Research News

Colored transmission electron micrograph of a section through an Escherichia coli bacterium. This rod-shaped bacterium moves via its hair-like flagellae (yellow).

Biologists Trace Genetic Roots Of Evolution, One Cell At A Time

2:29pm March 15, 2018

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

E.coli bacteria, each cell trapped in a tiny tube, are giving researchers the chance to study the pace and effects of single genetic mutations. Most mutations, the scientists find, aren't harmful.

This artist's-concept illustration depicts NASA's Psyche spacecraft which will carry a deep-space laser communications system.

Science

Live High Definition Video From Mars? NASA Is Getting Ready

6:06pm March 14, 2018

by Joe Palca

NASA is building a new space-based laser communication that will allow live, high-definition video from Mars and beyond — something that's not possible with standard radio equipment.

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As early as your mid-40s, especially if you're sedentary, your heart muscle can show signs of aging, losing its youthful elasticity and power. But moderately strenuous exercise can change that.

Hearts Get 'Younger,' Even At Middle Age, With Exercise

4:06pm March 12, 2018

by Patti Neighmond

As early as your mid-40s, especially if you're sedentary, your heart muscle can show signs of aging, losing its youthful elasticity and power. But moderately strenuous exercise can change that.

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When it comes to chronic pain, how do patients and doctors find the right treatment?

Questions And Answers About Opioids And Chronic Pain

8:09pm March 09, 2018

Are opioids the best way to manage long-term pain? NPR's Ari Shapiro talked with Dr. Ajay Wasan, a pain specialist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, to find out.

Three main theories about Amelia Earhart's disappearance — arguably the most enduring aviation mystery in history — have been bandied about over the years.

New Research Claims Bones Found 80 Years Ago On Pacific Atoll Likely Amelia Earhart's

5:40pm March 08, 2018

by Scott Neuman

Richard Jantz, a forensics expert at the University of Tennessee, reanalyzed measurements from the bones. He says they are female and the right size to be Earhart's. But questions linger.

Make sure that tattoo is one you want to keep.

Tattoo You: Immune System Cells Help Keep Ink In Its Place

3:46pm March 08, 2018

by Menaka Wilhelm

When you get a tattoo, your body mounts a battle against the ink. So how do ankle flowers and bicep hearts stick around so long? Researchers took a look at specialized cells that gobble up the ink.

A hippocampal neuron seen in culture. Dendrites are green, dendritic spines are red and DNA is blue.

Sorry, Adults, No New Neurons For Your Aging Brains

6:15pm March 07, 2018

by Jon Hamilton

The brains of birds and mice continue to produce new nerve cells in the hippocampus throughout life. But research now suggests the human brain stops doing this around adolescence.

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As a "hospital-at-home" patient, Phyllis Petruzzelli was visited twice a day by doctors and nurses who were able to perform any needed tests or bloodwork there to help her heal from pneumonia. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat," Petruzzelli says.

Patients Like Hospital Care At Home, But Some Insurers Are Skeptical

5:00am March 07, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

Some health systems are encouraging selected emergency room patients who are sick but stable and don't need intensive, round-the-clock care to opt for hospital-level care at home, instead.

Hidden Brain: Relationship Between Having Babies And The Economy

8:21am March 06, 2018

by Shankar Vedantam

Americans tend to have more children in a strong economy. Research suggests that conceptions might be a leading economic indicator — meaning declines in conceptions can predict the next downturn.

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Someday, we might be able to customize the microbes we feed cows to help reduce their methane emissions.

Mysteries of the Moo-crobiome: Could Tweaking Cow Gut Bugs Improve Beef?

8:00am March 06, 2018

by Menaka Wilhelm

Microbe-free bovine life would be rough. Cows rely on single-cell accomplices for their digestion, so scientists are looking for ways to use these bugs to improve cows' eating and burping habits.