Science

This photo from 2019 provided by the U.S. Air Force/Alaska National Guard photo shows how closely the village of Napakiak, Alaska is at risk of severe erosion by the nearby Kuskokwim River.

3 tribes dealing with the toll of climate change get $75 million to relocate

5:01am December 01, 2022

by Jaclyn Diaz

The Biden administration gave $75 million in aid to the three communities in Alaska and Washington. Eight other Tribal communities received an additional $40 million.

This illustration made available by the National Institute on Aging/National Institutes of Health depicts cells in an Alzheimer's-affected brain. An experimental drug modestly slowed the brain disease's progression, researchers reported Tuesday.

Study: Alzheimer's drug shows modest success slowing declines in memory, thinking

11:03am November 30, 2022

by Jon Hamilton

In a large study, the experimental Alzheimer's drug lecanemab reduced the rate of cognitive decline by 27 percent in people in the early stages of the disease.

Science

Kansas scientists are testing jacuzzi-like water jets to save a reservoir

6:35pm November 29, 2022

by Celia Llopis-Jepsen

What if jacuzzi-like water jets could save a lake or make sure reservoirs stay full of drinking water? Scientists in Kansas will test this as they work to prevent a reservoir from filling up with mud.

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Kevin Davenport, an aquarist and coral biologist, feeds krill to growing corals, in a warehouse for growing and rehabilitating coral populations.

Here is what scientists are doing to save Florida's coral reef before it's too late

5:03am November 29, 2022

by Greg Allen

Florida's barrier reef has lost 95% of its coral over the last half-century. Researchers, activists and government agencies are working to restore the reefs and ensure their long-term survival.

In this aerial photo released Monday by the U.S. Geological Survey, the Mauna Loa volcano is seen erupting from vents on the Northeast Rift Zone on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the world's biggest active volcano, erupts after 38 years

4:41pm November 28, 2022

by Juliana Kim

The mountain, which is taller than Mount Everest measured from seafloor to summit, erupted Sunday. Its lava appears to be contained, but scientists say the volcano has a history of rapidly changing.

Monkeypox is getting a new name: mpox. Here, monkeypox virus particles (orange) are seen within an infected cell (green), after being cultured in a laboratory. The image was produced by a colorized transmission electron micrograph.

WHO renames monkeypox as mpox, citing racist stigma

11:41am November 28, 2022

by Bill Chappell

"Removing 'monkey' removes the stigma that monkeypox comes with," an expert tells NPR. But he questions why the World Health Organization will wait a year for the change to take full effect.

Chickens are pictured at Southern California Sanctuary on Oct. 5 in Acton, Calif. In Nebraska, another 1.8 million are being killed over bird flu concerns.

Bird flu outbreak drives Nebraska to cull 1.8 million more chickens

5:58pm November 27, 2022

by Emma Bowman

Over 50 million birds have already been killed nationwide as a result of this year's massive outbreak of the disease, which shows no signs of stopping.

Science

The oldest leftovers ever discovered belonged to Neanderthals

5:50am November 25, 2022

The remnants of what may be the world's oldest cooked meal — from 70-thousand years ago — challenge the assumptions Neanderthals consumed only berries and raw meat.

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Science

The Big Burn podcast explores the history and state of wildfire management today

4:11pm November 23, 2022

by Jacob Margolis

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with LAist Studios Science Reporter Jacob Margolis about his exploration of wildfires in his new podcast, The Big Burn.

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Enjot, 45, who lost his house and some of his relatives, walks on Tuesday past the rubble of a building collapsed in Monday's earthquake in Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia.

Indonesia's earthquake had just a 5.6 magnitude. Why are hundreds of people dead?

3:07pm November 22, 2022

by The Associated Press

Bodies continued to be pulled from debris Tuesday in the hardest-hit city of Cianjur. Experts say proximity to fault lines, the shallowness of the quake and poor infrastructure all worsened the toll.