Research News

UCLA researchers are using a radioactive tracer, which binds to abnormal proteins in the brain, to see if it is possible to diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy in living patients. Warmer colors in these PET scans indicate higher concentrations of th

Scientists Hunt For A Test To Diagnose Chronic Brain Injury In Living People

4:04pm July 17, 2018

by Tom Goldman

Doctors are closer to a test in live brains that could help diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease that's been linked to concussions and other repeated brain assaults.

Surfing For Science: A New Way To Gather Data For Ocean And Coastal Research

5:09pm July 16, 2018

by Nathan Rott

Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography hope to turn surfers into citizen scientists by equipping them with a "smartfin" that gathers data as they surf.

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Research suggests that hot weather can slow our brains down.

Heat Making You Lethargic? Research Shows It Can Slow Your Brain, Too

10:54am July 16, 2018

by Allison Aubrey

Hot weather can influence cognitive performance, according to new research. Young adults living in non-air-conditioned dorms during a heat wave performed worse on math and attention tests.

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Julien Lavandier, a Colorado State University student, started smoking e-cigarettes as a high school sophomore. He says he's now hooked on Juul and has been unable to quit.

He Started Vaping As A Teen And Now Says Habit Is 'Impossible To Let Go'

5:54pm July 14, 2018

by John Daley

Public health officials worry vaping is an emerging disaster that could reverse years of decline in smoking by young people. What's the latest evidence that e-cigarettes are a gateway to tobacco?

Time outdoors leaves you vulnerable to tick bites and the diseases they can transmit. New research seeks to a better picture of the geographic spread of ticks that carry dangerous pathogens.

Researchers Study Thousands Of Ticks Collected By The People They Bit

7:42pm July 12, 2018

by Erin Blakemore

Researchers invited the public to help them study the geographic spread of ticks that carry pathogens that can sicken humans. People were eager to oblige by sending in the pesky bugs that bit them.

Cristina Pato performing at NPR's Tiny Desk.

Science

Want A Creative Spark? Get To Know Someone From Another Culture

8:30am July 10, 2018

by Shankar Vedantam

We find comfort in the familiar, but do we find creativity? New research supports the claim that diverse teams are more innovative.

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When ticks come into contact with clothing sprayed with permethrin, research shows, they quickly become incapacitated and are unable to bite.

To Repel Ticks, Try Spraying Your Clothes With A Pesticide That Mimics Mums

11:23am July 09, 2018

by Allison Aubrey

Just in time for summer hikes and outdoor play, a study finds that the ticks that often convey Lyme disease become unable to bite, and soon die, after exposure to clothing treated with permethrin.

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Any amount of opioid use was associated with a higher risk of arrest, parole or probation according to a new study.

With More Opioid Use, People Are More Likely To Get Caught Up In The Justice System

7:50pm July 06, 2018

by Rhitu Chatterjee

A new study shows Americans with opioid addiction are more likely to have been arrested or convicted of a crime, suggesting a need to involve police, courts and jails in treating addiction.

Keeper Zachariah Mutai attends in March to Fatu, one of only two female northern white rhinos left in the world, in the pen where she is kept for observation, at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia county in Kenya. Scientists have successfully grown hyb

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Scientists Hope Lab-Grown Embryos Can Save Rhino Species From Extinction

6:12pm July 04, 2018

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Only two northern white rhinos remain, and they're both female. But researchers said Wednesday that they successfully have created embryos using sperm collected from the males before they died out.

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Some firefighters, paramedics and police officers say the tragedies they respond to haunt them, leading to depression, job burnout, substance abuse, and more.

The Other Victims: First Responders To Violent Disasters Often Suffer Alone

5:30am July 04, 2018

by Heidi de Marco

Some firefighters, EMTS and police officers say recent mass shootings have brought to the surface their own trauma, buried over years on the job. Many find it hard to open up and seek help.