Humans

Retired astrophysicist Fred Espenak (right) and his wife, Patricia, photographed a total solar eclipse from Jinta, China, on Aug. 1, 2008. He has witnessed 27 such events and plans to be in Casper, Wyo., on Aug. 21 — depending on the forecast.

Go See It, Eclipse Chasers Urge. 'Your First Time Is Always Special'

11:58am August 08, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

A small number of passionate "shadow lovers" roam the world to be at exactly the right place when the moon blots out the sun. One man has seen 33 — and calls each "one of the top events of my life."

Queue Listen Now

Johannes Hevelius (left) and an assistant observe a partial solar eclipse in 1673.

Scientists Prepare For 'The Most Beautiful Thing You Can See In The Sky'

4:31pm August 07, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

You'd think that after hundreds of years of watching total solar eclipses, scientists would know all they'd need to about that particular phenomenon. You'd be wrong.

Queue Listen Now

Keller measures the separation in a student's abdominal muscles using her fingers as a guide.

Flattening The 'Mummy Tummy' With 1 Exercise, 10 Minutes A Day

3:55pm August 07, 2017

by Michaeleen Doucleff

The technical term is diastasis recti and it affects many new moms. The growing fetus pushes apart the abdominal muscles and the separation often stays open. But science suggests this fix can work.

Queue Listen Now

"There's a kind of a bridge between cognitive therapy and Buddhist practice in evolutionary psychology," says author Robert Wright.

Can Buddhist Practices Help Us Overcome The Biological Pull Of Dissatisfaction?

2:04pm August 07, 2017

by Terry Gross

Science journalist and author Robert Wright says that Buddhist enlightenment might help counteract our natural tendency towards unhappiness. His new book is Why Buddhism is True.

Queue Listen Now

Although consuming cannabis is legal in Colorado and several other states, driving while under the influence of the drug is not.

Scientists Still Seek A Reliable DUI Test For Marijuana

6:11pm August 06, 2017

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Coloradans can get arrested for driving while stoned. But with no good roadside tools, officers' determinations are more subjective than for alcohol DUIs. Scientists hope to find chemical markers.

Science

What Changes In Birthing Mean For Evolution

7:59am August 06, 2017

Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with biological anthropologist Julienne Rutherford about the long term evolutionary changes possible from a shift in birth practices in the U.S.

The MD Brush toothbrush forces users to hold it at the optimal angle relative to their gums.

Brush Yourself Off And Try Again: An Invention Story

6:53pm August 04, 2017

by Joe Palca

Inventing even the simplest product is a fraught process. Mike Davidson and Mike Smith have learned that lesson the hard way as they seek to change the way teeth get cleaned.

Queue Listen Now

Science

New Human Embryo Editing Research Reignites Ethical Debate

4:33pm August 04, 2017

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Dr. George Daley, the dean of Harvard Medical School, about the ethical discussions surrounding editing the DNA of human embryos and what the future of the technology might look like.

Queue Listen Now

Shannon McGrath, pictured with her son Rayder, says it has been a lot easier to make her medical appointments recently, thanks to help from a "patient navigator" — assigned to her by Kaiser Permanente — who arranged McGrath's transportation.

Your ZIP Code Might Be As Important To Health As Your Genetic Code

3:02pm August 04, 2017

by Kristian Foden-Vencil

Health care forms increasingly ask about more than just medical history. That's because doctors are beginning to understand that patients' stress, and how and where they live, influence health, too.

Finding some change in the blood of an Alzheimer's patient that accurately reflects the damaging changes in the brain has been tough.

Scientists Aim For Better, Cheaper Tests For Alzheimer's

1:43pm August 04, 2017

by Shirley S. Wang

The goal is to find accurate, painless tests that can help doctors diagnose Alzheimer's early and track the progression of the illness and any response to treatment. A few tests seem promising.