Science

At Long Last, Taxidermied Hyenas In Chicago Get Their Own Diorama

7:13pm May 07, 2015

After years tucked away in the Reptile Hall at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, four striped taxidermied hyenas are finally getting their own diorama.

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California Prepares For Difficult Fire Season Amid Drought

6:22pm May 07, 2015

by Katie Orr

Firefighters in California depend on water from lakes and reservoirs to help fight wildfires. But water levels have fallen because of the ongoing drought, and some water sources may be too low to use.

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Florida Gov. Rick Scott speaks Wednesday with reporters in Washington, D.C., after a meeting with Sylvia Burwell, head of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Fla. Governor Leaves Meeting With U.S. Health Secretary Empty-Handed

8:48am May 07, 2015

by Phil Galewitz

Despite a "good conversation" with Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, Gov. Rick Scott gets no sign that Florida will receive the more than $1 billion he wants for health care.

Loki's Castle, the field of deep sea vents between Norway and Greenland, is home to sediments containing DNA from the newly discovered archaea.

Missing Link Microbes May Help Explain How Single Cells Became Us

7:55pm May 06, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Near a field of deep sea vents between Norway and Greenland, scientists discovered the DNA of microbes that seem to be primitive archaea, but with a lot more genes — typical of complicated creatures.

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N. gardneri mushrooms grow at the base of young babassu palms in Brazil. A bland tan by day, the fungi emit an eerie green light by night.

Why Some Mushrooms Glow In The Dark

3:29pm May 06, 2015

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Scientists outfitted some fake fungi with LEDs and put them in a Brazilian forest to test their theory that light, not some funky mushroom fragrance, was luring bugs.

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Chipotle restaurant workers in Miami fill orders on April 27, the day the company said it would use only non-GMO ingredients in its food.

Science

Why We Can't Take Chipotle's GMO Announcement All That Seriously

3:06pm May 06, 2015

by Dan Charles

Chipotle says providing "food with integrity" means dropping genetically modified ingredients. But critics say the company's new policy is inconsistent and even dishonest.

Once the roots of the Eskimo potato got too tough to eat, Christopher McCandless started collecting the seeds in a plastic bag, says author Jon Krakauer.

'Into The Wild' Author Tries Science To Solve Toxic Seed Mystery

3:06pm May 06, 2015

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Jon Krakauer has long been haunted by how Christopher McCandless died in the Alaskan wilderness. In a scientific journal, he and a chemist show that the seeds McCandless consumed can contain a toxin.

"I began to learn at least what other people felt and what they wanted to say before cutting them off with my own diatribe. I used to do that." - John Francis

Why Would Someone Choose Silence For 17 Years?

1:24pm May 06, 2015

by NPR/TED Staff

For almost three decades, John Francis has been a planetwalker, traveling the globe by foot and sail with a silent message of environmental respect. For 17 of those years he didn't speak a word.

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"In an age of constant movement, nothing is so urgent as sitting still." -Pico Iyer

How Can We Find More Time To Be Still?

1:24pm May 06, 2015

by NPR/TED Staff

Pico Iyer says sitting still and reflecting is hard work, but we bring so much more to our experiences and relationships when we make time to think.

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"What I'm saying is that culturally we need a much better balance. We need more of a yin and yang between [introverts and extroverts]." - Susan Cain

Why Do We Undervalue Introverts?

1:22pm May 06, 2015

by NPR/TED Staff

In a culture where being social and outgoing are celebrated, it can be difficult to be an introvert. Susan Cain argues introverts bring extraordinary talents to the world, and should be celebrated.

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