Go Ahead, Little Goat, Eat Some Poison Ivy. It Won't Hurt A Bit
Amazon's getting into the rent-a-goat business (for weed chomping). After all, goats are great at wiping out unwanted plants — even poison ivy. How do they do it?
Science
Superslick Coatings Conquer Ketchup, But What About Ebola?
A new coating makes ketchup slide out of the bottle and toothpaste slip out of a tube, right down to the last drop. So why not put the slick surface on an Ebola suit so the virus doesn't stick?
Tracking Your Own Health Data Too Closely Can Make You Sick
Why not check bloodwork a few times a year as some celebrities advise? Because too much testing can lead to false positives (and abnormalities that don't threaten health) and to unnecessary treatment.
NASA Battles Rising Sea Levels To Protect Kennedy Space Center
Sea level rise is beginning to affect the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A protective dune not too far from the launchpads has collapsed.
Even Neil DeGrasse Tyson Is Now Munching On Bugs
At an event to honor the modern-day science hero, $15,000 worth of edible insects were on the menu. So Tyson was willing — if not exactly eager — to explore the delicacies on offer. For science.
Cambridge University Unearths Medieval Hospital Cemetery
Cambridge University has unearthed one of Britain's largest medieval hospital cemeteries, containing more than 1,000 human remains. NPR's Audie Cornish and Melissa Block talked to the leader of the dig, Craig Cessford, about the new findings.
When Did Humans Start Shaping Earth's Fate? An Epoch Debate
Some scientists suggest calling the era we live in the Anthropocene, to denote the time when humans came to dominate Earth's fate. But did it start with farming, the atom bomb or another event?
Large Hadron Collider Goes Back Online After 2-Year Hiatus
The giant particle accelerator at CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland, underwent a number of upgrades, including a doubling of the energy with which it can smash protons together.
Brief Eclipse Dazzles Skywatchers
The third in a set of four lunar eclipses that began a year ago and will finish in late September could be seen from the U.S. East Coast to Asia.
California Faith Groups Divided Over Right-To-Die Bill
Many Christian denominations officially oppose legislation that would legalize medically assisted suicide. But some individual churches, pastors and congregants are lending support to the cause.