Humans

Mike Stone, left, and Andy Sherman in the pumping station for Hannibal, Mo., during a flood in 1993. The city has since constructed a flood wall, and flood managers have built up levees to protect against flooding. But scientists warn those structures are

Levees Make Mississippi River Floods Worse, But We Keep Building Them

11:15am May 21, 2018

by Rebecca Hersher

For more than 150 years, scientists have known that levees increase flood risk on the Mississippi River. That hasn't stopped local officials from building up levees in response to more severe floods.

In the division of household tasks, one study shows that washing dishes is the category with the biggest discrepancy between men and women.

Science

Why The $#%& Can't He Wash The Dishes?! The Chores That Can Sink A Relationship

10:12am May 18, 2018

by Tove Danovich

A study finds that washing dishes is a big deal for women when it comes to the division of labor. But it taps into an even bigger idea — that women are emotionally exhausted by household management.

Marines based in Okinawa, Japan, fire an M136 AT-4 rocket launcher as part of a weapons training exercise on the Kaneohe Bay Range Training Facility, in 2014.

Army 'Leans In' To Protect A Shooter's Brain From Blast Injury

5:42pm May 17, 2018

by Jon Hamilton

The Army tells NPR of plans to monitor blast exposure across a military career, to enforce limits on firing certain weapons, and to even look into whether special helmets could help stop blast waves.

Queue Listen Now

Starbucks is closing more than 8,000 U.S. stores on the afternoon of May 29 to conduct racial-bias training.

Starbucks Training Focuses On The Evolving Study Of Unconscious Bias

3:30pm May 17, 2018

by Yuki Noguchi

Scientists and leadership trainers says it's nearly impossible to train people out of their biases, but organizations can develop ways of mitigating the effects of it. Often, it involves teamwork.

The debate over whether an audio clip says "yanny" or "laurel" is tearing the Internet apart.

Science

'Yanny' Or 'Laurel'? Why People Hear Different Things In That Viral Clip

11:00pm May 16, 2018

by Merrit Kennedy

We consulted experts on how human brains perceive sound. The poor quality of the audio file can be blamed for the different ways our brains perceive it. What we expect to hear also matters.

Herceptin has proved to be effective in prolonging the lives of the 12 percent of women with breast cancer whose malignancy hasn't spread to other organs, and whose cancer is HER2-positive. But side effects can be a problem.

Test of Herceptin Finds Briefer Treatment Can Work, With Fewer Side Effects

6:30pm May 16, 2018

by Richard Harris

An aggressive type of breast cancer — a HER2-positive tumor — often shrinks with Herceptin treatment, but side effects can be tough. Researchers say a shorter course of the drug may be a good option.

Parenting Myths And Facts

7:54am May 13, 2018

by Michaeleen Doucleff

What can other cultures tell us about raising kids? Non-Western societies have a lot to teach us, from reducing the stress of parenting to raising more independent kids.

If you're Southern, the macaroni and cheese with collard greens may taste better to you than to someone from another culture.

From Collards To Maple Syrup, How Your Identity Impacts The Food You Like

4:00pm May 11, 2018

by Anna Kusmer

When people are reminded of their cultural roots, the food representing that culture tastes better. Scientists could harness that food and identity association to help people eat more healthfully.

Dr. Paul Marik (left) discusses patient care with medical students and resident physicians during morning rounds at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in 2014 in Norfolk, Va.

Can A Cocktail Of Vitamins And Steroids Cure A Major Killer In Hospitals?

9:58am May 11, 2018

by Richard Harris

Two big studies aim to rigorously test what could be a revolutionary treatment for a common and deadly disease: sepsis. Many doctors are awaiting the results before changing their practice.

Queue Listen Now

Col. Ambrose McGuckian was tapped by food giant W.R. Grace to develop better food for a chain of hospitals in South Carolina after he retired from the Army in 1964.

The Colonel In the Kitchen: A Surprising History Of Sous Vide

6:34pm May 09, 2018

by Alice Popovici

Cooking food in a vacuum-sealed bag in a hot water bath is the height of haute cuisine. But an ex-Army colonel testing tastier hospital food seems to have had a lot to do with developing sous vide.