Humans

The post-fire entryway of the Anova school, which was located in Santa Rosa's Luther Burbank Center for the Arts.

A School For Kids With Autism Copes With Fire's Physical And Emotional Damage

11:47am October 14, 2017

by Devin Katayama

Dealing with a fire or other natural disaster is hard on anyone, from evacuation to aftermath. And people with physical or developmental disabilities have particular needs, say emergency planners.

Science

Is Harrison Ford An Android In 'Blade Runner'?

5:31pm October 13, 2017

by Adam Frank

Ever since the first movie achieved cult status, fans have hotly debated whether Rick Deckard, played by Harrison Ford, is a replicant. Blade Runner 2047 leaves room for argument, says fan Adam Frank.

Joseph Lister directing the use of carbolic acid spray in one of his earliest antiseptic surgical operations, circa 1865.

'The Butchering Art': How A 19th Century Physician Made Surgery Safer

5:28pm October 13, 2017

by April Fulton

Before surgeons accepted germ theory, operations often killed patients. All Things Considered host Robert Siegel talks with the author of a new biography of antiseptic advocate Joseph Lister.

Elizabeth Loftus: How Can Our Memories Be Manipulated?

9:29am October 13, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Years of research have taught Elizabeth Loftus just how unreliable our memories are. From tweaking a real memory to planting a completely fabricated one, tampering with our minds is surprisingly easy.

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The sky over Santa Rosa, Calif., on Monday.

This Week's Air Quality Is Worst On Record For San Francisco Bay Area

11:10pm October 12, 2017

by Lesley McClurg

As wildfires spread through Northern California counties, clouds of smoke and ash are spreading, too, far beyond the flames. Air quality officials have a database that's searchable by ZIP code.

Roughly 80 percent of all first strokes arise from risks that people can influence with behavioral changes, doctors say — risks like high blood pressure, smoking and drug abuse.

Health Conditions That Increase Stroke Risk Rise Across All Ages, Races

5:18pm October 11, 2017

by April Fulton

Smoking, drug abuse and diabetes are all modifiable risk factors for stroke. Yet a large study of patients hospitalized for stroke suggests the number of people with these risk factors is rising.

The amygdala in the brain is larger in people who have altruistic tendencies, says guest blogger Abigail Marsh.

Science

What Drives Some People To Take Personal Risks To Help Strangers?

2:34pm October 10, 2017

by Abigail Marsh

Acts of altruism — like saving swimmers caught in a riptide from drowning or donating a kidney to a stranger — are among the thorniest puzzles of human nature, says guest blogger Abigail Marsh.

Science

What Influences Attitudes Toward Gun Control Reform?

2:34pm October 09, 2017

by Tania Lombrozo

People see the causes of mass shootings differently, depending on whether they own guns. Those who don't own guns often blame such incidents on the widespread availability of guns — but owners do not.

Mosaic consisting of the shape of the head.

Science

How To Make AI The Best Thing To Happen To Us

4:38pm October 08, 2017

by Max Tegmark

We can thrive with AI if we win the race between the growing power of our technology and the wisdom with which we manage it, but we must ditch the idea of learning from our mistakes, says Max Tegmark.

The Relationship Between Domestic Violence And Mass Shootings

6:45pm October 07, 2017

In at least 54 percent of mass shootings, the perpetrator also shot an intimate partner or relative. NPR's Michel Martin talks with gun policy expert Robert Spitzer about the pattern of domestic abuse among mass shooters.

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