Humans

Microplastics found along Lake Ontario by Rochman's team

Beer, Drinking Water And Fish: Tiny Plastic Is Everywhere

11:41pm August 20, 2018

by Christopher Joyce

Plastic trash less than 5 millimeters long is in the things we eat and drink, and the air we breathe. Scientists are just beginning to study where it comes from and how it might affect our health.

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Researchers are trying to understand why black and Latino children are more likely to die of certain cancers.

Why Are Black And Latino Kids More Likely To Die Of Certain Cancers?

7:02pm August 20, 2018

by Erin Blakemore

There's a big survival gap between white and minority children when it comes to some childhood cancers. It turns out growing up in poverty explains a lot of the difference.

Vacation days piling up? Even a short trip can boost well-being.

Vacation Days Piling Up? Here's How To Get The Most Out Of A Short Vacation

9:25am August 20, 2018

by Allison Aubrey

Americans forfeited about 200 million days of paid vacation leave last year. And many U.S. workers now take shorter, partial-week vacations. But even a mini-break can be good for your health.

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Paul Gilding: How Do We Continue To Grow If The Earth Has Reached Its Limit?

10:04am August 17, 2018

by NPR/TED Staff

Environmental activist Paul Gilding says the world has been growing too fast for too long. And now...the Earth is full. The only solution, he says, is to radically change the way we consume.

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Steven Pinker: Can Numbers Show Us That Progress Is Inevitable?

10:04am August 17, 2018

by NPR/TED Staff

It might seem like the world is getting worse and worse. But psychologist Steven Pinker says that across the board, data suggests we've made a lot of progress. The question is — will it continue?

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Victoria gave birth to her daughter Lili while in treatment for opioid dependency.

Babies Born Dependent On Opioids Need Touch, Not Tech

6:03pm August 16, 2018

by Alex Smith

A pediatrician is working to make sure every hospital in Kansas can give babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome the soft start they need, ideally right next to their mothers.

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Patient Aaron Reid receives (CAR) T-cell therapy at the NIH in Bethesda, MD. The process took five minutes to complete.

Scientists Race To Improve 'Living Drugs' To Fight Cancer

1:31pm August 16, 2018

by Rob Stein

Researchers are working on better ways to teach patients' immune systems to root out and kill malignant cells. A promising approach involves cells that attack cancer two ways at one time.

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At Coquina Beach, crews are out early using beach rakes to clear dead fish. The fish are dying because of a toxic algae bloom known as red tide.

Florida's Gulf Coast Battles Deadly And Smelly Red Tide

8:47pm August 14, 2018

by Greg Allen

A toxic algae bloom is killing fish, turtles and dolphins and discouraging tourists from visiting Florida's Gulf Coast. It's not the first such event, but it is especially intense.

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Aviv Regev, a core member of the Broad Institute, is leading the international Human Cell Atlas Consortium.

Ambitious 'Human Cell Atlas' Aims To Catalog Every Type Of Cell In The Body

5:00am August 13, 2018

by Karen Weintraub

Already the project has revealed a previously unknown type of cell in the windpipe that might play a role in cystic fibrosis — and lead to a new treatment, scientists say.

Understanding Horizontal Gene Transfer In 'The Tangled Tree'

8:19am August 11, 2018

NPR's Scott Simon asks science writer David Quammen about horizontal gene transfer and how it changes how we think about humankind's place in the world. Quammen's new book is The Tangled Tree.