Humans

The "digital divide" between Latinos and whites is now at its narrowest point since 2009.

Study: The Digital Divide Between Latinos And Whites Is Shrinking

6:26pm July 22, 2016

by Ericka Cruz Guevarra

After years of lagging behind other ethnic groups when it comes to accessing the Internet, the "digital divide" between Latinos and whites is now at its narrowest point since 2009.

Invisibilia: Do His Sunglasses Keep Him From Seeing The Light?

2:50pm July 22, 2016

by Yowei Shaw

Cass Frankenstein started wearing sunglasses to protect himself from bullies. Decades later, he still wears them. Some friends and relatives say that holds people at bay. But he says it's worth it.

National

Managing Your News Intake In The Age Of Endless Phone Notifications

2:44pm July 22, 2016

by NPR Staff

This summer, it has felt like the terrible news just won't stop. A digital journalism expert at Columbia University offers advice for dealing with the barrage of news updates flowing to our screens.

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Science

Research Provides New Insight Into The Evolution Of Human Microbes

6:27pm July 21, 2016

by Rob Stein

The microbes that inhabit our bodies evolved with us for millions of years, providing new evidence of the symbiotic role our bacteria play in our lives.

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Invisibilia: How A Shirt Collar Helped A Man Survive Auschwitz

5:36pm July 21, 2016

by NPR Staff

NPR's podcast and show Invisibilia explore how clothes shape who people think we are and who we want to be. Hanna Rosin tells the tale of an Auschwitz prisoner who appropriated a Nazi's shirt.

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Earlier studies have found that children who grow up in houses with a TV on many hours a day learn fewer words than children in households with less TV time.

Turning Down The Background Noise Could Help Toddlers Learn

3:47pm July 21, 2016

by Carolyn Beans

Being surrounded by noisy conversations, radio or TV can make it harder for toddlers to learn new words, researchers say. Quieter conversations didn't affect the learning process.

The physical therapy workouts a rehabilitation facility offers can be a crucial part of healing, doctors say. But a government study finds preventable harm — including bedsores and medication errors — occurring in some of those facilities, too.

Rehab Hospitals May Harm A Third Of Patients, Report Finds

11:35am July 21, 2016

by Marshall Allen

Patients sent to rehabilitation facilities to recover from medical crises or surgery too often suffer additional harm from the care they get there, according to research by U.S. health officials.

She Offered The Robber A Glass Of Wine, And That Flipped The Script

5:00am July 21, 2016

by Alix Spiegel

NPR's Alix Spiegel, co-host of the podcast and program Invisibilia, tells the story of a robbery that was halted when a woman decided to respond to the threat in an unexpected way — with kindness.

Grains, beads and bangles unearthed from dig sites in Banda, Ghana, tell of a time when droughts did not bring famine. (Above) Archaeologists Amanda Logan and Osei Kofi dig into the floor of a house from the 1500s.

An Archaeological Mystery In Ghana: Why Didn't Past Droughts Spell Famine?

5:53pm July 20, 2016

by Winifred Bird

A terrible drought hit Ghana in the 1400s, far worse than today's conditions. Yet people had enough to eat, while today they go hungry. What changed? In a word, colonialism, a new study suggests.

An anti-abortion demonstrator outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., in March. Last month the high court struck down a Texas law that imposed tight regulations on abortion providers.

Anti-Abortion Groups Take New Aim With Diverse Strategies

4:39pm July 20, 2016

by Julie Rovner

After a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court last month reaffirmed a woman's right to an abortion, anti-abortion groups are rethinking their approach. And they don't all agree on the best next steps.