Research News

Researchers Examine Breitbart's Influence On Election Information

8:42am March 14, 2017

A study of 1.25 million media stories says a Breitbart-centered media ecosystem fostered the sharing of stories that were, at their core, misleading. Steve Inskeep talks to researcher Yochai Benkler.

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Science

Why Piling On Facts May Not Help In The Battle Against Fake News

8:42am March 14, 2017

by Shankar Vedantam

As the country has become more polarized, we increasingly disagree not just on policy, but on the facts. Can more and better information solve the problem of fake news?

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In July 2016, Rubins (left) and Jeff Williams (right), inside the International Space Station, maneuvered a supply spacecraft for docking.

A Microbe Hunter Plies Her Trade In Space

8:42am March 14, 2017

by Rae Ellen Bichell

Meet Kate Rubins, a virus-hunter turned astronaut. When she sequenced DNA in space for the first time, she opened the door to a new era in space biology.

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Over three years, a campaign urged Howard County, Md., residents to pare back on sugary drinks — through ads, social media, health counseling and changes to what vending machines sold. And it worked.

Un-Sweetened: How A Maryland County Cut Soda Sales Without A Soda Tax

5:26pm March 13, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

Over three years, a campaign urged Howard County, Md., residents to pare back on sugary drinks — through ads, social media, health counseling and changes to what vending machines sold. And it worked.

Sometimes fast-acting chemotherapy can help slow an aggressive cancer — and give the slower-acting immunotherapies a chance to work.

Old-Style Chemo Is Still A Mainstay In The Age Of Targeted Cancer Therapy

10:37am March 13, 2017

by Richard Harris

Scientists hunting cures for cancer hope to find therapies with fewer side effects. But there's also new evidence that old-style chemotherapy sometimes helps gentler treatments work better.

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Eating too much bacon, or too few whole grains, nuts and seeds, can influence your risk of death from heart disease. Nearly half of all deaths from heart disease and Type 2 diabetes are linked to diet.

Eating More — Or Less — Of 10 Foods May Cut Risk Of Early Death

8:10am March 11, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

Too much bacon, or too few nuts, can influence the risk of death from heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, a study finds. Nearly half of U.S. deaths from these causes were linked to diet.

The skull of La Ferrassie Neanderthal, from France.

Science

Some Plaque To Build A Theory On: Did Humans And Neanderthals Kiss?

7:22am March 11, 2017

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the scientific discovery of Neanderthal dental plaque that indicates they might have kissed humans.

Science
Arts

Sheena Iyengar: Why Are Some Choices So Paralyzing?

8:48am March 10, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Psycho-economist Sheena Iyengar explains how we can actively use choice as a tool to help us arrive at decisions we can live with.

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Science
Arts

Ruth Chang: How Can Making Hard Choices Empower Us?

8:48am March 10, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

One choice isn't always better than the other. Philosopher Ruth Chang says, once we realize that, it's easier to embrace the hard work of decision-making.

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Dan Ariely: When Are Our Decisions Made For Us?

8:48am March 10, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

We often think that our decisions are our own. But Behavioral Economist Dan Ariely explains how our environment — even something as simple as how a question is framed — can affect what we choose.

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