Science

Pope Francis Uses Encyclical To Deliver Moral Message On Climate Change

8:58pm June 18, 2015

NPR's Melissa Block speaks to John Carr of Georgetown University's Initiative on Catholic Thought and Public Life about Pope Francis' call to moral action on climate change.

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An image of Europa released by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., in 1996 by the Galileo spacecraft. NASA says a new probe dedicated to studying the Jovian moon, is going into the development phase.

Science

NASA: Europa Spacecraft Goes Into Development Phase

8:21pm June 18, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The probe would make dozens of flybys of the Jovian moon in an effort to study its vast subterranean ocean that could harbor life.

ADP Co-chairs Daniel Reifsnyder (left) and Ahmed Djoghlaf (center) say their negotiation work is difficult but worth it. "We only have one planet, you know," Reifsnyder says. "We have to protect it."

Two Guys In Paris Aim To Charm The World Into Climate Action

2:51pm June 18, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

It's a nightmarish job: No exercise or fresh air and little food and sleep for days at a time, all in an effort to persuade 200 countries to save Earth's climate and the planet. Can they do it?

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Leaked Encyclical Highlights Growing Resistance To Pope's Reform Agenda

2:30pm June 18, 2015

by Sylvia Poggioli

A draft of Pope Francis' encyclical on climate climate change was leaked Wednesday before its scheduled release.

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The sun sets over the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta near Rio Vista, Calif., in 2013. The delta is the largest West Coast estuary and a source of conflict over the state's water.

Endangered Species Protections At Center Of Drought Debate

2:23pm June 18, 2015

by Kirk Siegler

Lawmakers in hard-hit Western states are pushing for suspensions to the Endangered Species Act to free up stored water. But an entrenched partisan divide over the law continues to be a hang-up.

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Hospital bills can be as painful as the injury that lands you there — especially if insurance doesn't cover the costs.

Surprise! Some Job-Based Health Plans Don't Cover Hospitalization

11:51am June 18, 2015

by Jay Hancock

Better read the fine print of your health insurance policy. An unlucky woman in Minnesota learned her policy was woefully skimpy only after she fell while walking her dogs, and faced a $19,000 bill.

Cardinals follow a news conference to present Pope Francis' encyclical "Laudato Si," or "Praise Be," at the Vatican on Thursday. The far-reaching papal letter addressed climate change and the poor.

Pope Francis: Climate Change A 'Principal Challenge' For Humanity

10:59am June 18, 2015

by Scott Neuman

In a major encyclical, the pontiff calls on humanity to acknowledge a "sense of responsibility" for the Earth and said it was time to stop "masking problems."

Imperfect Produce is a new venture that's sourcing funny-looking produce and partnering with the chain Raley's to sell it at discounted prices.

To Tackle Food Waste, Big Grocery Chain Will Sell Produce Rejects

10:45am June 18, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

If fruits and vegetables don't measure up to cosmetic standards, they're often plowed under in the field. One company wants to help change that by creating a market for less-than-perfect produce.

Science

Watching Cat Videos Serves Useful Purpose, Research Finds

8:05am June 18, 2015

A survey published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior finds that cat videos can boost a person's mood. Nearly 7,000 people were surveyed about Internet cat videos.

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Cambrian Genomics says that what it calls a DNA printer is essentially a DNA sorter — it quickly spots and collects the desired, tailored stretch of DNA.

DNA 'Printing' A Big Boon To Research, But Some Raise Concerns

9:40pm June 17, 2015

by Rob Stein

Companies are assembling and churning out tailored stretches of DNA faster and more cheaply than ever before. The tool speeds research into diseases of plants and people. But what about eugenics?

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