Science

Science

In 'Um' Or 'Uh,' A Few Clues To What We're Saying — And Who's Saying It

11:11am September 11, 2014

by Robert Siegel

Linguist Mark Liberman, who works at the University of Pennsylvania, says the use of "um" or "uh" can provide signs about the speaker's gender, language skills and life experience.

Queue Listen Now

The Maiden Blush, Chenango Strawberry and Duchess of Oldenburg are heirloom apples found in old orchards across Colorado, which was once a major apple-producing state.

The Comeback Of The Endangered Colorado Orange, An Apple

4:03pm September 10, 2014

by Stephanie Paige Ogburn

The Colorado Orange is no orange; it is an apple, with a unique texture and citrus taste. There's a new effort to bring it and other endangered Colorado apples back from the brink of extinction.

Randen Patterson left a research career in physiology at U.C. Davis when funding got too tight. He now owns a grocery store in Guinda, Calif.

When Scientists Give Up

3:29pm September 10, 2014

by Richard Harris

They were talented, idealistic risk-takers on the road to what they thought would be important medical discoveries. But when the funding for risk-takers dried up, these two academics called it quits.

Queue Listen Now

Aficionados line up outside Hot Doug's, a gourmet hot dog diner in Chicago, in May. Owner Doug Sohn has announced that he will shut the doors in October after nearly 14 years.

Why Food Pilgrims Will Wait Four Hours For A Taste Of The Sublime

12:04pm September 10, 2014

by Maanvi Singh

Psychology tells us that waiting for an experience can boost our happiness, as can talking about the experience afterward. That's one reason food pilgrims seem to be queuing up and Instagramming it.

"The State of the Birds" 2014 report found that red knots (above) and other shorebirds are among the most threatened groups in the U.S. More than half of U.S. shorebird species are on the report's Watch List — species that are currently endangered or at

U.S. Gets Middling Marks On 2014 'State Of Birds' Report Card

11:30am September 10, 2014

by Christopher Joyce

Domestic cats, high-rises and vanishing habitat are taking a toll on more than 33 species of American birds, a comprehensive update reports. Still, wetland and coastal birds are faring better.

Queue Listen Now

Science

Mountain Forests Set To Sparkle With Fall Foliage

6:55am September 10, 2014

The cool weather has led some trees to get an early start on their annual color conversion.

Queue Listen Now

Science

In Some Jobs, Past Achievements May Work Against Female Workers

9:14pm September 09, 2014

London Business School researchers find that the more competent and accomplished women are, the worse their performance evaluations — when it comes to managers with traditional gender attitudes.

Queue Listen Now

Chicks in the Perdue hatchery in Salisbury, Md. The company says an increasing number of its chickens are now raised using "no antibiotics, ever."

Perdue Says Its Hatching Chicks Are Off Antibiotics

2:42pm September 09, 2014

by Dan Charles

Perdue Farms, one of the country's largest suppliers of chicken meat, says its hatcheries are working better now without antibiotics. Public health advocates call it "a big step" forward.

Queue Listen Now

Lisa Schlager of Chevy Chase, Md., demonstrates outside of the Supreme Court as arguments were made in a case seeking to determine whether the BRCA breast cancer genes can be patented. The court ruled in 2013 that individual genes can't be patented.

Researcher Urges Wider Genetic Screening For Breast Cancer

12:43pm September 09, 2014

by Rob Stein

Genetic tests are recommended for women with a family history of breast cancer. One researcher says all women should be screened, but others say there's not enough evidence that they are at risk.

Queue Listen Now

Opponents of Michigan fish farms say there is no room for them in the lakes because of sport fishing and other recreational activities.

Could Great Lakes Fisheries Be Revived Through Fish Farms?

7:20pm September 08, 2014

by Peter Payette

This summer, Michigan's aquaculture industry took a step forward. And that has touched off a debate over whether the Great Lakes are an appropriate place for fish farming.

Queue Listen Now