Science

SciWorks Radio is a production of 88.5 WFDD and SciWorks, the Science Center and Environmental Park of Forsyth County, located in Winston-Salem.

Recently, we looked at the cause of the Dan River coal ash spill, and discussed some ways to read the river for damage. Today we'll speak with Dr. Dennis Lemly, research fish biologist for the US Forest Service, about this recent spill and the impact of ash waste in general.

As testing for doping in sports becomes more sophisticated, so do the drugs. Looking at the recent history of cycling can make you wonder how many cheaters continue to slip by undetected.

"If smallpox is outlawed, only outlaws will have smallpox," says one NIH virologist. Others say keeping vials of deadly virus just invites a horrific accident or theft. WHO is about to vote — again.

MIT neuroscientist Sebastian Seung (now at Princeton) invented the game to help him make a map of the cells in the mammalian retina. A year later, he says the game is producing valuable science.

Scientists have found that a hormone associated with long life also seems to make people smarter. The gene strengthens the connections between brain cells, a process that's essential for learning.

A new U.S. government report tells an unambiguous story: The planet is warming, climate change is driven primarily by people and it's already affecting Americans, through more frequent or intense heat waves, downpours and, in some regions, floods or droughts.

Germany's famous Max Planck Society has opened a brain research institute in Jupiter, Fla. It's another move in the international competition to attract the best brain researchers.

Hundreds of thousands are out of work, yet employers say they struggle to fill positions. Oil refineries in L.A. often have temporary work, but even entry-level jobs require specialized training.

SciWorks Radio is a production of 88.5 WFDD and SciWorks

Scientists were able to make immature sperm cells. If they can make the sperm viable, researchers could help men who thought they'd never have kids. But the findings also raise ethical questions.