's Nobel Prize-winning scientists swig bubbly and get cheered at work

NPR News: How glaciers melted 20,000 years ago may offer clues about climate change's effects

How glaciers melted 20,000 years ago may offer clues about climate change's effects
New research out of the British Antarctic Survey found thousands of underground channels left by ice age glacial melt. The findings could improve the accuracy of modern-day models of sea level rise.

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Science - October 7, 2022 at 12:19AM - How glaciers melted 20,000 years ago may offer clues about climate change's effects

NPR News: Some leading robot makers are pledging not to weaponize them

Some leading robot makers are pledging not to weaponize them
The companies warned that "untrustworthy people" could use their robots to harm others or infringe on civil liberties, and they pledged to make sure their customers didn't weaponize the products.

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Science - October 6, 2022 at 11:49PM - Some leading robot makers are pledging not to weaponize them

NPR News: Biden has $52 billion for semiconductors. Today, work begins to spend that windfall

Biden has $52 billion for semiconductors. Today, work begins to spend that windfall
President Biden is touting new semiconductor investments in New York today. Back at the White House, a new team is meeting with cabinet members to work out how to spend $52 billion from Congress.

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Science - October 6, 2022 at 04:00PM - Biden has $52 billion for semiconductors. Today, work begins to spend that windfall

NPR News: These LSD-based drugs seem to help mice with anxiety and depression — without the trip

These LSD-based drugs seem to help mice with anxiety and depression — without the trip
Scientists have made a drug based on LSD that seems to fight depression without producing a psychedelic experience.

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Science - October 5, 2022 at 05:01PM - These LSD-based drugs seem to help mice with anxiety and depression — without the trip

NPR News: The Nobel chemistry prize is awarded to 3 people for their work in attaching molecules

The Nobel chemistry prize is awarded to 3 people for their work in attaching molecules
This year's Nobel Prize in chemistry has been awarded in equal parts to Carolyn R. Bertozzi, Morten Meldal and K. Barry Sharpless for developing way of "snapping molecules together."

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Science - October 5, 2022 at 04:59PM - The Nobel chemistry prize is awarded to 3 people for their work in attaching molecules

NPR News: Coronavirus (booster) FAQ: Can it cause a positive test? When should you get it?

Coronavirus (booster) FAQ: Can it cause a positive test? When should you get it?
There is a lot of information about coronavirus vaccines out there, and some of it seems vague or contradictory. We talked to experts to help answer some of the most common and confusing questions.

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Science - October 4, 2022 at 11:19PM - Coronavirus (booster) FAQ: Can it cause a positive test? When should you get it?

NPR News: 3 scientists share Nobel Prize in physics for their work on quantum information

3 scientists share Nobel Prize in physics for their work on quantum information
This year's Nobel Prize in physics has been awarded to research on how light and matter act on an atomic scale.

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Science - October 4, 2022 at 05:02PM - 3 scientists share Nobel Prize in physics for their work on quantum information

NPR News: After years of waiting, rare turtles have bred 41 hatchlings at the San Diego Zoo

After years of waiting, rare turtles have bred 41 hatchlings at the San Diego Zoo
The Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle is considered endangered. The zoo is the first accredited organization in North America to hatch and raise the species that's native to South Asia.

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Science - October 4, 2022 at 04:01PM - After years of waiting, rare turtles have bred 41 hatchlings at the San Diego Zoo

NPR News: The Nobel prize in medicine has been awarded for research on evolution

The Nobel prize in medicine has been awarded for research on evolution
This year's Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded to Swedish scientist Svante Pääbo for his discoveries on human evolution.

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Science - October 3, 2022 at 04:48PM - The Nobel prize in medicine has been awarded for research on evolution