Humans

Andres Quiroz, an installer for Stellar Solar, carries a solar panel during installation at a home in Encinitas, Calif.

Tech Leaders, Economists Split Over Clean Energy's Prospects

1:17pm November 30, 2013

by Richard Harris

Renewable energy has become a $220 billion a year industry. But to significantly slow climate change, the power of wind, solar and other renewable sources must vastly expand. Some say the tech breakthroughs needed are on the horizon, though a top economist sees a tougher road ahead.

Queue Listen Now

Ronald Heifetz draws on his training as a psychiatrist to coach aspiring leaders at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Lessons In Leadership: It's Not About You. (It's About Them)

7:15pm November 11, 2013

by Shankar Vedantam

It takes more than a decisive vision to solve intractable world problems, says Harvard leadership expert Ronald Heifetz. Instead, he advises his students — including budding heads-of-state — to think less like surgeons and more like psychiatrists.

Queue Listen Now

People gather in the central square of Rjukan, Norway, on Wednesday to bask in the sun reflected by mirrors on a nearby mountainside.

As Mirrors Beam Light To Town, Norwegians Share Patch Of Sun

5:07pm November 03, 2013

by NPR Staff

Rjukan lies in the shadow of surrounding mountains for nearly six months every year. But the town recently installed a system of mirrors to bring sunlight to its central square. Not everyone can bask in the glow at the same time, but the project is bringing residents together.

Queue Listen Now

Bucheli is a forensic entomologist at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, and a staff researcher at the Southeast Texas Applied Forensic Science Facility, which conducts research on human bodies that have been donated to science. "I'm deepl

Could Detectives Use Microbes To Solve Murders?

1:30pm October 31, 2013

by Rob Stein

Long after we die, many of the microscopic creatures living in and on us continue to thrive. In field experiments, forensic scientists are tracking changes in communities of microbes on human remains that could one day serve as clues.

Queue Listen Now

Eeek, Snake! Your Brain Has A Special Corner Just For Them

5:17pm October 30, 2013

by Jon Hamilton

Humans and other primates have really good vision. One scientist thinks that ability evolved in part to help monkeys and humans quickly recognize venomous snakes. When monkeys see photos of snakes, neurons in a specific part of the brain light up. The neurons respond to photos of the reptiles more than to monkey faces.

Queue Listen Now

Eva Hu-Stiles virtually interacts with her grandmother. iPad assist by Elise Hu-Stiles.

What You Need To Know About Babies, Toddlers And Screen Time

12:15pm October 29, 2013

by Elise Hu

Researchers are still learning about the effects of touch-screens on kids. But scientists say that certain kinds of screen time, involving interaction with other people, can help youngsters learn.

Queue Listen Now

Ava Gene's, a Roman-inspired restaurant in Portland, Ore., incorporates colatura, a modern descendant of ancient Roman fish sauce, into several of its dishes.

Fish Sauce: An Ancient Roman Condiment Rises Again

11:19am October 26, 2013

by Deena Prichep

We usually associate fish sauce with Southeast Asian cooking. But it turns out the briny condiment also has deep roots in Europe, dating back to the Roman Empire. What caused its decline? Historians say it boils down to taxes, and pirates.

Queue Listen Now

Researchers excavated the remains of five creatures who lived 1.8 million years ago, including this adult male skull. The excavation site, in Georgia in the former Soviet Union, was home to a remarkable cache of bones.

Science

Fossil Find Points To A Streamlined Human Lineage

5:35pm October 18, 2013

by Christopher Joyce

Conventional wisdom about early human evolution is that several species arose in Africa. But a skull found in the former Soviet state of Georgia could upend this idea. The discovery suggests that there may have been more variety in a single species than previously suspected.

Queue Listen Now

Why College Freshmen May Feel Like Impostors On Campus

11:47am October 16, 2013

Psychologist Greg Walton has found that a simple intervention can help many students get the most out of college. The trick is in helping students see that setbacks are temporary, and often don't have larger implications.

Queue Listen Now

Seniors around the country depend on weekly deliveries of nutritionally balanced food from the USDA's supplemental nutrition program.

Shutdown Leaves Some Seniors Worried About Their Next Meal

7:27pm October 11, 2013

by Patrick Center

Some Michigan seniors may be going hungry thanks to the government shutdown. In western Kent County alone, more than 1,300 low-income seniors depend on a government surplus food program. But the USDA has announced that the program is hold until further notice.

Queue Listen Now