Being Different Helped A NASA Roboticist Achieve Her Dream
Ayanna Howard was 27 when she headed her first team at NASA. She talks about feeling like an outsider, and discovering that diversity drives innovation.
Humans
Kids Start To Test Surprising Claims By Early Elementary School
As many families prepare for a visit from Santa, and some face questions about the jolly old man in the red suit, a new study looks at how children react to surprising claims, says Tania Lombrozo.
Older Adults' Forgetfulness Tied To Faulty Brain Rhythms In Sleep
As people get older, brain waves that occur during deep sleep become less synchronized. This appears to disrupt a system that saves new memories.
VIDEO: For LSD, What A Long Strange Trip It's Been
It's been reviled and revered, criminalized and exploited by the CIA. And now and other psychedelic drugs are being tested as legitimate medical treatments. NPR's original animation tells the tale.
What If Life On Earth Didn't Start On Earth?
Oumuamua marks the first time humans have seen a visitor pass through our corner of the universe — renewing discussions of the origins of life, says astrophysicist Adam Frank.
How To Survive Playing To An Empty Room And Other Advice For A Band's First Tour
Blame the Youth, a North Carolina band, is getting ready to embark on its first tour. Lead singer and bassist Amber Daniel talks to Kam Franklin of The Suffers, who began touring three years ago.
How Labels Can Affect People's Personalities And Potential
What is it that makes you...you? NPR's Shankar Vedantam explores new research that suggests the labels we use to categorize people affect not just who they are now, but who they'll be in the future.
Science's Journey From Data To Truth
There's more to the scientific method than what you learn in high school: Scientists argue with each other, too, and the participation of nature — whose say is absolute — is key, says Adam Frank.
Could Probiotics Protect Kids From A Downside Of Antibiotics?
Many marketing claims about the potential benefits of probiotics have raced ahead of the science, say researchers who are now trying to catch up. One NIH study is investigating kids' gut microbes.
Evaluating Personality Tests
A drive to better understand ourselves and the people around us has led to the creation of a thriving industry built around personality testing.