Humans

Make mine a venti: An example of a drinking vessel from the Grasshopper Pueblo archaeological site in central Arizona. Researchers tested shards of similar vessels found at various sites in the American Southwest and found evidence that people in the regi

1,000 Years Ago, Caffeinated Drinks Had Native Americans Buzzing

3:32pm September 08, 2015

by Murray Carpenter

People in the American Southwest and Mexican Northwest were drinking cacao and tea-like yaupon in places where neither grew. That suggests an extensive trade network to deliver a caffeine fix.

Tech companies are trying to curb the influence of implicit bias in the workplace.

How Startups Are Using Tech To Try And Fight Workplace Bias

11:30am September 08, 2015

by Yuki Noguchi

The idea that everyone makes automatic, subconscious associations about people is not new. But now some companies are trying to reduce the impact of such biases in the workplace.

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Science

Just How Sweet Is The Taste Of Victory?

10:12am September 06, 2015

Ah, the sweet taste of victory. And now there's scientific evidence to back that up. NPR's Linda Wertheimer talks to researcher Robin Dando at Cornell, who used hockey fans to test his theory.

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Ten-year-old Jake Herrera and his Los Angeles team run around the diamond as a warmup for baseball practice.

Benefits Of Sports To A Child's Mind And Heart All Part Of The Game

5:53pm September 04, 2015

by Patti Neighmond

In NPR's most recent poll, a majority of American adults say they played sports in their youth. Many say they encourage their kids to play, too, and see health benefits as well as lifelong lessons.

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How Likely Is It, Really, That Your Athletic Kid Will Turn Pro?

10:01am September 04, 2015

by Anders Kelto

More than a quarter of parents in a recent poll say they hope their teens who play high school sports will become professional athletes. But sky-high parental expectations can have a dark side.

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The uptick in serious bike injuries occurred for both male and female cyclists, although more men get in accidents each year.

As More Adults Pedal, Their Biking Injuries And Deaths Spike, Too

4:35pm September 03, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Hospital admissions caused by bike injuries have more than doubled in the past 15 years across the country. One doctor thinks the "Lance Armstrong effect" could be a reason for the jump.

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Illinois Rep. Louis Lang, D-Skokie speaks with colleagues on the House floor after the passage of a veto override on his heroin bill at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield.

Illinois House Leaders Override Governor's Veto On Heroin Addiction Bill

1:32pm September 03, 2015

by David Schaper

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner partially vetoed the Heroin Crisis Act, which would have cleared the way for Medicaid to fund addiction treatments.

Smell Mapping: Using Your Nose To Retrace Your Steps

6:53pm September 02, 2015

by Brenda Salinas

A University of California, Berkeley psychologist has found that people can create a map in their heads with scents as location markers. NPR replicates the experiment with a master sommelier, and discovers that olfactory navigation is lot more successful if you have a sophisticated nose.

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"Probably females are better at accessing olfactory memories, but I don't know why," says Robert Bath, a wine and beverage studies professor at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley. "Maybe men don't pay as much attention?"

Science
Arts

Are Women Better Tasters Than Men?

5:10pm September 02, 2015

by Eliza Barclay

Many in the wine and beer industry claim women have a keener sense of smell, and thus taste, than men have. Sensory scientists who've tackled this question say there's something to this.

Sleep More, Sneeze Less: Increased Slumber Helps Prevent Colds

8:54am September 02, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

Just a couple extra hours can make a real difference, a study shows. Adults who slept only five or six hours were four times more likely to get sick when exposed to a common cold virus.

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