Lessons for living a happy life, according to science
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Dr. Robert Waldinger, one of the authors of The Good Life: Lessons from the World's Longest Scientific Study on Happiness.
Science
Picking the 'right' sunscreen isn't as important as avoiding these 6 mistakes
Sunscreen is crucial for skin protection and the SPF is important. But dermatologists say the key to good summer skin care is applying plenty of lotion and re-applying it often, even when it's cloudy.
The power of lullabies
We think of lullabies as a sweet way of easing children into sleep. But the power of a lullaby can go further — to comfort, and to heal, even under the most difficult circumstances.
Weekly Dose of Wonder: Why we get more genes from our moms
We inherit more genes from our maternal side. That's because it's the egg, not the sperm, that hands down all of the mitochondrial DNA. In addition, the W chromosome has more genes.
Here is the first livestream from Mars — a rare, almost real-time look into space
On Friday afternoon, spectators had a chance to see the most current images of Mars possible — which take 3 to 22 minutes to reach Earth — courtesy of the European Space Agency.
Scientists zap sleeping humans' brains with electricity to improve their memory
Scientists have shown that deep brain stimulation during sleep can help people retain new information. The approach could help people with memory problems related to disorders like Alzheimer's.
This week in science: a paralyzed man walks again and a sticker-like vaccine patch
Short Wave hosts Emily Kwong and Regina Barber talk about a paralyzed man that walked again, a sticker vaccine and the science behind a crop of new RSV vaccines.
By boosting memory consolidation, scientists may be able to help Alzheimer's patients
During sleep, the brain strengthens memories it expects to use in the future. Now, scientists say they've found a way to enhance this process. This research might someday help people with memory loss.
Medical students aren't showing up to class. What does that mean for future docs?
Most first- and second-year medical students don't attend lectures. A student and a professor suggest it's a good time to think a lot about medical education, starting with "flipping the classroom."
Living Better: What it takes to get healthy in America
Poor diet, lack of exercise, stress and trauma, all drive America's declining life expectancy and increasing rates of chronic disease. So how can we live better in America? NPR looks for answers.