NPR News: NASA is keeping Voyager 2 going until at least 2026 by tapping into backup power

NASA is keeping Voyager 2 going until at least 2026 by tapping into backup power
Engineers have bought the spacecraft's interstellar mission more time by using backup power from a safety mechanism. It means NASA no longer has to shut down one of its five scientific instruments.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 30, 2023 at 04:00PM - NASA is keeping Voyager 2 going until at least 2026 by tapping into backup power

NPR News: Lonely pet parrots find friendship through video chats, a new study finds

Lonely pet parrots find friendship through video chats, a new study finds
Parrots are known to be chatty, social animals. But when they're kept as pets, they can get lonely. A group of scientists found that video chatting with other parrots helps them feel less so.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 29, 2023 at 05:00PM - Lonely pet parrots find friendship through video chats, a new study finds

NPR News: Two doctors struck by tragedy in Sudan: One dead, one fleeing for his life

Two doctors struck by tragedy in Sudan: One dead, one fleeing for his life
The violence in Sudan has claimed the life of a beloved Sudanese American doctor. One of his colleague's talks about Dr. Sulieman's legacy — and the devastating toll of the fighting in Khartoum.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 29, 2023 at 02:30AM - Two doctors struck by tragedy in Sudan: One dead, one fleeing for his life

NPR News: Precision agriculture technology helps farmers - but they need help

Precision agriculture technology helps farmers - but they need help
Some farmers hope this year's federal Farm Bill brings more attention to the benefits of - and barriers to - precision agriculture technology.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 28, 2023 at 03:43AM - Precision agriculture technology helps farmers - but they need help

NPR News: Weekly dose of wonder: The glorious sounds of chickens

Weekly dose of wonder: The glorious sounds of chickens
For our weekly dose of wonder, NPR learns about glorious sounds chicken make at a very important moment in their lives — when they're laying an egg.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 28, 2023 at 03:43AM - Weekly dose of wonder: The glorious sounds of chickens

NPR News: Welcome to the mammalverse: Scientists sequence DNA from 240 species around the world

Welcome to the mammalverse: Scientists sequence DNA from 240 species around the world
Researchers have examined the genomes of 240 mammal species. The project reveals when mammals evolved, how some developed the ability to hibernate, and clues that may help explain humans' brains.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 28, 2023 at 01:18AM - Welcome to the mammalverse: Scientists sequence DNA from 240 species around the world

NPR News: Eli Lilly releases more data for new obesity drug, moving toward fast-track approval

Eli Lilly releases more data for new obesity drug, moving toward fast-track approval
There's already a huge demand for existing weight-loss drugs, so the new medication is highly anticipated. Obesity affects an estimated 650 million adults globally.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 27, 2023 at 05:16PM - Eli Lilly releases more data for new obesity drug, moving toward fast-track approval

NPR News: What lessons have we learned from the COVID pandemic?

What lessons have we learned from the COVID pandemic?
The nonpartisan Covid Crisis Group has released its investigative report, titled "Lessons from the Covid War: An Investigative Report." This is what it found.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 26, 2023 at 04:46AM - What lessons have we learned from the COVID pandemic?

NPR News: Boys may be prone to fetal brain development from COVID

Boys may be prone to fetal brain development from COVID
A new study finds that when pregnant people get COVID, their male children have a greater risk of subtle neurodevelopmental effects.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 25, 2023 at 03:14AM - Boys may be prone to fetal brain development from COVID

NPR News: Missouri to restrict gender-affirming care for trans adults this week

Missouri to restrict gender-affirming care for trans adults this week
Missouri AG Andrew Bailey has issued a rule that severely limits adults and youth from receiving gender-affirming care. The rule, the first of its kind, is scheduled to take effect Thursday.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 24, 2023 at 04:00PM - Missouri to restrict gender-affirming care for trans adults this week

NPR News: Encore: Greenland's melting ice and right whales

Encore: Greenland's melting ice and right whales
Climate change is causing ice caps and glaciers to disappear. One animal that the ice melt is affecting is the North Atlantic right whale.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 23, 2023 at 04:18AM - Encore: Greenland's melting ice and right whales

NPR News: California's destructively wet winter has a bright side. You'll want to see it

California's destructively wet winter has a bright side. You'll want to see it
California's year of endless storms has seeded superblooms of wildflowers and provided a boost to some of the state's endangered ecosystems

Read more on NPR
Science - April 22, 2023 at 03:28AM - California's destructively wet winter has a bright side. You'll want to see it

NPR News: Minnesota could soon join these other states in protecting transgender care this year

Minnesota could soon join these other states in protecting transgender care this year
In 2023, a record number of states have passed rules or legislation to eliminate youth gender-affirming care, but a record number of states have also moved to protect care for trans youth and adults.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 21, 2023 at 04:01PM - Minnesota could soon join these other states in protecting transgender care this year

NPR News: From 'Short Wave': magnetosphere music, Jupiter's icy moons and a runaway black hole

From 'Short Wave': magnetosphere music, Jupiter's icy moons and a runaway black hole
NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Short Wave hosts Regina Barber and Emily Kwong about the music of Earth's magnetosphere, a mission to Jupiter's icy moons, and a potential runaway supermassive black hole.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 21, 2023 at 03:27AM - From 'Short Wave': magnetosphere music, Jupiter's icy moons and a runaway black hole

NPR News: Think you're tired? This animal goes for months with only two hours of sleep a day

Think you're tired? This animal goes for months with only two hours of sleep a day
Scientists have learned that northern elephant seals — massive creatures found along the Pacific Coast of North America — cobble together a couple hours of sleep using underwater power naps.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 21, 2023 at 01:10AM - Think you're tired? This animal goes for months with only two hours of sleep a day

NPR News: An overlooked brain system helps you grab a coffee – and plan your next cup

An overlooked brain system helps you grab a coffee – and plan your next cup
Researchers have found a system in the brain that seems to integrate control of individual muscles with a person's intentions, emotions, and entire body.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 20, 2023 at 10:38PM - An overlooked brain system helps you grab a coffee – and plan your next cup

NPR News: SpaceX rocket explodes shortly after test-flight takeoff in Texas

SpaceX rocket explodes shortly after test-flight takeoff in Texas
SpaceX's new stainless-steel rocket named Starship exploded Thursday just four minutes after liftoff. In a statement, the company said, "with a test like this, success comes from what we learn."

Read more on NPR
Science - April 20, 2023 at 09:11PM - SpaceX rocket explodes shortly after test-flight takeoff in Texas

NPR News: Viewers in parts of Australia and Indonesia saw this rare hybrid solar eclipse

Viewers in parts of Australia and Indonesia saw this rare hybrid solar eclipse
Under a cloudless sky, about 20,000 eclipse chasers watched a rare solar eclipse plunge part of Australia's northwest coast into brief midday darkness Thursday with an accompanying temperature drop.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 20, 2023 at 01:38PM - Viewers in parts of Australia and Indonesia saw this rare hybrid solar eclipse

NPR News: New data show that an old model of the brain's motor cortex is incomplete

New data show that an old model of the brain's motor cortex is incomplete
Scientists found evidence of two interleaved systems, which may help explain the connection between what's going on in our bodies and what's going on in brain areas involved in thoughts and emotions.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 20, 2023 at 03:21AM - New data show that an old model of the brain's motor cortex is incomplete

NPR News: Generic abortion pill manufacturer sues FDA in effort to preserve access

Generic abortion pill manufacturer sues FDA in effort to preserve access
GenBioPro, which makes a generic form of mifepristone, is suing the FDA seeking to preserve access to the drug amidst ongoing federal litigation.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 20, 2023 at 12:49AM - Generic abortion pill manufacturer sues FDA in effort to preserve access

NPR News: The surprising connection between Arctic ice and Western wildfires

The surprising connection between Arctic ice and Western wildfires
The ice that covers the Arctic Ocean is shrinking as the climate gets hotter. Scientists are finding it could be linked to weather that's helping fuel disasters.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 19, 2023 at 04:00PM - The surprising connection between Arctic ice and Western wildfires

NPR News: COVID during pregnancy may alter brain development in boys

COVID during pregnancy may alter brain development in boys
Boys born to mothers who got COVID-19 while pregnant seem to have a higher risk of subtle developmental delays, including those associated with autism spectrum disorder.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 18, 2023 at 04:00PM - COVID during pregnancy may alter brain development in boys

NPR News: A Spanish athlete spent 500 days alone in a cave — for science

A Spanish athlete spent 500 days alone in a cave — for science
Beatriz Flamini was 48 when she entered the Granada cave in November 2021, and 50 when she emerged on Friday. Her experiment aims to shed light on the physical and mental effects of isolation.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 17, 2023 at 10:15PM - A Spanish athlete spent 500 days alone in a cave — for science

NPR News: This floating ocean garbage is home to a surprising amount of life from the coasts

This floating ocean garbage is home to a surprising amount of life from the coasts
A study of plastic trash hauled out of the Pacific Ocean found that most of it had been colonized by coastal life that was thriving right next to species that normally live in the open sea.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 17, 2023 at 10:00PM - This floating ocean garbage is home to a surprising amount of life from the coasts

NPR News: Watch Live: Space X to launch Starship, the world's largest rocket

Watch Live: Space X to launch Starship, the world's largest rocket
The 400-foot-tall, stainless steel Starship could one day shuttle humans to the moon and Mars, and prove critical to launching Starlink satellites. But getting the rocket to fly is no easy feat.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 17, 2023 at 06:11PM - Watch Live: Space X to launch Starship, the world's largest rocket

NPR News: Teen with life-threatening depression finally found hope. Then insurance cut her off

Teen with life-threatening depression finally found hope. Then insurance cut her off
Despite laws that say mental health care should be paid for on a par with other medical care, health insurance stopped covering the care a suicidal teen needed before she was stable.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 17, 2023 at 04:00PM - Teen with life-threatening depression finally found hope. Then insurance cut her off

NPR News: Lake Tahoe's clear water is due to tiny creatures called Zooplankton, researchers say

Lake Tahoe's clear water is due to tiny creatures called Zooplankton, researchers say
Lake Tahoe's water is clearer than it's been in decades. Why? NPR's Ayesha Rascoe gets the answer from Geoffrey Schladow, Director of the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 16, 2023 at 06:48PM - Lake Tahoe's clear water is due to tiny creatures called Zooplankton, researchers say

NPR News: SpaceX prepares to launch its mammoth rocket 'Starship'

SpaceX prepares to launch its mammoth rocket 'Starship'
Starship is the largest rocket ever built. The company hopes it will one day take people to the moon and Mars. But first it has to fly.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 16, 2023 at 05:00PM - SpaceX prepares to launch its mammoth rocket 'Starship'

NPR News: Out-of-staters flocking to places where abortions are easier to get

Out-of-staters flocking to places where abortions are easier to get
States with strong abortion rights protections are seeing many more abortion seekers, mostly from neighboring states with abortion restrictions.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 16, 2023 at 04:08PM - Out-of-staters flocking to places where abortions are easier to get

NPR News: New York City's newly appointed rat czar faces a tall order

New York City's newly appointed rat czar faces a tall order
New York City's mayor named its first "rat czar" to tackle the city's rat problem. What is scientifically most effective for tackling an overabundance of rats — and does New York City's plan align?

Read more on NPR
Science - April 15, 2023 at 03:49AM - New York City's newly appointed rat czar faces a tall order

NPR News: Why do some people get UTIs over and over? A new report holds clues

Why do some people get UTIs over and over? A new report holds clues
A new study looks at how urinary tract infections can affect DNA. And down the road that could lead to new treatments for the millions who get UTIs.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 14, 2023 at 02:15AM - Why do some people get UTIs over and over? A new report holds clues

NPR News: A rare fireball flew over Maine. Now there's a $25k reward for pieces of space rock

A rare fireball flew over Maine. Now there's a $25k reward for pieces of space rock
The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum is looking for meteorites from a rare fireball event near the Maine-Canada border. It's willing to pay anyone who can find them.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 13, 2023 at 09:21PM - A rare fireball flew over Maine. Now there's a $25k reward for pieces of space rock

NPR News: Goodbye fuzzy donut: The famous first black hole photo gets sharpened up

Goodbye fuzzy donut: The famous first black hole photo gets sharpened up
Scientists have created a new version of a historic black hole image that was first unveiled back in 2019. The central black nothingness now looks larger and darker.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 13, 2023 at 06:01PM - Goodbye fuzzy donut: The famous first black hole photo gets sharpened up

NPR News: Swimming pools and lavish gardens of the rich are driving water shortages, study says

Swimming pools and lavish gardens of the rich are driving water shortages, study says
Socioeconomic disparity is just as influential as climate change and population growth when it comes to explaining why so many cities are struggling with their water supply, researchers say.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 13, 2023 at 05:00AM - Swimming pools and lavish gardens of the rich are driving water shortages, study says

NPR News: What's the origin of the long-ago Swahili civilization? Genes offer a revealing answer

What's the origin of the long-ago Swahili civilization? Genes offer a revealing answer
Genetic analyses back up what Swahili oral tradition has long held about ancestry of people from eastern Africa — that their ancestors are from Africa and abroad.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 13, 2023 at 01:50AM - What's the origin of the long-ago Swahili civilization? Genes offer a revealing answer

NPR News: Global warming could be juicing baseball home runs, study finds

Global warming could be juicing baseball home runs, study finds
Baseball home runs appear to be getting a little extra help from climate change, a new study finds. That's because baseballs can fly farther through air that's made thinner by warmer conditions.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 12, 2023 at 06:28PM - Global warming could be juicing baseball home runs, study finds

NPR News: The surprising science of how pregnancy begins

The surprising science of how pregnancy begins
The start of pregnancy — as well as exactly when that happens — is a hot topic in some state legislatures and U.S. courts. Understanding the nuances of what happens when has never been more important.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 12, 2023 at 04:00PM - The surprising science of how pregnancy begins

NPR News: Texas residents wait and watch as a sinkhole in their town grows

Texas residents wait and watch as a sinkhole in their town grows
A huge sinkhole that seemed stable for 15 years suddenly began expanding about a week ago, growing by several acres and leaving nearby residents terrified that it will take them and their homes.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 11, 2023 at 04:00PM - Texas residents wait and watch as a sinkhole in their town grows

NPR News: Arguments that trans athletes have an unfair advantage lacks evidence to support

Arguments that trans athletes have an unfair advantage lacks evidence to support
NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with endocrinologist, Dr. Eric Vilain, about a spate of laws targeting trans athletes.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 10, 2023 at 04:11AM - Arguments that trans athletes have an unfair advantage lacks evidence to support

NPR News: Mark your calendars! A total solar eclipse is coming one year from now

Mark your calendars! A total solar eclipse is coming one year from now
Viewers located in a strip of the mainland U.S. stretching from Texas to Maine will be able to see the moon pass directly in front of the afternoon sun.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 10, 2023 at 12:23AM - Mark your calendars! A total solar eclipse is coming one year from now

NPR News: New research finds plants make noise when stressed

New research finds plants make noise when stressed
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with biologist Lilach Hadany about the noises plants make when stressed.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 9, 2023 at 07:02PM - New research finds plants make noise when stressed

NPR News: Businesses face more and more pressure from investors to act on climate change

Businesses face more and more pressure from investors to act on climate change
At annual meetings this spring, shareholders will be pushing publicly-traded companies for information about how they're contributing to climate change, and what they're doing about the problem.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 9, 2023 at 05:00PM - Businesses face more and more pressure from investors to act on climate change

NPR News: Avian flu has killed 3 California condors in northern Arizona

Avian flu has killed 3 California condors in northern Arizona
Authorities are trying to determine what killed five others in the flock. The California condor population fell to near extinction in the '70s, but the total wild population now numbers more than 300.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 8, 2023 at 12:36PM - Avian flu has killed 3 California condors in northern Arizona

NPR News: 8 bold agenda items for the World Health Organization as it turns 75

8 bold agenda items for the World Health Organization as it turns 75
Pay more attention to teens, ethics, the planet, long COVID and more. NPR asks public health leaders what this U.N.-created agency should add to its docket in this anniversary year.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 6, 2023 at 11:26PM - 8 bold agenda items for the World Health Organization as it turns 75

NPR News: Check out the deepest-swimming fish ever caught on camera

Check out the deepest-swimming fish ever caught on camera
The unknown snailfish species, of the genus Pseudoliparis, was recorded swimming in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench near Japan at a depth of 8,336 meters — or more than 27,000 feet down.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 5, 2023 at 06:08PM - Check out the deepest-swimming fish ever caught on camera

NPR News: For the first time in 15 years, liberals win control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court

For the first time in 15 years, liberals win control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
The Wisconsin Supreme Court could soon vote to legalize abortion and end gerrymandering now that Janet Protasiewicz, backed by Democrats, has defeated GOP-backed Dan Kelly for a seat on the bench.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 5, 2023 at 08:57AM - For the first time in 15 years, liberals win control of the Wisconsin Supreme Court

NPR News: What will AI mean for the popular app Be My Eyes?

What will AI mean for the popular app Be My Eyes?
The Be My Eyes app pairs those with visual impairments with human volunteers. It's a form of micro-volunteering that has brought people together. Now, AI is changing it.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 3, 2023 at 04:13PM - What will AI mean for the popular app Be My Eyes?

NPR News: Today's election could weaken conservatives' long-held advantage in Wisconsin

Today's election could weaken conservatives' long-held advantage in Wisconsin
It's the final day to vote in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race that's broken national spending records. The winner could be the swing vote on issues like abortion, redistricting and election lawsuits.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 4, 2023 at 04:00PM - Today's election could weaken conservatives' long-held advantage in Wisconsin

NPR News: From 4chan to international politics, a bug-eating conspiracy theory goes mainstream

From 4chan to international politics, a bug-eating conspiracy theory goes mainstream
The conspiracy theory alleges that a shadowy global elite conspires to control the world's population, in part by forcing them to eat insects. It's being cited by politicians in several countries.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 2, 2023 at 05:55PM - From 4chan to international politics, a bug-eating conspiracy theory goes mainstream

NPR News: Building a better brain through music, dance and poetry

Building a better brain through music, dance and poetry
Art can make the brain's wiring stronger, more flexible, and ready to learn, say the authors of the new book, Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 3, 2023 at 04:00PM - Building a better brain through music, dance and poetry

NPR News: Why deforestation means less rain in tropical forests

Why deforestation means less rain in tropical forests
A new study finds deforestation reduces rainfall in tropical rainforests, which has grave consequences for agriculture, drought and climate resilience.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 2, 2023 at 10:37PM - Why deforestation means less rain in tropical forests

NPR News: Scientists create an eco-friendly paint that mimics nature

Scientists create an eco-friendly paint that mimics nature
NPR's Scott Detrow speaks to Debashis Chanda about his groundbreaking research on structural paint, featured in WIRED magazine.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 2, 2023 at 04:28AM - Scientists create an eco-friendly paint that mimics nature

NPR News: Grief and tangled politics were at the heart of Kentucky's fight over new trans law

Grief and tangled politics were at the heart of Kentucky's fight over new trans law
This week, GOP lawmakers overruled Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's veto and passed a sweeping law limiting the rights of transgender youth across the state, both at school and in their personal lives.

Read more on NPR
Science - April 1, 2023 at 04:01PM - Grief and tangled politics were at the heart of Kentucky's fight over new trans law

NPR News: 6 things to know about heat pumps, a climate solution in a box

6 things to know about heat pumps, a climate solution in a box
Sales of super-efficient electric heat pumps are rising in the US. But what are heat pumps? And why do some call them a key climate solution?

Read more on NPR
Science - April 1, 2023 at 04:01PM - 6 things to know about heat pumps, a climate solution in a box