Science

A bald eagle perches on a tree at Sunset Park in Rock Island, Ill., in March. A new study says that many species of birds increasingly moved into urban areas as human activity waned during the pandemic.

Science

Birds Thrived Where Humans Feared To Tread During The Pandemic, Scientists Say

3:54pm September 22, 2021

by Scott Neuman

A new study shows that as people mostly remained indoors during lockdowns last year, many bird species found less noisy and polluted cities more inviting.

As inspiration for all trees preparing their autumnal hues, here's a beautiful red oak photographed in Berlin's Kreuzberg district on October 28, 2020.

Science
Arts

The Autumnal Equinox Is This Afternoon. Fall Is Here

11:08am September 22, 2021

by Emily Alfin Johnson

According to the National Weather Service, at 3:20 p.m. EDT today, the Autumnal Equinox (the moment when the length of daylight and darkness are almost perfectly equal) occurs.

A close-up of Mars taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. New research suggests that the red planet may be too small to have ever had large amounts of surface water.

Science

Mars Had Liquid Water On Its Surface. Here's Why Scientists Think It Vanished

10:44am September 22, 2021

by Scott Neuman

A new study indicates that the relatively low mass of Mars allowed most of its water to be lost to space billions of years ago, rather than retained on its surface.

China says it will stop financing new coal-fired power plants in other countries, but coal use is expected to keeping rising within its borders.

Science

Ahead Of Climate Talks, China Vows To Stop Building Coal Power Plants Abroad

8:30pm September 21, 2021

by Lauren Sommer

The announcement provides needed momentum for global climate change negotiations in November, but coal power is expected to keep growing within China itself.

Humans May Not Have Hunted Woolly Mammoths To Extinction Those Thousands Of Years Ago

5:06pm September 21, 2021

by Jeff St. Clair

Scientists thought that humans with stone weapons may have caused the disappearance of Ice Age beasts like woolly mammoths. New research shows that stones were no match for mammoths' hair and hide.

Everyday tasks — such as buttoning a shirt, opening a jar or brushing teeth — can suddenly seem impossible after a stroke that affects the brain's fine motor control of the hands. New research suggests starting intensive rehab a bit later than typical

The Best Time For Rehabilitation After A Stroke Might Actually Be 2 To 3 Months Later

7:24pm September 20, 2021

by Jon Hamilton

Intensive rehabilitative therapy that starts two to three months after a stroke may be key to helping the injured brain rewire, a new study suggests. That's later than covered by many insurance plans.

Firefighters wrapped foil around the base of the General Sherman tree to protect the gigantic sequoia from an intense wildfire.

Here's Why Firefighters Are Wrapping Sequoia Trees In Aluminum Blankets

6:44pm September 20, 2021

by Bill Chappell

The sequoias are "wrapped with house-wrapping material, kind of an aluminum-foil fabric that goes around the base of the trees," says Jon Wallace, who is helping to lead the firefighting effort.

The Complex And Surprising History Of Humanity And Water

5:40pm September 20, 2021

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with author Giulio Boccaletti about his new book Water: A Biography, which takes readers through the complex and surprising history of humanity and water.

This photo made available by the Library of Congress shows a demonstration at the Red Cross Emergency Ambulance Station in Washington during the influenza pandemic of 1918.

COVID-19 Has Now Killed About As Many Americans As The 1918-19 Flu

4:59pm September 20, 2021

by The Associated Press

Before COVID-19, the 1918-19 flu was universally considered the worst pandemic disease in human history. Whether the current scourge ultimately proves deadlier is unclear.

Science

Wake Forest School Of Medicine Accused Of Animal Welfare Violations

3:51pm September 20, 2021

by David Ford

A national watchdog organization is calling out Wake Forest School of Medicine over its treatment of lab animals.