Science

Increased Humidity From Climate Change Could Make It Harder To Tolerate Summers

7:23pm February 25, 2013

by Richard Harris

It's not just the heat — it's the humidity. Health experts actually apply that principle to workers, soldiers and sportsmen who toil outside and in places that lack air conditioning. A study in Nature Climate Change says that global warming will noticeably reduce the amount of time people can spend working and playing safely outside.

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Pediatricians Urged To Treat Ear Infections More Cautiously

6:40pm February 25, 2013

by Rob Stein

The new guidelines for treating childhood ear infections are intended to reduce unnecessary antibiotics use. They say doctors should look at the eardrum to make sure a child really has an ear infection, instead of relying on symptoms. And if the child doesn't have severe symptoms, see if the ear gets better on its own.

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Dennis Roseman (left) and Jamie Manganello pull in a swordfish off the coast of Florida. The Day Boat Seafood company went through a complicated process to become certified as a sustainable fishery by the Marine Stewardship Council.

For A Florida Fishery, 'Sustainable' Success After Complex Process

1:19pm February 25, 2013

Environmentalists, together with the Marine Stewardship Council, say that Day Boat's story reflects the good that the MSC system can do. But critics say the vigorous certification process is inconsistent.

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This map shows data reported by users of the mPING app during Friday's blizzard in the Northeast.

This App Uses The Power Of You To Report The Weather

1:19pm February 25, 2013

by NPR Staff

A new smartphone app allows users to document falling precipitation in their location. The mPING app aims to help weather officials program radar to determine exactly what's falling near you. For example, is it hail or mixed rain?

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An official with the Korea Meteorological Administration shows a seismic image of a tremor caused by North Korea's nuclear test, in Seoul on Tuesday.

Did North Korea Test A 'Miniature' Nuclear Bomb?

1:19pm February 25, 2013

by Richard Harris

North Korea's latest nuclear weapons test is much more powerful than the previous two, according to estimates made by instruments that measure seismic waves from the blast. But it's hard to verify North Korea's claim that the test was of a miniaturized nuclear weapon.

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A Ford Focus electric concept car with a home charging unit on display at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mich., in January.

Flipping The Switch: What It Takes To Prioritize Electric Cars

10:48am February 24, 2013

by Dana Farrington

Estonia now has the world's first nationwide electric car charger network. What would the U.S. have to do to make a similar leap?

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The Boston Tea Party museum sits right on the edge of the harbor. With rising sea levels and the increasing threat of strong storms, buildings like these are at particular risk of flooding.

Boston Grapples With The Threat Of Storms And Rising Water

7:02pm February 22, 2013

by Christopher Joyce

Superstorm Sandy was a wake-up call for the Eastern Seaboard — especially Boston, where flooding rivers can meet a surging ocean, all in Boston Harbor. So what's a city to do? Retreat from the water or better shield buildings from flooding.

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Plan B is one of two emergency contraceptives available in the U.S.

Morning-After Pills Don't Cause Abortion, Studies Say

4:51pm February 22, 2013

by Julie Rovner

Emergency contraceptives like Plan B and ella are effective at preventing pregnancy after unprotected sex. Claims that the pills are tantamount to abortion, however, aren't supported by science, say researchers. The only way the drugs work is by stopping a woman's body from ovulating.

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How Wood Smoke is Dirtying Alaska's Air

1:03pm February 22, 2013

In Fairbanks, Alaska, residents are using wood stoves to heat their homes during the frigid winter months. But, smoke created by these wood burners is contributing to some of the worst air pollution in the country. Cathy Cahill discusses air quality in the Last Frontier.

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The SciFri Book Club Visits "Gorillas in the Mist"

1:03pm February 22, 2013

The book club regulars visit Gorillas in the Mist, Dian Fossey's memoir of her years studying mountain gorillas in a remote African rainforest. Gorilla expert Annette Lanjouw joins the club to give an update on how this endangered subspecies of gorilla is faring.

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