Science

Budget cutbacks threaten a planned upgrade of the massive Titan supercomputer, seen here, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Science On Shaky Ground As Automatic Budget Cutbacks Drag On

12:15pm October 29, 2013

by Geoff Brumfiel

As the cuts made under the sequester continue, scientists worry that U.S. research will fall behind. Budget cuts already are delaying plans for equipment upgrades and preventing new research — and a new generation of researchers — from getting underway.

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Curt Friesen is a fourth-generation farmer in central Nebraska.

Farm Families Pick Massive Corn Harvest As Prices Shrink

10:12am October 28, 2013

by Grant Gerlock

There's a lot of uncertainly in the air as harvest season gets into full swing across the Midwest. But this is a time of year when farm families come together to focus on the big task at hand.

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Cars lie smashed by the collapsed Interstate 5 connector a few hours after the Northridge earthquake on Jan. 17, 1994, in California.

Predicting Quakes Still Shaky, But Being Prepared Is Crucial

5:59pm October 27, 2013

by NPR Staff

In Southern California and communities from St. Louis to Seattle, millions of Americans live in areas at risk for earthquake. But many have not taken simple steps to protect themselves — and seismologist can only provide limited warning.

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Ava Gene's, a Roman-inspired restaurant in Portland, Ore., incorporates colatura, a modern descendant of ancient Roman fish sauce, into several of its dishes.

Fish Sauce: An Ancient Roman Condiment Rises Again

11:19am October 26, 2013

by Deena Prichep

We usually associate fish sauce with Southeast Asian cooking. But it turns out the briny condiment also has deep roots in Europe, dating back to the Roman Empire. What caused its decline? Historians say it boils down to taxes, and pirates.

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Widespread Plague In Wildlife Threatens Western Ecosystems

10:26am October 24, 2013

by Elizabeth Shogren

For most of us, plague is something that maybe we read about in history books. In the 14th Century, it wiped out half of Europe's population. But the bacteria is busy killing wildlife now in the American West. By studying small mammals scientists have learned that plague is far more pervasive a killer than anyone thought.

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Delegates To Debate Watered-Down Plan For Antarctic Marine Preserve

7:57pm October 23, 2013

by Richard Harris

Diplomats are again meeting to consider setting aside a protected zone in the pristine waters around Antarctica, though their previous negotiations ended in failure. A scaled-back plan on the table this week would still create the largest marine preserve in the world.

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Elise Andrew started a popular Facebook page about science.

The New And The Next: Six-Second Comedy And A Spin On News

2:27pm October 23, 2013

by NPR Staff

This week, Ozy co-founder Carlos Watson tells NPR's Arun Rath about the latest trend in Uruguay's YouTube scene and one young woman who gained a following with her love of science.

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On Tuesday night, PBS' Frontline will investigate how decades of antibiotic overuse has led to the emergence of drug-resistant superbugs.

Antibiotics Can't Keep Up With 'Nightmare' Superbugs

6:15pm October 22, 2013

On Tuesday night, PBS' Frontline will investigate how decades of antibiotic overuse has led to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria. Journalist David Hoffman says that understanding and fighting these bacteria should be a national priority.

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The long arms of pivot irrigation rigs deliver water from the Ogallala Aquifer to circular fields of corn in northwestern Kansas.

Kansas Farmers Commit To Taking Less Water From The Ground

12:38pm October 22, 2013

by Dan Charles

Water from the Ogallala Aquifer is withdrawn about six times faster than rain or rivers can recharge it. Now, a group of farmers in one part of northwestern Kansas has agreed to pump 20 percent less water out of the aquifer over the next five years.

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The RoboRoach device allows users to influence the movements of cockroaches with a smartphone.

Science

What's Creepy, Crawly And A Champion Of Neuroscience?

8:02pm October 20, 2013

by NPR Staff

The new RoboRoach project allows users to influence the movements of cockroaches with a smartphone. Greg Gage of Backyard Brains says it's not brain control but more like the bridle of a horse. The RoboRoach just provides a sensation that makes the cockroach perceive an obstacle.

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