Humans

Simply going up in pitch at the end of a sentence can transform a statement into a question.

Really? Really. How Our Brains Figure Out What Words Mean Based On How They're Said

5:28pm August 24, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists have identified the brain cells that detect pitch changes in speech, allowing us to understand whether someone is asking a question or making a statement.

Crowds gathered to watch the solar eclipse at Saluki Stadium on the campus of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill.

How To Tell If Watching The Eclipse Damaged Your Eyes

10:10pm August 21, 2017

by Andrea Hsu

If you heeded all the warnings, you're likely fine. But spots or blurred vision that shows up 12 hours later or the next day might be a sign the sun's direct rays permanently hurt the retina.

Vanessa Wauchope begins abdominal exercises in Leah Keller's class in San Francisco, Calif. Keller teaches an exercise, called "drawing in," to help strengthen abdominal muscles that tend to spread apart a bit during pregnancy.

Getting To The Core Of Exercises Said To Strengthen 'Mum Tum'

2:56pm August 20, 2017

by Michaeleen Doucleff

NPR listeners had lots of questions after our story about diastasis recti, a medical condition of abdominal muscles that's common among new moms. Many wanted to know more about how to fix the problem.

Suat Keceli, left, a retired stockroom worker, and his barber Yasar Ayhan pose in Ayhan's barber shop in Kasimpasa, the Istanbul neighborhood where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan grew up. Keceli is a conservative Muslim who kept his daughter out of schoo

In Turkey, Schools Will Stop Teaching Evolution This Fall

7:00am August 20, 2017

When Turkish children head back to school, something will be missing from their textbooks: any mention of evolution. The government is phasing in what it calls a values-based curriculum.

Left: A partial solar eclipse, as viewed from the Cotswolds, United Kingdom, March 2015. Right: A total solar eclipse, as viewed from Longyearbyen, Norway, March 2015.

Be Smart: A Partial Eclipse Can Fry Your Naked Eyes

6:02pm August 18, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

And telescopes and binoculars only amplify the risk to your eyes from looking at the sun, doctors say. So even if you're not in the "path of totality," take precautions if you plan to watch.

This sequence of images shows the development of embryos formed after eggs were injected with both CRISPR, a gene-editing tool, and sperm from a donor with a genetic mutation known to cause cardiomyopathy.

Exclusive: Inside The Lab Where Scientists Are Editing DNA In Human Embryos

9:07am August 18, 2017

by Rob Stein

NPR gets exclusive access to a lab in Portland, Ore., where scientists have begun editing the DNA in human embryos to try to prevent genetic diseases.

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Neza Pintaric, 9 and sister Ula, 11, right, from Slovenia watch the partial eclipse of the sun through solar glasses in Hyde Park in central London, Friday August 1, 2008.

Here's What You Need To Know About The Total Solar Eclipse

11:18am August 17, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

As America prepares for the eclipse on Aug. 21, here are some basic facts about the phenomenon.

There are dozens of different eclipse rituals someone can perform, such as taking a ritual bath, but astrologer Sarolta DeFaltay says the most important aspect of any given ritual is that it's personal to the one performing it.

Rituals To Sprinkle A Little Magic Into Your Eclipse Experience

10:07am August 17, 2017

by Christianna Silva

A slightly witch-y mother, an astrologer, and the co-writer of a guide for Basic Witches share their eclipse rituals.

The Best Item In An Astronaut's Care Package? Definitely The Ice Cream

5:46pm August 16, 2017

Unlike other cargo vehicles, the SpaceX spacecraft can return to Earth without burning up. So it's equipped with freezers for transporting medical samples — and the occasional frozen treat.

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The wind direction from the fire in western Greenland has largely blown smoke toward the island's ice sheet and away from communities.

Greenland Is Still Burning, But The Smoke May Be The Real Problem

1:02pm August 15, 2017

by Rebecca Hersher

Wildfires are still burning in western Greenland, close to the Arctic island's ice sheet. As the fires burn, they release black particles that can coat the ice and snow, and make it melt more quickly.