Health & Safety

Elephants are an option for the first quiz question. These pachyderms are walking on a path at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy at the foot of Mount Kenya, approximately 185 miles north of Nairobi.

Quiz: Are You Smarter Than A South African High School Student?

11:09am September 20, 2015

by NPR Staff

So you think you know a lot about world affairs? Like, um, what kind of animal did that American dentist shoot? See how you do on the annual Interschool quiz for South Africa's youth.

A school lunch tray featuring whole wheat tortillas at the School Nutrition Association conference in July 2014. The association is asking Congress to relax the federal school nutrition standards in hopes of attracting more kids back to the school lunch l

Class Divide: Are More Affluent Kids Opting Out Of School Lunch?

10:33am September 20, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

Healthier school lunches are reaching more needy kids, but more kids who could afford to pay full price seem to be brown-bagging it instead. That's why some schools want to loosen nutrition rules.

The federal food stamps program is working to make sure low-income Americans are getting enough calories, but those calories are less nutritious than what everyone else eats, research finds. The USDA is funding programs to try to bridge that gap, such as

How America's Wealth Gap Shows Up On Our Dinner Plates

10:33am September 20, 2015

by Maria Godoy

People on food stamps on average ate fewer fruits and vegetables and had worse diets than other Americans, a study finds. It reflects the challenges of eating well on limited means.

Eka Gupta Goodenough, 3, the author's son, uses a starter knife to chop yellow squash.

Go Ahead, Give Your Toddler A Kitchen Knife

10:31am September 20, 2015

by Sujata Gupta

Allowing a young child to use a knife in the kitchen may sound like a recipe for disaster. Yet researchers and educators say it can help foster independence and curiosity toward food.

Bilberries, also known as European blueberries, grow wild in Lapland and are packed with antioxidants.

Asian Countries Have Nordic Berry Fever, And Finland Can't Keep Up

10:31am September 20, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Japan, China and South Korea have discovered bilberries, lingonberries and cloudberries, which grow wild in Lapland. Exporters want to find a way to cultivate them to better control the supply.

The U.N. Wants You To Take A Selfie, Spin Around, Listen To A Llama

7:03am September 20, 2015

by Malaka Gharib

It's all part of the crazy, creative campaign to get people to pay attention to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that the United Nations will endorse this coming week.

In 1990 and in 2013, smoking was the No. 2 risk factor for premature death. Above: Miners take a cigarette break in Ukraine.

The Good News And Bad News About How People Die

8:49pm September 18, 2015

by Susan Brink

Childhood malnutrition and unsafe water are no longer in the top 10 of risks for death. But lifestyle-related risks, from smoking to diets high in salt and low in fruits, are killing millions.

Rough night? Depending on specific tweaks to their genes, some fruit flies have trouble falling asleep, and others can't stay asleep. Getting too little shut-eye hurts their memory.

How Research On Sleepless Fruit Flies Could Help Human Insomniacs

5:59pm September 18, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

Research on fruit flies with different types of insomnia has revealed the same brain pathways that interfere with sleep in people. The result may be better sleeping pills that don't leave you groggy.

Queue Listen Now

What Happens When You Get Your Period In Space?

5:58pm September 18, 2015

by Adam Cole

Scientists spent decades arguing that women weren't suited for space travel because of menstruation. Even now, a lot of us are wondering how astronauts manage that time of the month.

It's now possible to edit the DNA in a human embryo. The next question is, should we?

British Scientists Seek Permission To Edit DNA In Human Embryos

1:09pm September 18, 2015

by Rob Stein

After Chinese scientists announced in April that they had edited the genes in human embryos, many researchers said it shouldn't be done. Scientists in London say they want to do it for research only.