Science

Science

Lucy Cooke: How Did Slowness Become The Sloth's Secret To Survival?

9:35am February 05, 2021

by NPR/TED Staff

It's easy to see why sloths have become icons of laziness. But zoologist Lucy Cooke says behind their leisurely pace is a marvelous evolutionary advantage that is the secret to their survival.

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Nagin Cox speaks at TEDxBeaconStreet 2016. Photo: John Werner http://www.johnwernerphotography.com/Commnuity/TEDxBeaconStreetPix/TEDxBeaconStreet-2016

Science

Nagin Cox: What Does Time On Mars Teach Us About Time On Earth?

9:35am February 05, 2021

by NPR/TED Staff

NASA engineer Nagin Cox lives on Earth but works on Mars time, where days are longer and time works differently. Her work with the rovers has entirely changed the way she thinks about time on Earth.

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Matt Walker speaks at TED2019: Bigger Than Us. April 15 - 19, 2019, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Photo: Bret Hartman / TED

Matthew Walker: Why Is It Essential To Make Time For Sleep?

9:35am February 05, 2021

by NPR/TED Staff

Sleep is crucial for our health — and there are alarming consequences when we don't get enough. Matthew Walker explores the many benefits of a full night of sleep, and how to make sleep a priority.

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A dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in New York, 2020. Johnson & Johnson is the third vaccine candidate to apply for emergency use authorization from the FDA. The vaccine requires a single dose and doesn't require ultra-cold temperatures for storage.

Johnson & Johnson Applies For Emergency Use Authorization For COVID-19 Vaccine

8:47pm February 04, 2021

by Dustin Jones

The company's vaccine has shown to be 85% effective against severe forms of the disease. Patients will only need to receive one shot instead of two, as with other vaccines already in use in the U.S.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says President Biden told him from the outset: "We're going to make some mistakes along the way. We're going to stumble a bit. And when that happens, we're not going to blame anybody. We're just going to fix it.

Dr. Fauci On Vaccinations And Biden's 'Refreshing' Approach To COVID-19

2:03pm February 04, 2021

by Terry Gross

The administration is in its early days, but the infectious disease expert says he's encouraged by the new president's attitude about the pandemic. Science, Fauci says, is "going to rule."

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Long lines and computer isues are making it more difficult for some people to get the vaccine. These Floridians hope to snag one of 800 doses available at a vaccine site in Fort Myers.

'Just Cruel': Digital Race For COVID-19 Vaccines Leaves Many Seniors Behind

12:38pm February 04, 2021

by Will Stone

Glitchy websites, jammed phone lines and long lines outside clinics are complicating the vaccine rollout. And older Americans and those without caregivers and computer skills are at a disadvantage.

What Role Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 Vaccine Will Play In Ending The Pandemic

4:36pm February 03, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Judy Twigg, a political scientist with Virginia Commonwealth University, about Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine and the role it will play in ending the pandemic.

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A technician adjusts the oxygen tanks for medical use at a Columbia University field hospital in April of 2020. The surging waves of cases of COVID-19 around the U.S. have led to shifting surges in demand by hospitals for extra oxygen.

Oxygen Industry Scrambles To Keep U.S. Patients With COVID-19 Breathing

2:59pm February 03, 2021

by Yuki Noguchi

Supply shortages of oxygen for hospitals have plagued many countries, but the U.S. has averted the most dire — partly because the industry figured out new ways to share resources and anticipate needs.

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President Biden has set a goal of making the U.S. carbon neutral by 2050, which will require steeper emissions cuts than the U.S. has ever achieved. To reach it, coal power would have to wane into a footnote, replaced by renewables like solar and wind.

How Fast Will Biden Need To Move On Climate? Really, Really Fast

5:10pm February 02, 2021

by Lauren Sommer

Scientists say the next decade is crucial for slowing climate change. To catch up, Biden's environmental policies will have to move faster than any in history.

Southern Californians celebrate at a mass vaccination site in Disneyland's parking lot in January. CDC head Dr. Rochelle Walensky cautions that for strongest immunity, recipients get both doses of the Pfizer or of the Moderna vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccine: Will It Protect Against New Variants And Do You Need A 2nd Dose?

4:26pm February 02, 2021

by Joanne Silberner

The spread of new strains raises new questions as two COVID-19 vaccines continue their rollout across the U.S. and another vaccine candidate preps for regulatory review. Here's what you need to know.