Humans

Campers with Williams syndrome on stage at the Grand Ole Opry performing their original song, "I Love Big," with country artist Chris Young in front of a crowd of thousands.

Country Music And Brain Research Come Together At Nashville Summer Camp

5:26pm July 31, 2017

by Emily Siner

Researchers in Nashville are tapping into a country music camp to learn more about Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Many people who have it love music but don't know why.

In addition to profound exhaustion that isn't relieved with sleep, the illness now called ME/CFS includes flu-like symptoms, muscle pain, "brain fog" and various other physical symptoms, all of which typically worsen with even minor exertion.

Scientists Edge Closer To Elusive Lab Test For 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome'

3:26pm July 31, 2017

by Miriam E. Tucker

Stanford University scientists have found an array of proteins in the blood whose levels correlate closely with the severity of symptoms of the mysterious illness that's increasingly known as ME/CFS.

An international team of scientists analyzed data from men around the world and found sperm counts declining in Western countries.

Sperm Counts Plummet In Western Men, Study Finds

3:19pm July 31, 2017

by Rob Stein

Data from nearly 43,000 men around the world found that sperm counts dropped by more than half in Western countries. It could reflect a decline in health overall, scientists say.

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The tasty, frozen treats of summer can lose some of their appeal if they cause your brain to interpret that big gulp as pain.

Why We All Scream When We Get Ice Cream Brain Freeze

7:00am July 31, 2017

by Ashlie Stevens

When temperatures soar, there's nothing like a frozen treat to take off the edge. But if we dive in too fast, our brains are thrown for a distressing and sometimes painful loop. Here's why.

How Much Can A Vision Of Your 'Future Self' Motivate You To Achieve?

6:35pm July 30, 2017

by Alix Spiegel

Invisibilia co-host Alix Spiegel introduces us to a young man whose sights were set far beyond the Syrian orphanage in which he spent part of his childhood.

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Science

When Your Hand Has A Mind Of Its Own

8:14am July 29, 2017

by Hanna Rosin

What happens when you think and how you act don't align? We tell the story of a woman diagnosed with what's known as "alien hand syndrome."

Hurricanes in 2012 and 2003 submerged parking lots and park benches, and flooded businesses along Annapolis' Dock Street. City planners estimate that, given the rise in sea level, by 2100 the flood from a once-in-a-hundred-year storm would be almost twice

Mapping Coastal Flood Risk Lags Behind Sea Level Rise

11:33pm July 27, 2017

by Christopher Joyce

Federal maps help determine who on the coast must buy flood insurance, but many don't include the latest data. Maryland is now making its own flood maps, so homeowners can see if they're at risk.

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A growing number of pediatric sports medicine groups warn that when a child focuses on a single sport before age 15 or 16, they increase their risk of injury and burnout — and don't boost their overall success in that sport.

Student Athletes Who Specialize Early Are Injured More Often, Study Finds

6:38pm July 25, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

High school athletes who tended to focus on one sport were 50 percent more likely to get hurt than those who hadn't specialized. Injuries included ankle sprains, knee tendonitis, and stress fractures.

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Mary Anderson's illustration of her 1903 patented "window cleaning device."

Alabama Woman Stuck In NYC Traffic In 1902 Invented The Windshield Wiper

7:49am July 25, 2017

by Joe Palca

Entrepreneur Mary Anderson thought it made no sense that New York streetcar drivers had to keep jumping off to clean snow from the windshield. She soon won a patent for her "window cleaning device."

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Ultimately, Mazany says she plans to keep fighting. "Yeah, this sport is not safe," she says. "But a lot of things that we do aren't safe."

Female Athletes Are Closing The Gender Gap When It Comes To Concussions

9:55am July 24, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

Gina "Danger" Mazany is a professional mixed martial arts athlete, and she's helping researchers learn more about head injuries and the female brain.

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