Science

Zika is primarily spread through this mosquito species, Aedes aegypti.

Zika Virus Will Spread Through The Americas, Health Group Says

4:45pm January 25, 2016

by Merrit Kennedy

WHO says the virus is moving fast because the mosquito carrying Zika is widespread in the hemisphere, and the population is not immune. Only Canada is likely to be spared.

Science

Massive Space Telescope Is Finally Coming Together

10:52am January 25, 2016

by Geoff Brumfiel

In a NASA facility just outside Washington, D.C., workers are building the James Webb Space Telescope, an $8 billion successor to the Hubble. It'll be the largest ever, and it's set to launch in 2018.

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A chicken house in Seagrove, N.C. North Carolina is one of the country's largest poultry producers. As farms move closer to residential areas, neighbors are complaining that the waste generated is a potential health hazard.

When A Chicken Farm Moves Next Door, Odor May Not Be The Only Problem

6:19pm January 24, 2016

by Keri Brown

Large-scale poultry production is ramping up in North Carolina and getting closer to residential areas. Neighbors say the smells and pollution from these farms can make it hard to breathe.

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Sex And The Snowed-In Cities: Why This Blizzard Could Cause A Baby Bump

6:35pm January 23, 2016

by NPR Staff

Often when big storms strike, so does an uptick in births — to the tune of a 2 percent increase nine months later. But be careful: With the most severe storms, births in the area actually decrease.

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When foraging for delicious bites of snow, steer clear of plowed piles and manure, researchers say.

So You Want To Eat Snow. Is It Safe? We Asked Scientists

9:52am January 23, 2016

by Anne Bramley

As it falls, snow forms a sort of net for catching pollutants in the atmosphere. Pesticides and dirt from soil can also end up in there. Still, most researchers told us they'd eat it, with caveats.

The routines that students learn at Dance for PD classes in Venice, Calif., can be quite challenging, instructors say.

Dance Returns The 'Joy Of Movement' To People With Parkinson's

8:14am January 23, 2016

by Ina Jaffe

Many struggle with tremors and balance much of the time, but when the music starts, these people dance. It gives them joy — body and soul. Scientists say dance might have lasting brain benefits, too.

Politicians Work To Remedy Flint Water Crisis

8:14am January 23, 2016

NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with Harvey Hollins, the coordinator of Michigan's clean-up efforts, about how the state is going to address the myriad problems.

EPA Faces Fallout From Flint, Mich., Water Crisis

4:13pm January 22, 2016

by Lindsey Smith

A top EPA official resigned Thursday over the handling of the ongoing water contamination crisis in Flint, Mich. The role of the EPA and whether the federal agency should have done more has been a recurring theme in White House discussions this week.

Science

Salem College Undergrads Study the Health of the Dan River

3:20pm January 22, 2016

by Shawn Fitzmaurice

SciWorks Radio is a production of 88.5 WFDD and SciWorks, the Science Center and Envir

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El Niño Does Bring Floods And Drought, But There's A Silver Lining

1:33pm January 22, 2016

by Nurith Aizenman

We're in the middle of an El Niño that's already caused weather-related disasters and will last at least several more months. Now for the good news.

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